4 Week Clean Eating Plan!!

Hello my friends! I have heard your cries and here is my answer - a 4 week clean eating plan. There are some wonderful clean eating meals and recipes out there. I tried to make this plan very simple and easy. As you become more comfortable with clean eating and preparation you can start to venture out and try more complex and wonderful recipes. There are tons of clean eating sites out there to explore for recipes.


Remember that leftovers are your friends for planning the next days lunch! Also, I did not provide calorie measurements. You NEED to know what your calorie intake should be and plan portions accordingly. This is only a guide and I hope that you will find this helpful! Eat happy and clean my friends!

Plateau Land

I am in the dreaded place I have longed not to be in - Plateau Land. I have tried to find ways to be active and lose weight over the last several years. With limited resources, I always turned to running because it is essentially free. Then the dreaded winter comes and you can either spend a ton of money for a treadmill or tons of money for winter running gear. I typically would put the weight back on over winter. We did have a treadmill in the house but this activity very quickly become mundane and I had no drive to continue with the process. I finally decided to try Insanity. I have done Insanity 3 times and only finished it one time. This work it out is insane!!! The last time I did the program I incorporated clean eating and BAM – results!

I have progressively and slowly lost pounds and inches over the last 6 months. I started eating clean and making this an important part of my lifestyle change. Although, I have allowed myself to indulge around holidays and worked in cheat days. I completed another home program Les Mills Combat, which had significantly less impact than the first one. I completed an extra month of that workout and this has brought me to the point where I am now.

I loved both programs! They were convenient for my lifestyle! The biggest part of my transformation was eating clean. I have recently realized that I have platueaued. I am not seeing muscle tone like I crave so badly and I am no longer losing inches or pounds.  As I reflect back on the last 6 months I see a few things I need to change to achieve the next goal – muscles!!! The programs I did were largely cardio. As we know, cardio is very important to shed unwanted pounds quickly. I need to move on to the next step which is lifting weights. I know that by lifting weights I will essentially burn even more calories with the muscles I build and see the definition I so strongly crave.

The biggest part of creating stellar abs, killer legs, and bangin arms is my eating style! I have been very cautious to keep our kitchen clean of sugary items. As I reflect on the last few weeks, I realize we have progressively had more junk food in the house. There has been 3 birthday parties (my son had 2), and a procession of guests in our house which has led to bad eating choices. I realize this is only an excuse but one that I need to correct.

My solution for breaking this plateau is as follows:

1. Start a food journal and count my calories. If I can start writing down everything I put in my mouth then I can truly see if I am eating well or not.  I am guilty of tasting, snacking, and grabbing which can add up! Keeping track of the food will really put my calorie intake into perspective.
2. Find a program or join a gym that I can “pump it up”! I will never see muscle definition if I continuously do cardio and duh, don’t lift weights!
3. Mix up my routine every couple of months. The body can accommodate very quickly. If you do the same thing over and over your body will get used to this process and change will not happen. I have to keep my body on its toes to continue to see results.

This is my plan to break my plateau and finally reach my goal of wearing that elusive bikini again with confidence! What do you do to mix it up? What suggestions do you have? There is never one formula that works for everyone – what works for you?

Pizza Pizza

You say Pizza! I say pizza! We all cheer for pizza! Pizza is a staple for many families. A friend of mine gave me a pizza dough recipe and we have been making pizza from scratch for almost 2 years. My family loves this recipe and we make it ALL the time. It even tastes better and is healthier than delivery! Below is the pizza we made tonight:


Pizza dough:
1 C very hot water (not boiling)
1 tbsp yeast (1 individual packet)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 1/2 C flour


Mix the yeast into the water until it is dissolved. Add all remaining ingredients to bowl. Mix well with spoon, then need with hand until dough no longer sticks to sides and is smooth (about 30 secs to 1 min). Let dough rest while you gather the pizza toppings (this dough does NOT need to rise).






Grease a cookie sheet pan and roll dough out.


Pizza toppings:
Brush olive oil over the top of the dough.
Layer with sliced cherry tomatoes and broccoli.
Top with shredded cheese and bake for 12 to 15 minutes (until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned).

No pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce!?!? Has she gone mad!?!?! I know, it's weird but it tastes good! Trust me!

A couple of tips:
1) You may need to add in extra flour until it is no longer "sticky".
2) You may not always need to use your hands to knead the dough, you can sometimes accomplish this with a spoon and it's less messy.
3) No olive oil or "healthy oils"? Easy! Substitute a 1:1 ratio with applesauce. It tastes yummo!
4) As you can see in the picture the pizza is easily made to everyone in the family's liking - part cheese, part pepperoni, part veggie! Everyone is happy!

How could this dish be even healthier? You could use whole wheat flour or mix half white and half wheat. Again, I am not a cheese expert so if anyone has a healthier substitution for shredded cheese - feel free to chime in! Thank you and enjoy!

Pasta Perfecto

As I promised, I would start to share some of the meals that I eat. Today I made this little pasta ditty for lunch. With a serving size of 1 cup it comes in at a slim 312 calories (estimated). The ingredients include, ground turkey, pasta (any will do), spaghetti sauce, and shredded cheese.

                  

First, I preheated the oven to 350 degrees. Second, I boiled the pasta according to the instructions on the package. At the same time, I started browning the ground turkey.

After the ground turkey was browned, I drained it. Then, I added a jar of spaghetti sauce to the ground turkey and cooked until mixture was boiling. Once boiling, I turned off the burner.

By this time, the pasta was done. I drained the pasta and spooned it into a casserole dish. Doesn't it look beautiful!



Then I spooned the spaghetti mixture on top of the pasta. Lastly, I topped the mixture with shredded cheese. I baked the casserole for about 20 to 25 minutes (until warm all the way through and a little bubbly).

 

Ta da!

 

 

So how could this have been even healthier? This dish would have been healthier if I had whole wheat pasta. If you needed to bump up the calories you could add some broccoli or cauliflower to the casserole. Also, the shredded cheese should have been that of a lower fat (think 1% or skim milk when buying cheese). I must admit, I am not "cheese informed"! I imagine there was a very healthy substitute for the shredded cheese. Please let me know what you would recommend! Thank you and enjoy!

 

The Wild, Wild, World of Nutrition Labels!

Reading food labels while you are doing your regular shopping can help you keep your weight in check. When looking over the labels, it can be confusing and overwhelming. With a little practice you can be flipping packages quicker then a circus juggler and dropping the pounds faster than me as a juggler - ha! I feel there are a few key areas to look over and I have put them in this diagram below:

 

This diagram is the very quick and dirty on looking over labels. The area I always look at first is the serving size. Many times when you look at the label the facts look reasonable. Then you realize that that what they are showing you is for half of what you actually eat; you are really getting double the fat grams instead of what is listed. I personally always check the sodium and sugar content. You know how I feel about sugar - so that is a big one for me. Remember that about 15 grams of sugar = 1 tablespoon of sugar (easier to visualize). I also really liked this diagram from Stephanie Cook Wellness blog, she really breaks it down:

 

 

 

Also make sure to check the ingredient listing. The manufacturers list the contents in order of most amount of ingredients to least amount of ingredients. I love picking up a package and the ingredient list says: broccoli - one word! Now that is a good one to buy :)  Take the time while you are shopping to look over labels and understand what you are eating. Doing this will put in perspective what you are eating and will help you lose weight! Stay strong my friends!

Eating Out, Healthy!

Eating out and doing it healthy sounds like words that do not belong in the same sentence. During this time of the year we are so busy and having a home cooked meal is not always an option. Although, I feel like eating out should be more of a treat and not a lifestyle; let's explore our options if we cannot avoid it.

Many fast food locations must have their calories posted. This is a good start to give you an idea of what is loaded with calories. If you are at a true "fast food" location, look for options that are not fried or battered. Many locations have salads or healthier options. Ask to have items removed that you do not want, such as mayonnaise or processed cheese. Some places, like Jimmy Johns, offer a sandwich with no bread - instead, wrapped in lettuce.

Sit down restaurants provide more variety. It is not uncommon to see a "healthy" or reduced calorie section on menus today. Make sure to order drinks that do not have sugar. Start out with salads to fill yourself before the main course (have low fat dressing, oil and vinegar, or dressing on the side). Order items that are fresh, steamed, grilled, or broiled. Dressings on salads can be worse then eating a double whopper with cheese; ask for it on the side.  After working in the food industry for a while I can attest that ordering steamed veggies may mean that it will come swimming in butter. Ask the waiter to omit the butter or substitute with something else if it is a pre-made item. Look for items that offer more veggies, such as stir fry.

The portions that are given are too large! Ask for a box when you get your food and put half of it away or you can order a meal to share. Often times, my husband and I get one meal and split it. This allows us to stay in control of our portion and saves us money! Yay, for a win, win situation!
Another solution could be stopping at the grocery store instead of a fast food chain. Cruise the deli area and they have box lunches, sandwiches, veggie/fruit salads, and sushi that can be purchased and eaten just as quickly as driving through. Try to think outside the box!

Be smart while you are out there fighting the holiday crowds! You will not be dragging yourself at the end of the day if you choose your meals correctly. Good luck and keep your focus during this hectic time of year!