*This content does surround diet/ weight/ food and may be triggering to those who have struggled with disordered eating. Please proceed with caution!
Hi babes!
So let’s talk food. I am going to share how I structure my eating. But I feel like I need to include a disclaimer that this plan may not work for everyone. Every BODY is different and you may have different needs than I do. But I think this plan is general enough for you to fill in the things you like and skip the ones you don’t. Here goes.
WEEKDAYS:
M-F I meal prep. I am busy, always on the go, and I really need healthy food to be accessible at any time or else I end up very sick! So what does this look like?
On Sundays (or sometimes Monday mornings if we were slackers LOL), I will make a grocery list for my boyfriend. He likes to go to the grocery store solo or else I come home with literally ALL the things not on the list and none of the things we need hehe (and always go over budget – what can I say?). So he does the shopping but I do the planning/ cooking and that works for us. He does most of the cleaning because again, I can’t be trusted to do according to the rules lol.
When I plan my week’s meals I write out “B,” “L,” “D,” “S,” and “X.” Not rocket science, these stand for breakfast/ lunch/ dinner/ and snack but the X is for extra items I need regularly like lemons for water, La Croix, and milk for coffee, etc. This helps to avoid buying unnecessary groceries that will go uneaten or are unhealthy. Breakfast for me is usually oatmeal/cereal + fruit or smoothies (AS YOU ALL KNOW). Lunches I get more creative – think big salads, tacos, soups with a crusty bread, Turkey & pepper jack sandwiches, chicken salad, egg salad, honestly you name it, I’ve probably made it! I honestly don’t eat much of a dinner but will usually have small meal with a glass of wine. This is where I am weird. My boyfriend and I get so wrapped up in catching up after our day that we often forget to eat dinner or I eat something like roasted cauliflower, 1/2 a chicken breast with green beans, scrambled eggs with arugula, or a cup of chili. We like to go on walks in the evenings to talk, then light candles & watch a show with our pup when we get home. But again, I prep a small meal like this at the start of the week. I find that eating a smaller dinner really helps with bloat.
I ALWAYS plan a snack because I always end up wanting one. Some examples of these might be cucumbers with ranch, banana with peanut butter, a cliff bar, grapes, or a cookie. They really range based on what I have been craving. I think satisfying cravings in small portions REALLY helps to stay on track! I also always have my X category where I have coffee or lemon water throughout the day, almost like a second snack!
I “prep” all of these Sunday or Monday by chopping anything that needs to be chopped or cooked and putting together meals in individual containers. That way in the mornings, I can grab and go. I put all of my lunch in a little re-used Lululemon bag and head to work.
I do calorie count during the week and I am not afraid to say it. While some may take this practice too far, I always allow myself to eat an adequate amount of calories for my height/ gender/ level of activity to MAINTAIN my weight! But I just like to be sure that I am not overdoing it because my doctors have always emphasized maintaining my weight in terms of managing my stomach condition. Therefore, if you can calorie count safely and not obsess over it, I think it can be a really healthy practice in terms of keeping an eye on your overall health.
*NOTE: there is so much more to health than diet and exercise as we all know in this day/age. Mental health goes hand in hand with physical health so always make sure to focus on things that exercise your mind AND body!
WEEKENDS:
On the weekends I get a free pass! I don’t go overboard but I will definitely have 1-2 indulgent meals. I like to think these meals keep us sane and help our metabolism at the same time! But my boyfriend and I also love grilling out and eating big meals that aren’t fat on fat on fat or anything. Like steaks & asparagus with garlic bread. Yum. Or Pesto pasta with a watermelon salad. These things are coming to mind because it’s summer but in fall/ winter we also love making homemade soup, pot roast, or baked ziti.
I also do not smoke and really avoid drinking more than 1-2 drinks. So that might be different from the lifestyle of a recent college grad or someone in the event or liquor industry etc. So take that all with a grain of salt.
I hope this has helped with some of your planning! If you try this method and it works for you, PLEASE tell me!!! I would love to hear your success stories.
Xx
Antigone