Wednesday, March 26, 2014

A Day in My “Diet”

There are so many misconceptions about healthy eating.  Even the word “diet” has a negative connotation. The reality is, everyone has a diet. What you eat- healthy, unhealthy, Paleo, fast food, Atkins, junk, high protein/low carb, whatever- what you eat makes up your “diet.”  Unfortunately we often assume a “diet” means starving yourself, completely eliminating food groups, or eating cardboard to be healthy skinny. This couldn’t be further from the truth!

I eat a good bit throughout the day. I never feel hungry, I have great energy. And I enjoy a variety of very flavorful foods. I enjoy eating.

Being totally transparent though, I used to spend a lot of time thinking about what I eat (in a negative way). I counted calories or points, tracked everything, etc. Honestly, it was exhausting and consumed my mind. After learning HOW to eat the right way, I am SO THANKFUL I don’t have to spend time obsessing over it anymore. That is very freeing. I still spend a decent amount of time with meal prep, but it’s absolutely worth the effort. Honestly, I have learned to listen to my body and what it needs. I eat a good balance of protein, complex carbs, healthy fats (I love cooking with coconut oil & olive oil, eating raw nuts & nut butters, avocadoes, & 1-2 egg yolks + Omegas), & a TON of veggies- eat the rainbow!

It is SO worth taking some time to educate yourself. If you don’t know where to begin, I love Tosca Reno’s book The Eat Clean Diet or The Eat Clean Diet Recharged as a starting place. Super simple. Very interesting. And it teaches you the basics what you need to know to eat healthy.

Here’s an idea of what I eat each day. Of course I mix it up (especially for dinner), but this gives you an idea.

9:00 – (this is when I eat breakfast with Jase) 4 boiled egg whites & 1 whole boiled egg + 1/2 c steel cut oats (quick cooking, organic, gluten-free just for fun) with sliced almonds, ground flax, chia seeds, cinnamon, & raw honey (I used water boiled in tea kettle). If we have somewhere we have to be (Sunday mornings for church, for example) I drink a meal replacement shake. I also drank a shake every single morning when I was teaching.

11:30 – green smoothie or juice (I typically juice vegetables rather than fruit) + handful of raw nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc.)

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1:00 Typically Jase & I eat leftovers from dinner the night before. Sometimes I make a jumbo spinach salad full of veggies & some type of lean meat (tuna, salmon, grilled chicken) + slice (or 2) of cinnamon raisin Ezekial bread with Greek yogurt and cinnamon spread on top

3:30-4ish Here are 4 of my favorite snack options: Apple with raw nut butter, raw veggies & hummus, or homemade kale chips

**On days I work out I have a Vo2 Prime Bar and hour before workouts & Post-Workout Recovery or Pro20 after- around 5ish

7:00 Lean grilled meat (we eat a lot of chicken & fish and use lots of spices or SALSA to amp it up), 1-2 veggies or beans (we love brussel sprouts, asparagus, green beans, broccoli, & peppers) & brown rice or sweet potatoes. We also have a few staples- “fried rice” quinoa, Ezekial wrap burritos with ground turkey & homemade taco seasoning, spaghetti squash spaghetti with turkey meatballs, homemade pizzas on Ezekial wraps, homemade veggie soup, white chicken chili, crockpot meals, etc.

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9:00 Muscle Gain shake or Gingerbread Bar

 

I’m still nursing, so I’m sure I’ll cut back on portion sizes some when I am done with that because right now I eat pretty big portions.

I eat a TON of veggies & I LOOOOOVE them!!!! If I ever still feel hungry, I eat more veggies. Between juicing, smoothies, what we eat raw, and 1-2 veggies for supper, we go through a LOT of vegetables around here. We pick up our produce locally each week through North Georgia Natural, & I get the rest at Kroger. (They have a better organic section than Publix in our area.)

The real key is balance & moderation. Eat real, whole foods as often as possible. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. When you have a cheat meal, enjoy it and don’t feel guilty. Just don’t let it become a habit. Oh, and the other key…..PREPARATION. One of the main reasons we go out to eat, order take-out, pull through fast food, or make a microwave meal is because it is more CONVENIENT, right? If you take the time and make meal prep a habit, it becomes a part of your lifestyle & it throws the convenience excuse out the window.

3 comments:

Des said...

Enjoyed this blog tremendously! Thank you for sharing!

Brooke said...

How do you eat healthy ALL the time. Even when I spend time preparing healthy breakfast and lunches life just seems to get in the way. I know that is just an excuse. What motivates you to not eat all the junk?

Starboard said...

I follow a 80/20 rule... Clean 80% of the time, while indulging 20%. However, I save that 20% for social gatherings (no "junk" on a random week night because I feel like it.... I just don't). I also find meal prep makes things sooo much easier. My only "rule" is absolutely no fake food... If I can't pronounce the ingredients, I don't eat it! I look at food as nourishment for my body and I enjoy healthy/clean choices. With this philosophy I NEVER feel deprived.