Hello! My name is Jeanette. I am a mom with two kids who are currently ages 6 and 8. I have been married for 10 years now. We live in Erie, PA. In September 2013 I began to learn about clean eating and discovered the key to drastically change my health. Since then we have continued to implement these principles in our household and it truly has become our lifestyle. I became a Team Beachbody coach in March 2014 in order to share with others about home fitness and clean eating. I lead FB-based "Challenge Groups" with daily coach posts, accountability, fitness and nutrition support and lots of fun and encouragement!
For a quick "Clean Eating 101" - check out this blog entry of mine! There are MANY different ways to approach clean eating in order to find out how to make it work for your lifestyle! Today's blog entry is a look at what is working for us here! This is by no means absolute or all-inclusive. :)
For a quick "Clean Eating 101" - check out this blog entry of mine! There are MANY different ways to approach clean eating in order to find out how to make it work for your lifestyle! Today's blog entry is a look at what is working for us here! This is by no means absolute or all-inclusive. :)
Today in one of my groups we are taking a close look at nutrition. Here is what I had posted myself in that group today:
Day 12: Nutrition FOCUS today!
Good morning to everyone! I
have been messaging quite a bit with many of my challengers here in the
group and there is for sure a common theme!
We are not all
eating enough of the right foods. Too much time is passing between
snacks and meals due to life circumstances and busy schedules.
This will be a longer post! So I wanted to give a little assignment
here at the top! COMMENT BELOW with which nutrition category is coming
more easily to you and also where you are finding yourself lacking more
often than not.
We are going to brainstorm here today and come up with some helpful tips and encourage each other on how to make this work!
When I first began making my own healthy changes in September 2013, I
had just started a new job and I was teaching riding lessons at a barn
outside of Erie. Within a matter of weeks, I was to a point of teaching
back-to-back-to-back for a LOT of lessons in a row. In between
actively instructing beginner/intermediate riders who were mounted in
the arena, I was in the barn aisle-way talking with them and their
parents as we tacked and untacked their ponies.
Ummm..... this was NOT your usual sort of "ideal dining experience".
I did wind up losing 30 pounds my first 90 days and it was not just
because of my home workouts. It was through making good nutrition a
non-negotiable that just had to happen for me no matter what!
SO - if we are results-oriented here AND want to feel our best by being well-fueled throughout our days, we can make it happen!
First, toss out your old ideas of where you need to be/what you need to
do/what it should look like before you are "ready to eat something".
We are going to be on the move most days and that is okay!
Set aside the idea of eating "one good meal". We are going to be
grabbing smaller things along the way. You can still for sure still sit
down to a nice meal a couple of times a day! But if your days are not
allowing that, NO WORRIES!
Snacking well is the key to success.
When I would pack things to be out of the house for 10 hours on a
Saturday with a 30-40 minute drive each way, teaching back-to-back and
maybe riding a green horse or two within the mix, I had to be prepared
with my clean eating foods.
Here are some of the things that I would bring:
Greek Yogurt with Berries (just pack a spoon and eat it somewhere in there!)
Hard Boiled Eggs (I would strategically open these so that the scent was not too much for anyone nearby!)
Wrap with PB/Banana/Chia Seeds (easy to eat while walking)
Wrap with Turkey and Avocado (also portable!)
Fresh Fruit
Fresh Veggies
Nuts
Extra Serving Shakeology in a Shaker Cup (I do love it blended at home but sometimes you have to just shake it up!)
LOTS of WATER!
I have since also discovered Quest Bars and they are another handy
option to have while on the go! Some are a bit higher in saturated fat,
depending upon the variety. So be on the lookout for that. But they
are VERY LOW in sugar (1 gram or less!) and are filling and are made
with quality ingredients. This is a nice boost of protein while on the
run!
I keep a nutrition tracker printed and make sure to hit my
categories most days. This is truly at the heart of our success with
our life change efforts! It also makes all the difference in feeling
our best!
There is a lot of great energy and support here in this
group. None of us are going to be able to "do this perfectly". But we
can for sure give it our best shot! That is going to require getting
creative. We need to find new ways of thinking. Take action even when
it means pushing to develop a new habit. WE ARE WORTH IT!
Once I had the kids off to school here today, it was time for me to head to the grocery store. We have some things this weekend where I need to bring food to share. My 6 year old on had requested this morning that we make our homemade granola tomorrow and he asked me to buy the ingredients today. So cute! Plus we are heading into the weekend. If I don't have foods ready to go here, we will wind up going out to eat. We do eat out a couple of times a month. But we just ordered pizza one night this week, I was out at the MOPS Steering Team Christmas party last night AND with a neighborhood Christmas party tomorrow night, my preference is to do the rest of our meal here at home working with my own ingredients! After you have been eating clean for a while, it is not that you finding yourself "wanting extra cheat meals". You truly want to stick with your routine nutrition because you have found that this is how you feel your best!
I decided that today I would do something that I have not done in the past! I would snap photos of the contents of my grocery cart as I shopped each department at our local Wegmans (Peach Street location) and then I would come home and blog the list, my perspective on all of this, 4 day meal plan and recipes. So here we are!
First - what will meals/snacks look like over the weekend? I will detail that now and will then get into the shopping and recipes.
A general nutrition game plan for myself involves 1+ gallon of water each day, 4 protein servings, 4-5 veggie servings, 3 fruit servings, 2-3 grain servings and a couple of healthy fats. I follow the guidelines that I learned through the 21 Day Fix and PiYo nutrition plans. I do drink coffee (black) and enjoy an average of 2 cups per day. I always have my first in the morning and then my 2nd later in the day. I also add in tea whenever desired in the evenings.
Friday
5:15 AM - 16 Ounces of Water
5:30 AM - Coffee and Ezekiel Toast with PB
8 AM - Fresh Green Beans
While Shopping - MY FAVORITE SPROUTED ALMONDS! and Coffee
10:30 AM - Vegan Chocolate Shakeology with 1/2 a Banana
12:30 PM - Celery and Apple with PB
** Do Workout!
2:30 PM - Quest Bar and Green Beans
4:30 PM - 2 Scrambled Eggs w/Peppers, Ezekiel Toast, Avocado
6:30 PM - Vegan Chocolate Shakeology with 1/2 a Banana
* Drink while on the way to school activity!
Saturday
6:15 AM - 16 Ounces of Water
6:30 AM - Coffee and Ezekiel Toast with PB
** Do Workout!
8:00 AM - Vegan Chocolate Shakeology with 1/2 a Banana
10 AM - Celery and Green Beans
12:00 PM - Chili and Spinach Salad
3:00 PM - Greek Yogurt with Raspberries and Granola
5:00 PM - Neighborhood Party! Take Hummus w/Veggies & Pita Chips
* Plan to eat as "clean" as possible with minimal "extras"!
Sunday
6:15 AM - 16 Ounces of Water
6:30 AM - Coffee and Ezekiel Toast with PB
** Do Workout!
8:00 AM - Vegan Chocolate Shakeology with a Full Banana
10 AM - Fresh Green Beans on the Way to Church
12:45 - Chili and Spinach Salad
3:00 PM - Greek Yogurt with Raspberries and Granola
5:30 PM - Portobello Chicken with Red Potatoes and Broccoli
7:30 PM - Celery and Cucumber
Monday
5:15 AM - 16 Ounces of Water
5:30 AM - Coffee and Ezekiel Toast with PB
** Do Workout!
7:00 AM - Fresh Green Beans while Packing Lunches
8 AM - Vegan Chocolate Shakeology with 1/2 a Banana
10 AM - Celery and Cucumber
12:30 PM - 2 Scrambled Eggs w/Peppers, Avocado
3:00 PM - Quest Bar and Apple between Hair Appt. and School Pick-Up
5:30 PM - Chicken Fajita Bowl and Spinach Salad
Okay! Now we are off to the grocery store! I visited my favorite spot today... Wegmans on Peach Street here in Erie, PA. First stop was to grab some coffee while I gathered my thoughts and jotted down a bit of a list on a piece of paper that I had found in my purse! I knew that three of the recipes I wanted to make were accessible through my own blog and another could be found in my recent "Clean Eating Crock-Pot Group" so I looked them up while sitting there in the Cafe. I knew that other staple grocery items would just come to mind as I went through my usual departments.
Produce (we do a combination of organic and non-organic here):
Carrots, Bell Peppers, Apples, Green Beans, Seedless Cucumbers, Baby Spinach, Celery, Bananas, Red Potatoes, Portobello Mushrooms, Vidalia Onions
I am planning to make breakfast sandwiches for my husband and kids for our early dinner tonight. These are a family favorite! I picked up two bakery bagels (one for my husband and one for the kids to split) and I will have a slice of Ezekiel toast myself. I also bought some deli "ham off the bone" and "cooper cheese" as my family think that these elements make for the best breakfast sandwiches. Though not considered "clean eating" we do buy this sort of thing in moderation and it still fits into an 80/20 approach with the idea of eating 100% clean 80% of the time. For myself today? Given that I was out last night at a Christmas party and tomorrow night is another Christmas party, I will stick to my eggs/bell pepper scramble tonight along with my Ezekiel toast and sliced avocado. Other times I will have a slice of ham and cheese with my eggs.
Nature's Marketplace (organic grocery area):
Annie's Bunny Crackers (single serve packets for the kids as they typically have one per day), Pita Chips and Boom Chicka Pop Holiday Popcorn (to take to neighborhood party), Quest Bars (I prefer the Cinnamon myself and the kids like the cookie types and they will split a bar), Raw Honey (for the granola recipe and this is also what my son eats daily with his PB on a sandwich!), Tomatoes, Dried Beans, Veggie Broth, Refried Beans for the Chili Recipe, and MY FAVORITE thing to eat which I only buy a tiny amount of on grocery day ---- Sprouted Almonds from the Bulk Organic at Peach Wegmans (West doesn't carry them). They are just so delicious and I love them! But at $14.50 a pound and the fact that I could eat waaaaayyyyyy to many of them, I just buy around $2.60 worth and enjoy them all that day.
Meat Cooler (not currently buying organic as it is not yet in the budget!):
Club Pack of Chicken Breast and Smaller Pack of 90/10 Beef - I would have bought the bigger pack of beef to save $ per pound but it was only dated through tomorrow and when I am freezing it I do prefer to have things dated out farther, given that I am going to thaw it and cook with it and probably eat that day and the next. Tomorrow I will make a double batch of chili but the beef will be browned and mixed in with the portion that we are eating tomorrow. The rest will stand as a vegetarian chili for Sunday's lunch and my husband's lunch on Monday!
Dairy Area Cooler (mixture of organic and non-organic):
Eggs (we all just prefer the organic eggs so they are worth the slightly higher cost), Hummus, Plain Organic Greek Yogurt (the organic has a much better taste and texture to me! I don't eat tons of dairy but will incorporate plain Greek yogurt twice or so each week), Flavored Single Serve Greek Yogurts (my husband and kids prefer this to the plain and we buy the big box of 12 cups - still had some here at home so I just picked up a few of their favorite flavors to supplement our supply!)
Grocery Bulk and ONE Grocery Aisle:
Pecans and Almonds from Bulk and Old-Fashioned Oats from Grocery for the Granola!
Frozen Foods:
When berries are not in season, I just buy frozen instead. The organic raspberries are only 50 cents more per pound than the regular frozen raspberries and the flavor is DECADENT! Raspberries are my own favorite berry and I just love these!
The organic broccoli package is FAR SUPERIOR to the regular frozen broccoli package! The organic broccoli is "Broccoli Florets" and they are beautiful and so flavorful and the bag really is like 90% florets. The regular frozen broccoli is called "Broccoli Cuts" and with that you are looking at like maybe 25% florets and a bunch of stem and no one in my family ever liked those much at all. We will never go back! Why not serve veggies that everyone is more likely to enjoy??
So this was my $167 trip to the grocery store today! I also included a 3-pack of chewing gum! There were a few staple item already on hand here in my freezer, fridge and pantry. I will include those photos below! I didn't think to pull out butter, coconut oil, pink sea salt, cinnamon and other assorted spices. But we do cook with them!
These are some cereals that my husband and kids enjoy. I am not really a cereal person myself! I enjoy my Shakeology for breakfast daily and sometimes at a 2nd point during the day!
Frozen Foods - the kids like these organic frozen waffles. I eat Ezekiel bread toasted each day as one of my grain servings. We also keep assorted frozen veggies on hand!
And FINALLY - a few recipes from this meal plan!
Honey Pecan Granola
Chicken Fajita Bowl
My "Portobello Chicken with Red Potatoes and Broccoli" is simply cooking up some sliced chicken breast in a skillet and then setting is aside. Saute your mushrooms and then mix your chicken back into the skillet. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over everything and toss to coat. Top with feta cheese if desired. Bake, boil, roast or mash your red potatoes and steam or roast your broccoli and dinner is served!
A Chili Recipe that we have been LOVING came from a coach on my team! This post was initially shared by Amy within our "Clean Eating Crock-Pot" recipe group. I will include her words and recipe below!
Amy's Vegetarian Chili
I'm a vegetarian and my husband is not. When I make this, I have meat sautéed on the side that my husband can add to his. I just made this the other day and it was so easy because most of the ingredients can just be stock piled in your pantry. The main ingredients are dried beans which are very economical. I was able to throw this together on a day that was super chaotic and it was so rewarding to have a hearty and healthy home cooked dinner ready when we were.
There is a small
amount of prep to get it going. You could soak your beans overnight or
if you are like me and forget, then just boil them for about 45 minutes
in the morning just to get them started.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried lentils (I simmered these in 2 cups water until the water was absorbed, about 15 minutes)
1 cup dried kidney beans
1 cup dried white beans
3 cups canned chopped tomatoes (I used one box of the Pomi tomatoes) include liquid
4 cups vegetable stock
1 onion diced
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
3 tsp cumin
1/4 - 1/2 tsp shed red pepper (depending on how spicy you'd like it)
*2 Tbsp masa harina (corn flour) added near end to thicken the chili
*1/2 can organic vegetarian refried beans (I used Amy's brand) this is optional, but adds more creaminess flavor
Shredded cheddar and Greek yogurt for garnish
Directions:
Prepare lentils by simmering and beans by boiling or soaking overnight. Sauté onions and garlic in a little oil. Drain and rinse beans. Add all ingredients to crockpot except for corn flour and refried beans. Cook on low setting for 5 hours. Stir in corn flour and refried beans. Cook for another 15-30 minutes. Serve garnished with shredded cheddar and Greek yogurt. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 cup dried lentils (I simmered these in 2 cups water until the water was absorbed, about 15 minutes)
1 cup dried kidney beans
1 cup dried white beans
3 cups canned chopped tomatoes (I used one box of the Pomi tomatoes) include liquid
4 cups vegetable stock
1 onion diced
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
3 tsp cumin
1/4 - 1/2 tsp shed red pepper (depending on how spicy you'd like it)
*2 Tbsp masa harina (corn flour) added near end to thicken the chili
*1/2 can organic vegetarian refried beans (I used Amy's brand) this is optional, but adds more creaminess flavor
Shredded cheddar and Greek yogurt for garnish
Directions:
Prepare lentils by simmering and beans by boiling or soaking overnight. Sauté onions and garlic in a little oil. Drain and rinse beans. Add all ingredients to crockpot except for corn flour and refried beans. Cook on low setting for 5 hours. Stir in corn flour and refried beans. Cook for another 15-30 minutes. Serve garnished with shredded cheddar and Greek yogurt. Enjoy!
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