Meal Plan 22 Minute Hard Corps + Snack Tips!

Hello!  It is a sunny Monday morning here in Erie, PA.  Looks like we have a nice day ahead, which is a contrast from the snow (!?! May 15th???) of yesterday!

I have been making my way through Tony Horton's newest program which is called 22 Minute Hard Corps.  Guess what?  Guess what??  This is my 9th program from Team Beachbody and it is solidly within my own Top 3 favorites!  Here is more about what this bootcamp program is like!  7 weeks in and the term that keeps coming to mind is "functional fitness".  Tony talks about this and I am living it!  The moves are simple.  The routines are short (22 minutes start to finish!) and I am seeing progress within myself!  I am finding the most changes in my core and upper body with this one.  Which is perfect as I had done the 60 days of the then-new Hammer and Chisel prior to this and I will return to it again in two weeks!  Hammer and Chisel is a lifitng-based program with Autumn and Sagi and it is soooooo much focus on your lower body amidst the lifting.  I saw the most strength and definition (EVER!) in my legs with that Hammer and Chisel!  But first, time to "dial it in" with 2 more weeks of 22 Minute Hard Corps!  This is an 8 week program with the option of a 9th week called "Hell Week" and that one is set up like a doubles week from the 21 Day Fix.  You know what?  I am going to go for it!  But here is the KEY THING.  I could do four workout routines a day BUT if I do not have nutrition on track, I am just not going to feel as good as I could, nor will I see the results!

 

I just finished putting together my simple meal plan for this upcoming week!  I was also sharing with my accountability group about the importance of quality snacks and I will include some of that info in this entry as well.  :)

With 22 Minute Hard Corps, you have a specific layout with which food categories you are eating within certain meals/snacks throughout your day.  I have SO APPRECIATED Tony Horton putting this together for us!  One thing that I have done a bit differently is that I do count my "Recover" from our super-helpful Performance Line as a protein serving.  It includes 20 grams of protein and I just shake it up with water and ice as my post-workout recovery.  You can technically count this as a "free" food within your plan.  But I find it to be quite filling and I am just not ready to take in another protein at that same time of the day!  I also spread out my breakfast a bit by eating my first two grain servings an hour or so before my workout.  I have my Bible study time and enjoy my toast and coffee early in the morning.  With not eating in the later evenings and following the 22 plan of having your grains earlier in the day, I wake up HUNGRY!  :)  I have found that my workout goes best when I eat my toast first.  If I were working out immediately upon waking, that would not work so well.  But with waking an hour earlier to do my Bible study time and some work in my challenge groups, it is a good fit.  Other than those two things (Recover counted as a protein and spreading my breakfast over a bit of my morning routine), everything else here is right on track with what is recommended for my nutrition bracket.  

 

My nutrition plan is SIMPLE.  I repeat things throughout my week.  This makes shopping and prep much easier to manage.  If you like to be more adventurous in the kitchen, you could certainly do that!  The main thing is to hit your planned # of servings per food category (protein, grains, fruit, veggie, healthy fats) and to keep your portion sizes in line.  Even if I do not exactly follow my meal plan as the week goes by, my focus is to HIT THE CATEGORIES.  No matter if I sub in some broccoli in place of green beans.  Or beef for chicken.  Or an apple for a banana.  Or avocado for almonds... :)

At the start of last week, I was talking with my challengers (I am a coach with Team Beachbody and I host "secret" FB accountability groups!) about setting goals for the next three weeks.  I shared this as my own focus area:

Here we go! Mid-section is my focus area these next few weeks!

What does this mean to me? Time to buckle down on nutrition and cut some of the "extras" which have been creeping in lately.

Now that I have a photo taken, I am going to CHALLENGE myself to pull through those hard moments of decision. I am DETERMINED to make progress worth celebrating!

I still have a ways to go and MUCH progress yet to make!  This mid-section area and also my upper arms have been my "final frontier".  Looking back on where I started, I am encouraged to be where I am today!  

BOTTOM LINE - my meals are typically going to turn out okay at this point in my health journey. But snacks can be my "battleground nutrition" area. They are going to make or break my day! And the biggest thing for me with snacks is that I PREP THEM so that I have the right things available to eat while on the run! 

If I snack well, I tend to eat well in general. Keeping a Quest Bar in my purse at all times is something that I tend to do. Almonds would be another great option. BUT, I would eat them. Every day. So I can't pick that one! I do take veggies with me more often than not as I leave the house. It is just a good way to get them in and also staves off hunger and wanting to stop and pick up something extra along the way. I have a little insulated bag and as the weather becomes warmer, we will utilize that bag almost daily as the kids and I run around on our summer days. I bring along fruits and veggies. Sometimes hummus or cheese. They like the "squeeze-y" applesauce. If I won't have it out for tooooo long, I will include Greek yogurt and typically top it with frozen berries. Check out the image below for more ideas!

Snacks are important! It is helpful to keep our bodies burning as the day goes by and also to avoid being soooooo hungry at meal time that we then make poor choices or overdo it.

Here is a blog entry with different ways to boost our metabolism.  Why not give ourselves some advantages in this area, right?? 

Trail Mix can be a really great snack. BUT, it does require caution!  Check out these trail mix tips! 

When we really take a good look at goals, I could summarize by saying:

"May my genuine effort and daily action match my goals." 

This applies to our health goals as well as in other areas of life!

I know what I need to do. Nutrition needs to be on point. Full effort is required within each of my workouts. It comes down to discipline, focus and vision!

If you could use some help in this area, check out the application below if you would like to be considered for a spot in my upcoming challenge group!  

I remember what it used to be like when I didn't have a plan. No specific direction with nutrition. Just wanting to "do better". I remember when I didn't have a home workout program. I would try to "be more active" and sometimes that would pan out and sometimes not. I remember when I didn't have a challenge group -- my accountability community via "secret" FB group has been a <<LIFESAVER>> anyways, before all that... I would want to talk to someone but it was hard to know who. There were the people who already knew how many times I had tried and failed. There were others who did NOT want to have to think of feeling obligated to make changes themselves. They didn't want to hear about any of this. There were my much more fit friends. I felt intimidated to ask them about things (that was on me! I am sure they would have helped!) and there was my husband and closest friends. They could clearly see that I wasn't on a path of health but it is hard to know where and when and how to intervene. 

 

RIGHT NOW in my challenge groups, LIFE CHANGE is happening. SO much to celebrate there! Women down 40+ and 20 pounds as of this week! Landmark week for them! Women becoming stronger and less self-conscious of certain body parts. Women showing up in more photographs on their FB pages which shows that they are feeling good and want to actually be IN the photo with their kids. I LOVE that! Women extending life change to their husbands and their health. Women fitting into clothes that have not fit since pre-kid days... 3 kids ago! Women doing push-ups when that was never an ability they had in the past! Women seeing photos/mirrors of themselves and not believing that this could really be them! Women buying a heavier set of weights because it is time to bump up! 

Women setting goals, taking action and encouraging each other! I LOVE being part of this!
Is something like this missing in your own life? Would you like to learn more about it? I will soon be putting my next group together! Why not you?  This summer could be our best yet!

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Grocery Shopping: List, 4 Day Meal Plan, Clean Eating Recipes

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.  :)

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

Bakery/Deli:
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!

From the Fridge and Counter - a seasonal fruit, almond milk, PB and Jam, Lemons, Avocado, our FAVORITE Marinade plus we have a handful of Condiments in there.

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!

 

Cize Overview + Meal Plan!!

Here we are!  I have begun Shaun T's newest workout "Cize" and I have to admit that I am surprised that I am enjoying it!  When I first heard about this one, I was filled with a fair amount of dread.  After all, I have never been a dancer!  But Shaun T challenged that thought by saying how we say that we can't dance but the truth is that we have never tried.  BINGO!  That is me.  Time to set aside my own preconceived notions of myself and just give it my best.  Here was my other concern... I know that the program is effective, BUT what if my level of dance is sooooooo "remedial" that I can not burn a decent amount of calories due to my own limitations???  Would it still be a good workout if I am just kind of wandering through a mystery of attempted moves??  Oh my imagination does carry me away at times! 

SURPRISE!  I put on my Heart Rate/Calories Burned tracker for my Day 2 of Cize!  I did the 30 minute "Crazy 8's" routine plus the 8 minute abs.  Now, I know that I am sweating like CRAZY.  My heart rate held steady in the 140's once I was warmed up.  This is NOT a shabby calorie burn for something that truly feels like "fun" throughout the routine!  I can see why Beachbody has been using the tagline of "Cize: the end of exercise".  This does not feel like exercise!  I am learning something new and guess what else??  I am SORE from it.  Surprise #2 on that one, although I suppose it really shouldn't be a shocker.  We are talking Shaun T, after all!

Today I returned to Crazy 8's for a third time and I am starting to get the hang of it!  I like the "Crisscross" move the most and "Row the Boat" is where I need the most work with following along with my own footwork!

** update added: today was my 4th Day with "Crazy 8's" and I was brave enough to ask my husband to film the last minute of it!  This is me being BRAVE - check it out here!  

Cize includes the 7 routines here plus a bonus DVD.  In the future, Beachbody ON Demand will also be releasing FRESH Cize routines, so that is a nifty thought!  I still have a ways to go before I master everything here in the program!!  This program is low-impact, fun and allows you to really take it wherever YOU would like to go with it.  Some of my friends are incredible dancers and it is cool to see their Cize videos posted on FB and what all they are doing with it!  Others are more like me and many are somewhere in between!  Yet, it is working for all of us!  

I will be hosting a Cize test group which will begin our prep week on Monday, July 27th!  You are invited to join us!!  See application at the bottom of this blog entry!  The test groups are some of my own favorite challenge groups!  It is so exciting to tackle a new program together and the celebration of progress is so invigorating!

The Cize nutrition guide incorporates the color coded portion control ratios that were first introduced during the 21 Day Fix!  The calorie calculator has you finding your container count based on whether you are above or below 150 pounds.  The guide has LOTS of great recipe ideas!  I am also working with the BRAND-NEW cookbook called "Fixate" and today we had so much fun meal planning while using both of these guides!  We took our snack outdoors and the kids found A LOT of recipes that we will be incorporating during the upcoming days, weeks and months!

Once we had pulled some recipes, it was time to put everything together into a Cize Meal Plan.  I plotted out my workouts for the upcoming week, including two of my favorites from the 21 Day Fix Extreme.  This will be prep week in my test group and our official Day 1 will take place on August 3rd!

Through clean eating, Shakeology and home fitness, I have lost nearly 60 pounds since when I began in September 2013.  I became a coach in March 2014 in order to share all of this with others!  My challenge groups are where it all comes together!  I hope to have you with us for Cize!  Let's talk soon!!

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Meal Plan PiYo Week #5 with Grocery List and Recipes!

Hello!  Welcome to my blog!  I am about to begin Week 5 of PiYo and have been working on my meal plan for the upcoming week.  I have my grocery list together and will include that below.  I will also link in the recipes used.  Please comment if you would like to receive an emailed copy of this meal plan word document!

I have completed a variety of Beachbody programs over the past 18 months and PiYo is a favorite of mine!  I first did PiYo in Summer of 2014 when it was brand-new.  After doing Insanity Max 30 and the 21 Day Fix Extreme this past winter, I was ready to return to PiYo once again.  This past week I shared the following on my Facebook page:

I am NOT:
trying to have the best body on the beach
training for a marathon
on a strict diet
basing my self-worth on my appearance

I AM:
wanting be a great example to my kids, to be healthy for my sake and theirs, to feel good myself and to become stronger each day!

I have many people ask me about the difference between the PiYo Meal Plan and the 21 Day Fix Nutrition?  Basically, some of the portion sizes vary a bit.  Bottom line, the main differences for me are that I am eating one less grain, fruit and healthy fat serving and I am eating one more protein and veggie serving.  This is actually pretty similar to what I was doing when I switched to a stripped version of the 21 Day Fix meal plan.   

I do tend to rotate through the same snacks and lunches on a regular basis.  I mix things up a bit at dinner.  My children are ages 6 and 8.  Other than my own full serving of morning Shakeology, we pretty much eat the same things.  Clean eating has been beneficial to my entire family since we first began this adventure back in September 2013.  My life has changed drastically since that point!  Here are the recipes for what we are having for dinner here this week!

Monday - Wegmans is our local grocery store and they make a very good organic Garlic Sesame Asian sauce.  I tend to naturally use sauces very sparingly.  As a busy mom, finding a store-bought item like this to use every now and then is what makes clean eating work for us!  I will thinly slice chicken breast and then toss it in this sauce while cooking.  Use whatever veggies you like plus a simple brown rice and serve this one fresh from the skillet! 

Tuesday - My Beef Lettuce Wraps are based on this recipe from the 21 Day Fix Extreme.  Simply substitute flank steak in place of the chicken.

Wednesday and Thursday - BBQ Chicken is a family favorite around here.  Along the lines of the "sauce perspective" from Monday, I will lightly use Wegmans Organic BBQ sauce.  It is much better than many of the mainstream options out there.  OR if you would like to make your own BBQ, here is a recipe that looks pretty good!  My Coconut Veggies are a recipe from the 3-Day Refresh and it has become one of my own favorite ways to enjoy cooked veggies! We have come to really enjoy sweet potatoes and they are superior to regular potatoes when it comes to nutrition.  There is nothing wrong with including a balanced amount of carbs in our diet.  We just need to choose well! 

Friday - Citrus Grilled Chicken is based on the Insanity Max 30 recipe for citrus steak.  You will use 1/2 cup fresh lemon or lime juice, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 4 tsp. olive oil and 4 cloves of garlic.  Combine these items and marinate the chicken in this mixture.  Then grill the chicken!  The Rosemary Mushrooms are also from this program and they are sooooo good!  Heat oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic and 4 cups of mushrooms.  Stir frequently while cooking for 5 minutes or so until juices from the mushrooms have evaporated and they are tender.  Add a bit of fresh rosemary and bit of sea salt.  Stir occasionally, cooking for another 2-3 minutes.  Mash your sweet potatoes with a bit of cinnamon and add a side salad for a lovely meal!

Saturday - I am not really a fan of seafood!  But this is one way that I do actually genuinely enjoy salmon.  :)

Sunday - This Cobb Salad recipe is from Insanity Max 30 and has become something that my family requests over and over again!  

 

The Cobb Salad includes a spinach/romaine mix, cucumber, tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, hard-boiled egg, low-sodium nitrate free turkey bacon, avocado and fresh lemon juice.  We also add kidney beans to ours.

Here is my grocery list!  You may already have some of these pantry items on hand but I have included them in the list just in case!  

Nature’s Marketplace

                (at Wegmans)

Shelves:

Kidney Beans

Brown Rice

Almond Butter

Coconut Oil

Garlic Sesame Stir Fry Sauce

Wegmans Organic BBQ Sauce

Ground Cumin

Garlic Powder

Cinnamon

Sea Salt

Cinnamon Quest Bar

Freezer:

Ezekiel Bread

Bulk:

Sprouted Almonds

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Produce

Bananas

Apples

Tomatoes

Celery

Carrots

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Cucumber

Baby Spinach

Romaine Lettuce

Green Beans

Asst. Peppers

Mushrooms

Avocado

Sweet Potatoes

Lemons

Limes

Garlic

Cilantro

Rosemary

Dill

Deli

Nitrate Free Turkey

Cooler

Chicken Breast Club Pack

Flank Steak

Low Sodium, Nitrate Free Turkey Bacon

Plain Greek Yogurt

Eggs

Almond Milk

Chili Powder

Olive Oil

Frozen:

Berries

Salmon