What's on the Menu Everyday

Hello darlings!  After yesterday's post I had a few questions about what my "strict diet" consists of.  I have to laugh, because I guess I should have worded that differently because it isn't exactly what you call strict.  Let's just put it this way:  I eat sensibly during the week so that if when I indulge on the weekend, I don't feel bad about it what.so.ever.  Which I think is a good balance.  The way I look at it is if I don't ever allow myself to eat junk, I will feel deprived and overdo it to the point of no return.  And I don't want to live that way.  What I do works for me and my lifestyle.

Now, when I first started working out and wanted to lose weight I did follow a strict diet of 1200 calories of balanced proteins, veggies, fruit and grains.  With a light intake of carbs. (read: barely any carbs at all!)  I would then allow myself ONE cheat meal a week.  Not a full day or full weekend like I do now, but one single, solitary meal.  This was recommended by my trainer for the exact reasons I stated above.  If I didn't have that one meal to strive for during my strict diet during the week, I would feel deprived and ultimately fall off of the bandwagon that much faster.  It was inevitable.

About half way to my goal weight: 162 lbs

At my goal weight in March 2010: 142 lbs

SO, when I did finally reach my goal weight, I found a great balance that worked for me to help me maintain my weight on a weekly basis.  But, for those out there that were wondering what I do eat on a normal Sunday-Thursday (Friday and Saturday are my indulge days) basis, I have composed a little "menu" for a typical week.

Breakfast:  A typical breakfast for me would include one of these items...

• Half a banana sliced up on an all natural peanut butter english muffin  
• A full banana with a couple tablespoons of all natural peanut butter
• A full cup of Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt, half a cup of blueberries, a tablespoon of honey and a dash of cinnamon (My absolute FAVE breakfast option...I usually eat this one three out of the five days)
• {I always have a 16 oz cup of coffee with this.  I do add a splash of sugar free creamer because I just can't drink it black!!}

Snack:  I eat my first snack around 10:30, and would include one of these...

• A cup of baby carrots with a few tablespoons of roasted red pepper hummus
• A full Granny Smith Apple with two tablespoons of all natural peanut butter
• String Cheese and half a cup of raw almonds

Lunch:  I mentioned this before, but I eat the same thing every single day...

• A Flat Out flatbread wrap, sliced chicken breast, a piece of swiss or cheddar cheese and barbecue  sauce.  A cup and a half to two cups of raw broccoli with two tablespoons of ranch dressing.  Then I always top it off with a homemade cookie (I always have some on hand!) or some sort of sweet

Snack:  I eat another snack around 3:30 and would include one of the above!

Dinner: This one changes every week, but here are a few of our "go-to" staples that we always turn to and typically have a few of them at least once a week:

• Grilled Chicken Breast seasoned with our staple concoction: garlic powder, lawry's seasoning salt and pepper; I always pair this with some sort of veggie: steamed green beans and mushrooms, steamed broccoli, or steamed asparagus
• Grilled Steak (sirloin, filet, or t-bone) seasoned with the same as above; We usually pair this with a baked sweet potato drizzled with light honey and sprinkled with some cinnamon...YUMMY!
• Pot Roast cooked in the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours with carrots and baby red potatoes tossed in.
• Shredded chicken breast tacos served in whole wheat tortillas and topped with light sour cream, salsa, homemade guacamole and light cheese.
• Grilled Pork Chops (can you tell we love our grill??) paired with sautéed apples with cinnamon and honey.
• To finish off the night, I usually have a cup of ice cream.  I typically get "seasonal" ice cream, so right now it's smore's, last month it was birthday cake (ahem, somebody might have turned 27...) or peppermint ice cream in the winter.  This just fulfills my sweet tooth and puts me to sleep like a happy camper.

This morning before my workout at my current and happy weight :): 131 lbs

So there you have it!  My weekly menu.  Like I said before, this isn't for everyone.  I obviously have found what works best for me and what I can and cannot get away with to be happy and feel good about my body.  Play around with this...have fun with it and mix it up!  That just makes things so much more fun!

Until next time...