Hey there! Sorry my meal plan is a day late. I spent ALL day yesterday cooking and by the time 5:00pm rolled around I was seeing double. Not only did I prep meals and snacks for the week but I tried to get in some recipe testing too. Basically, after 5:00pm hit, I had zero motivation or energy to type . But the good news is I have some nice recipes and meal prep ideas coming your way soon.
Let’s talk meal prep. Last week, I was militant with tracking my food. Over the last year or so I’ve become comfortable again and it’s showing on the scale and with my skinny jeans. Mama can’t have that. So I went old school and tracked every bite, lick, and taste. Guess what I discovered? Yep, I was eating waaaaay too much. It’s amazing how quickly the calories add up when you’re not paying attention. This week I’m continuing to track because it’s clear that when I get busy, lazy, or whatever I fall off the weight loss wagon without much effort. Seriously, why can’t pasta melt fat off me. Ugh. But it doesn’t, so back to serious tracking it is.
I have to say that I don’t find it completely depressing or annoying to track portions. In a way I get a sense of liberation by taking back control over my food. It might sound weird but when I’m struggling with weight I tend to feel out of control and overwhelmed. Taking that step back to become intentional with food gives me back the control I lost. Does anyone else feel the same?
I’m excited to share a new meal prep idea with you. I’m going to dedicated a post to it this week but for now you will get a glimpse into my new make-ahead protein snack kits. This is nothing ground breaking but my friend Paula shared this idea and I thought it was genius. Protein is an important part of my diet. Fiber too. Both keep me full and satisfied between snacks and meals so I keep them front and center in my diet. I try to eat 1500 calories a day and if all those calories were empty carbs I would never make it.
Also, I order 3 dinners from Hello Fresh this week. I used this service a bunch of times in the spring when dance season was in full swing. I took a break over the summer and decided to use them again this week because it was a busy weekend and I didn’t feel like worrying about dinner options. I focused on breakfast, lunch, and snacks and Hello Fresh took care of dinner. I plan to write a Hello Fresh review about my experience. I don’t think it’s for everyone and I’ll share who I think would love it and who’d hate it.
Breakfast
Peach Raspberry Superfood Smoothie
Make-ahead tips
- Smoothies will be made the morning of.
Lunch
Make-ahead tips
- These salads were made yesterday.
Dinner
Red Rice Bowl (Hello Fresh)
Pan Roasted Chicken with a Mustard Mushroom Sauce (Hello Fresh)
Beef and Brussel Sprout Stir Fry (Hello Fresh)
Chicken sausage and green beans
Leftovers
Make-ahead tips
- I made the chicken sausage yesterday and store in the refrigerator.
- I made all the Hello Fresh meals yesterday and stored in the refrigerator.
Snacks
Tuna, egg, and carrots protein snack kit
Turkey rolls, cashews, and cheese stick protein snack kit
Make-ahead tips
- I made both snack kits yesterday.
