You've got a few weeks under your belt! (If not, its not too late to start or get back on track!!)

By now shopping, meal planning, and prepping should be getting more familiar and kind of fun!  Below are some ideas to freshen up you meal plan.  Again, please mix and match as needed.

And remember the 90/10% rule. If you splurge, don't let it ruin your day. Get back on track and eat those veggies :)

Day 1
Breakfast-
1 Cup Cooked Oatmeal 
1/2 Banana
1 T peanut butter

Snack-
Protein Shake:
    1 Scoop Protein ( I use this)
    1 Cup Water
    1/2 C berries

Lunch-
Mixed Salad: Mixed greens, avocado, tomato, beans or lentils, sweet potato, 1/2 C rice (optional)
Top a squeeze of lime and salsa

Dinner-
Chicken Pizza: 1 Ezekiel tortilla topped with 1/3 C cheese, 3 oz cooked chicken, and toppings of choice (olives, onions, tomatoes, artichokes, etc) BAKE AT 400 until cheese is melted
Side Salad: 2 C mixed greens, 1 C veggies, 1 T vinaigrette

Day 2
Breakfast-
2 eggs over easy on a plate of spinach, tomatoes, and 1/2 avocado. Sprinkle with cheese

Snack-
Carrots or celery sticks
2 T almond butter

Lunch- 
Salmon Salad:
Mix 1 can of Salmon, 1/2 C chopped celery, mustard, mayo (made with olive oil, minimal) or greek yogurt, salt & pepper
3 C mixed greens & 1/2 C cherry tomatoes

Dinner-
BBQ night:
     Grilled chicken & veggie kebabs - cut your favorite veggies and chicken into small portions and place on skewers (keep meat and veggies separate as cooking time may differ)
 My faves: bell peppers, onions, zucchini, mushrooms, pineapple
**Treat: Cut a peach in half and throw that on the grill too...amazing!
   
     
Day 3:
Breakfast-
2-3 eggs scrambled with fresh veggies (spinach, bell peppers, onions...)
Shredded cheese
1/4 Cup fresh salsa

Snack-
String Cheese
Handful raw almonds

Lunch-
Spinach, Strawberry, Feta, Walnut, and Grilled Chicken Salad
Top with balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Dinner-
Taco Salad:
     Ground turkey or beef with taco seasoning
     Spinach or mixed greens
     Sauteed bell peppers, onions and mushrooms
     Top with balsamic vinegar & olive oil or fresh salsa

Day 4:
Breakfast-
1 Cup Greek Yogurt or Cottage Cheese
1/4 shredded coconut
1 Tablespoon chopped nuts
Cinnamon

Snack-
Cucumbers and hummus

Lunch-
Quinoa Salad- 2 C mixed greens, 1/2 C cooked quinoa, cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, and feta cheese
Top with balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Dinner-
5 oz Salmon (frozen or fresh, aim for wild caught)
1 Baked Sweet Potato
1 Cup steamed broccoli

Day 5:
Breakfast-
1 Cup Cooked Oatmeal 
1 Cup chopped apples
Cinnamon

Snack-
Sliced bell peppers and baby carrots

Lunch-
Mexican Salad: Mixed greens, grilled chicken, avocado, tomato, black or pinto beans
Top with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and squeeze of lemon or lime

Dinner-
Chicken, broccoli, & pineapple stir fry
1/2-3/4 Cup Rice
Soy sauce in moderation

Day 6:
Breakfast-
2-3 eggs scrambled with fresh veggies (spinach, bell peppers, onions...)
1/2 Avocado 
1/4 Cup fresh salsa

Snack-
1 C Greek Yogurt
1 T raw honey

Lunch-
1 can of tuna
1/2 avocado
Mustard
Mayo (made with olive oil, minimal) or greek yogurt
Salt & Pepper
1 Slice Ezekiel bread or whole grain crackers

Dinner-
Burger Salad:
     Ground beef or turkey burger (cheese optional)
     Spinach or mixed greens
     Sauteed bell peppers, onions and mushrooms
     Top with balsamic vinegar & olive oil

Day 7:
Breakfast-
1 Cup Greek Yogurt or Cottage Cheese
1 Cup Fresh Fruit
2 Tablespoons chopped nuts

Snack-
1 C pumpkin puree
1/2 frozen berries
1 T raw honey

Lunch-
Spinach, Strawberry, Feta, Walnut, and Grilled Chicken Salad
Top with balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Dinner-
BBQ night:
     Grilled shrimp
     Steamed cauliflower & carrots
     1/2 C rice  

Meal Plan - mix and match or follow right along. You decide what time you want your snack.

Aim for 90/10...follow the plan 90% of the time. No need to quit if you splurge 10%!


Day 1
Breakfast-
1 Cup Cooked Oatmeal 
1 Cup Fresh Fruit
Cinnamon (optional)

Snack-
Protein Shake:
    1 Scoop Protein ( I use this)
    1 Cup Milk or Water

Lunch-
Mexican Salad: Mixed greens, grilled chicken, avocado, tomato, black or pinto beans
Top with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and squeeze of lemon or lime

Dinner-
Chicken (5 oz) & Veggie Stir Fry
    (Bell peppers, onions, carrots, broccoli)
1/2-3/4 Cup Rice

Day 2
Breakfast-
1 Cup Greek Yogurt or Cottage Cheese
1 Cup Fresh Fruit
2 Tablespoons chopped nuts

Snack-
Sliced red peppers, carrots, and/or cucumbers 
    1/4 Cup Hummus 

Lunch-
1 can of tuna
1/2 avocado
Mustard
Mayo (made with olive oil, minimal) or greek yogurt
Salt & Pepper
1 Slice Ezekiel bread or whole grain crackers

Dinner-
BBQ night:
     Grilled chicken or fish with lemon pepper
     Grilled fruit & veggies - pineapple, red peppers, asparagus, peaches, sweet potato...
     1/2-3/4 Cup Quinoa (cooks similar to rice)     
     
Day 3:
Breakfast-
2-3 eggs scrambled with fresh veggies (spinach, bell peppers, onions...)
1/2 Avocado 
1/4 Cup fresh salsa

Snack-
String Cheese

Lunch-
Spinach, Strawberry, Feta, Walnut, and Grilled Chicken Salad
Top with balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Dinner-
Taco Salad:
     Ground turkey or beef with taco seasoning
     Spinach or mixed greens
     Sauteed bell peppers, onions and mushrooms
     Top with balsamic vinegar & olive oil or fresh salsa

Day 4:
Breakfast-
1 Slice Ezekiel bread
2 Tablespoons almond or peanut butter

Snack-
1 Cup Greek Yogurt
1/2 Scoop Protein
2 Tablespoons shredded coconut or 1/2 banana
Cinnamon

Lunch-
Grilled Chicken Salad

Dinner-
5 oz Salmon (frozen or fresh, aim for wild caught)
1 Baked Sweet Potato
1 Cup steamed broccoli

Day 5:
Breakfast-
1 Cup Cooked Oatmeal 
1 Cup chopped apples
Cinnamon

Snack-
Protein Shake:
    1 Scoop Protein ( I use this)
    1 Cup Milk or Water

Lunch-
Mexican Salad: Mixed greens, grilled chicken, avocado, tomato, black or pinto beans
Top with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and squeeze of lemon or lime

Dinner-
Lean beef & broccoli stir fry
1/2-3/4 Cup Rice
Soy sauce in moderation

Day 6:
Breakfast-
2-3 eggs scrambled with fresh veggies (spinach, bell peppers, onions...)
1/2 Avocado 
1/4 Cup fresh salsa

Snack-
String Cheese

Lunch-
Spinach, Strawberry, Feta, Walnut, and Grilled Chicken Salad
Top with balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Dinner-
Burger Salad:
     Ground beef or turkey burger (cheese optional)
     Spinach or mixed greens
     Sauteed bell peppers, onions and mushrooms
     Top with balsamic vinegar & olive oil

Day 7:
Breakfast-
1 Cup Greek Yogurt or Cottage Cheese
1 Cup Fresh Fruit
2 Tablespoons chopped nuts

Snack-
Banana
2 Tablespoons almond butter

Lunch-
1 can of tuna
1/2 avocado
Mustard
Mayo (made with olive oil, minimal) or greek yogurt
Salt & Pepper
1 Slice Ezekiel bread or whole grain crackers

Dinner-
BBQ night:
     Grilled chicken with Montreal seasoning or similar
     Grilled fruit & veggies - pineapple, red peppers, asparagus, peaches, sweet potato...
     1/2-3/4 Cup Quinoa (cooks similar to rice)     

PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK SO I CAN IMPROVE FOR THE WEEKS TO COME!!

Trying to eat healthier, but still need on the go options? Want to lose your muffin top, while still eating muffins? Then this recipe is for you!

Rise and Shine Muffin Recipe
1/2 C Almond Flour
1/2 C Gluten free flour mix 
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
1 C rolled oats 
1/2 Brown Sugar or honey
1/2 t Baking Soda 
1/2 t Baking Powder
1/2 t Salt
1/2 t Nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
1/2 C raisins
3 T oil (olive or coconut)
2 Eggs
1/3 C Milk (of your choice) 
3 Carrots, Shredded
1 Banana, Ripe & Mashed
1/4 C Walnuts, chopped

1. Mix wet ingredients in one bowl
2. Mix dry ingredients in another.
3. Mix everything together and pour into muffin cups.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes

Lives are busy, people have kids, jobs, hobbies, and responsibilities that seem to make time just slip by.  I still can't help but think its a bunch of BS when people say they don't have time to eat well!  Priorities people!  Everyone seems to have time to check facebook, instagram, twitter, 4 different emails (I know its addicting!).....so take that 20-30 minutes and make yourself a good meal made of whole foods that will do your body good.

Everything you need for this particular meal can be purchased at Trader Joe's...my go-to store for quick easy meals.  

Ingredients:
4 Sausages (I used Jalapeno Chicken, but use any that sounds good)
Steamed Lentils (hard work is already done for you!)
Kale (a few handfuls depending on how much you like kale ;) )
Bell peppers (I used 3 mini, probably = 1-2 regular size)
Chopped Onion seasoning
Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper
Olive oil
Salsa (optional)

1. Heat about 1 Tbsp Olive Oil in a skillet and add the sausages. Cook for 5-7 minutes on medium, rotating a few times to brown all sides.
2. While sausages are cooking, chop peppers, and remove stems from kale.
3. Place sausages on a cutting board. Place another Tbsp olive oil, peppers, and lentils to the skillet.
4. While peppers and lentils are cooking (about 5 minutes) slice sausages into pieces.
5. Add sausage pieces and kale to skillet. Cover and cook on medium-low for about 10 minutes
6. Add salsa if desired and enjoy!

I love food and I believe eating should be something we enjoy and look forward to!  I'm not an expert by any means, but when I follow the 5 steps below I manage to eat pretty well without too much worry. 

1. Keep healthy foods in plain sight! On the counter, in a fruit basket, or at the front of the fridge. On the other hand, pack up sweets and place them in the cupboard with the doors closed.

2. Prepare!  Choose a day to plan meals, look up recipes, and grocery shop for the week.  If you have time, take it one step further and chop your veggies and pack food into portions.

3. Start with a salad. This applies to both eating out and at home.  While everyone else is munching on bread or chips, get in a serving of vegetables.  A simple salad we do very often is:

Spinach
Strawberries, Apples, or Pears
Feta
Walnuts
Balsamic Vinegar
Dried cranberries (optional)

4. Avoid distracted eating.  Move away from the TV, computer or phone and give food the attention it deserves!  I'm currently breaking myself of eating and driving...bags of almonds disappear way too fast ;)

5. Enjoy your food and move on with your day.  Whether you made a good or bad choice, it's done. You'll have many, many more chances.

Cookies, candy and cake taste great, but most of them don't have any nutritional benefits. They leave me wanting more and contribute to my sugar monster!  So, I've been throwing healthy & delicious recipes together and hoping for the best.  For the most part I've been successful. Let's call it skills rather than luck ;)

The measurements below are somewhat estimates. I'll make this again soon and edit if needed.  Btw, this recipe was inspired by Max Shank. Thanks for sharing your love for pumpkin!


Single Serve Paleo Pumpkin Pie
1/4 C Almond meal
1 Tbsp butter
3/4 C canned pumpkin (cold)
Handful frozen blueberries
Handful shredded unsweetened coconut
~10 pecan pieces
Sprinkle of cinnamon

1. Melt the butter
2. Add almond meal, mix, and press into bottom of a small bowl to form a crust
3. Scoop pumpkin into crust
4. Top with blueberries, coconut, pecans, and cinnamon
5. Enjoy!

Let me know if you like it, love it, hate it or completely changed the recipe.  Comments appreciated!

Yesterday I participated in my first Scottish Highland Games!  I competed in 9 events that involved throwing heavy weights as far or as high as possible, each requiring technical skill in addition to strength.  Why would I be interested in doing such a thing?  

First of all, I want to show women that STRONG IS BEAUTIFUL. There are too many terribly wrong ideas about women and strength out there and I want to be part of the movement to change those.  Being strong does not mean you must look like a bodybuilder or manly or any other negative association I have heard far too many times.  Being strong means taking care of yourself physically and mentally - there is no exact shape, size, or look we should all measure against, because we are all different. Someone who is skinny is not necessarily more healthy than someone who is overweight. Everyone has a different story and a different background.  Let's stop being so hard on ourselves and each other!

With strength comes confidence. For myself and many others I have observed, this is where the beauty is discovered. We have always been beautiful, but it took developing the strength and the confidence to realize and embrace it. It is my mission to share this with as many women as I possibly can.

I function best when I set goals. If I want to accomplish something, I set my mind to it and get to work!  The fact that my size is far from a typical highland games athlete wasn't going to stop me. I started with the basics. Thankfully, the men of Ambition Athletics were generous with their time and patiently shared their knowledge. I had no previous experience and more questions than you can imagine. We practiced twice a week starting a few months before game day. We made our own equipment (which broke often) and worked on technique step by step.  The bonding time with Team Ambition was priceless. 

I love to surprise people with my strength - I'd rather be stronger than I look and experience pure joy from exceeding people's expectations! Despite our short kilts and painted nails, the ladies of Team Ambition showed up to compete. I placed 3rd in my class and I'm so proud of my performance!  The highlight of my day was weight over bar - I threw a 28lb weight over a bar set at 10 feet (something I could not do during practice)!! 

Overall, I loved competing in the highland games.  I am extremely inspired by the strength and dedication of all the athletes. I intend to do it again and I will be better, stronger, and more confident the next time!

Thank you to everyone who taught, coached, and supported me throughout the process!

Craving something sweet, but don't want to ruin all that hard work you've been putting into eating well?!  

Welcome to my life. I developed my sweet tooth and love for baking at an early age. It was inevitable. I grew up in the house all my friends were excited to hangout at because of the unlimited supply of sodas, candy, crackers, cookies...I know what you are thinking, poor poor Holly ;)

BUT I am an adult now and I am responsible for choosing what I put in my body. While I do indulge in treats, I believe there are different tiers in the sweet world of deliciousness. My secret is to eat something somewhat nutritious, while satisfying my sweet tooth! Keep these ideas in mind when your sweet tooth strikes...

Sweet snacks:  
Plain greek yogurt with fruit, nuts, cinnamon & honey (any combo works)
           my pick: 2% plain greek yogurt, walnuts, 1/2 banana, & cinnamon
Pumpkin puree with nuts, fruit (fresh, frozen or dried) 
           my pick: 1/2 pumpkin, 1/2 yogurt, shredded coconut, walnuts, and dried cranberries
Fruit (check out what's in season...berries, mango, pineapple, so many choices...)
           my pick: banana with almond butter. Find a store where you can grind your own almond butter. AMAZING
Trail mix - pick one without much added sugar (ie M&M's, "yogurt" raisins, etc) or make it yourself
           my pick: Made it up myself! Roasted almonds, shredded unsweetened coconut, and dark choc chips  

Sweet drinks:
Shake it up!  Protein shakes are multitaskers
          my pick: 1 scoop MRM vanilla protein powder, spoonful PB, spoonful cocoa powder, 1/2 C milk, water 
Fruit/Veggie smoothie
          my pick: 1 scoop MRM vanilla protein powder, water, handful spinach and/or kale, 1/2 banana, frozen berries, ginger root, flax seeds, and spoonful of greek yogurt (optional, depending on your texture preference)

If one of those won't do the trick I try a homemade treat...

Homemade goodies:
Making something yourself is always better than buying from the store because you know what you put into it!

Dark chocolate covered...(insert your favorite fruit, nut, or nut butter)
          my pick: melt dark choc chips (at least 60%) with 1/2t coconut oil in microwave (30-60sec). Dip or cover your chosen treat in chocolate, set on foil/parchment paper & let cool in freezer until solid
My favorite Coconut Chocolate chip cookie recipe
No bake Coconut balls recipe
...and many more on my pinterest page


Bottom Line - if you are going to eat something, do it and don't feel bad about it. Ain't nobody got time for that!

Enjoy and feel free to share your thoughts. Comments encouraged!  

First of all, this picture was taken after a strenuous workout in the heat! No makeup, no pretty hair, because if you look amazing after a workout you might be doing something wrong ;) Or you are very, very lucky!

While I do love splurging on a few key pieces at Lulu (I own 3 to be exact), shopping for expensive workout clothes is not sustainable for me.  It is possible to create outfits that are cute, functional, and affordable. I've broken down one of my favorites below.

PS: watch out for bees in this bright sunshine-y outfit.  Seriously, a swarm flew over me when I was doing my downward dog...you better believe I jumped up and ran until they were out of sight :D

Mossimo stripe racerback tank (Yellow Boom)  - Target $10

Champion shorts (Indigo Screen) - Target $24.99

           Cutout back sports bra (Black) - Forever 21 $13.80

Patience required!  No amount of wishful thinking will convince artichokes be ready in 20 minutes...

Yesterday, I was strolling through Trader Joe's trying to decide what to make with my fish for dinner. I spotted a beautiful display of artichokes and to my delight they were $.99 each! I went ahead and selected two of similar size, but couldn't remember if I wanted the leaves to be open or closed - so I chose slightly opened ;) 


Tip: Leaves should be tight and the artichoke should squeak when you squeeze it according to this article. Also, prepare artichokes on a night where you have at least an hour to cook. 

Steamed Artichokes
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 40-50 minutes
Ingredients:
Artichokes
2 Lemon slices
2 Garlic cloves
1 Bay leaf
Water
Butter (optional)

1. Prep: Cut about 1/2-3/4 inch off the top of your artichoke and remove the stem and any small leaves at the base.  Slice lemon, chop garlic into fourths.  Place a few inches of water in a pot, add lemon, garlic, and bay leaf.  

2. Place steamer basket with artichokes in pot and bring water to a simmer.  Cook for about 40 minutes.  

3. Check artichokes- a fork should pierce through the base as smooth as butter! If not, be patient and wait another 5-10 minutes.

4. Remove artichokes and let them cool (I need practice in this dept.) Meanwhile, melt butter in a small dish.

5. EAT! Grab a leaf, dip in butter, and scrape the fleshy part off with your teeth.  

6. When you have finished all the edible leaves you have one more job. Remove inner leaves and fuzzy choke (DONT EAT IT!) Below that your will find a treasure...the heart!  Enjoy.


Please review or share any delicious artichoke recipes in the comments.