My Summer Slim Down Plan

I often get asked what I eat. Well, there is no short answer for that. My diet varies depending on a million factors including changing my food up to whatever my goals are, what I have planned that week or month, what's in season, or what I'm craving.

Right now, I am reeling things in a bit for a few reasons. Budget & summer. I want to go out a bit less & save, but also get myself to a place where I am comfortable in short shorts & tank tops. It's fun for me to set little goals, and right now this is just the push I need.

My workouts to slim down a bit will consist of:
Mondays: Leg day & cardio
Tuesdays: Cardio & abs (or double days of cardio)
Wednesdays: Upper body & cardio
Thursdays: Cardio or class
Fridays: Total body & cardio
Saturday: Glutes & abs & cardio
Sunday: rest or recovery (long walk, maybe a massage, foam rolling, or gentle yoga)

Food will consist of:

Morning: Coffee with soy or almond milk

Meal 1: YOGURT. 1cup greek yogurt, 1 tbsp peanut butter, stevia & cinnamon
Calories: 235  Fat:9g Carbs:12g Protein: 27g

Meal 2: PROTEIN PANCAKE. 1/2 cup oats, 6 egg whites, 1/2 cup blueberries
Calories: 282 Fat: 3g Carbs:37g Protein: 28g

Meal 3: LUNCH. 4oz lean meat, 3 cups veggies (1/2 c quinoa on leg days)
Calories: 232 Fat: 4g Carbs: 18g Protein: 34g

Meal 4: BAR. Quest bar, think thin bar, or dales bar
Calories: 190 Fat: 8g Carbs: 21g Protein: 21g

PREWORKOUT. 2 rice cakes 1 tbsp greek yogurt, 1 tbsp peanut butter
Calories:160 Fat:9g Carbs:12g Protein: 6g

POSTWORKOUT: scoop of protein, 1 small banana, 1c almond milk, 
Calories: 237 Fat:14g Carbs:27g Protein 25g

Meal 5: GREEN SMOOTHIE. 1 scoop vega protein, 2 frozen figs, 2 cups spinach, 1 1/2 c almond milk, ice
Calories: 254 Fat:15g Carbs: 28g Protein:27g

Daily total:
Calories: 1590 Fat:61  Carbs:155g Protein 168g
If I'm still hungry I will have a few egg whites and some more greens.

If I get bored of the plan I make myself I will either a) switch up the order of my meals b)change my meals and add new recipes or 3) look up recipes online to create with stuff I have at home. I also am not THAT strict 24/7 so I will allow a treat meal or 2 and maybe even a night with a few drinks. I am no longer prepping for anything besides living a happy & healthy life. To me, life isn't worth living if you aren't enjoying it!

This is MY plan, so I want you to remember you don't have to eat like me. It looks like a lot of food to some people, but remember I workout 1.5-2 hours a day. If it looks like too little of food, just know I always adjust depending on how my energy is.

Meal Prep For Results

Are you super busy, so you eat out more than you should? There are so many of us who can relate. It is extremely easy to get caught up in the craziness of our day-to-day lives that we forget the simple things. We have to eat, and a great way to get results is by planning out most of your meals. For years I planned and packed every single meal I ate. Now, it is easy for me to gauge portions and healthy options.

 

What To Do

 

Step 1. Grocery shop:

Once a week (or twice) go on a big grocery haul like this. Make sure you pick up enough items, so you can prep food for work or for you to have in case you are out and about without a place that's healthy to stop by. I love making a list before hand 

 

Step 2. Plan tasty meals:

Don't just pack 5 meals of chicken and broccoli. Go find some healthy meals that you actually look forward to eating. I love packing greek yogurt with nuts & berries, spaghetti squash with turkey meatballs, or something like a homemade protein bars.  

 

Step 3. Cook and pack:

Cook your meals and pack in containers and store in the fridge or freezer. All you will need to do before you leave the house is grab and go.

 

Step 4. Have backup:

Pack some protein bars, nuts, or fruit in your bag just in case hunger strikes on the go!

 

Step 5. Switch it up:

Don't plan the same things every week. It is important to have variety in your diet. Variety helps you stick with it, and if one day you don't like a meal you have the option to switch things up the next. 

Eating For Results

Although I had fun making a little joke about this  "not eating" phenomenon we see in our society, I do want to take this opportunity to explain the importance of the ofunit we use that measure how od when it comes to your training. Food is crucial to maximize results. Today, I am simply going to cover the topic of calories.

A calorie is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. The amount of calories your body needs to perform its basic functions would be your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Once you know your BMR, you will then be able to manipulate your calories and adjust them according to your goals.

A great site I use to calculate my BMR and my clients BMR is this one. This site will tell you how many calories you need to maintain your weight (without exercise), what you would need to do to maintain your weight with exercise, how to lose weight or gain muscle. It all starts with calories, and later you can break it down to Macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat) if that is something you can monitor.

Remember one thing: eating fewer calories doesn't necessarily mean that you're eating better! Calories are essential to fuel your body for the day, to recover from workouts, and also to keep your metabolism healthy. If you aren't fueling your body properly, you can do some major damage that is EXTREMELY hard to reverse. More on metabolic damage in a future post! 

Benefits Of Drinking Lemon Water

Fresh lemon water is my go to drink of choice, especially after travel! I just take a 1/2 a lemon, squeeze the juice in to my water jug in the morning and refill with

fresh water throughout the day!

Benefits:

Hydrating

Lemon water is very alkalizing and helps balance pH levels 

Aids liver cleansing 

High in Calcium, potassium,& vitamin C

Helps rid visceral fat

Natural diuretic