sample meal plan and recipes

MEALS for the day (just an example of what a day could look like):

7:30 breakfast- oatmeal. spinach omelet (made with 3 egg whites and a whole egg).  WATER. vitamins (fish oil, b vitamins, CLA to help with fat loss)

10:00 mid-morning snack- protein shake after your workout.  and maybe a few almonds.

12:00 lunch-salad with tomatoes and almonds, a squeeze of lime and some pepper, salmon, and sweet potatoes. WATER.  another CLA pill.

2:30 afternoon snack-ezekial toast (freezer section of health food store) with some coconut oil spread on top or some organic peanut butter (i've heard good things about PB2 but haven't tried it.  you could mix some of that with some natural peanut butter.)

6:00 dinner- grilled chicken, brown or wild rice (or quinoa), and a veggie from the veggies listed on the third link in the 'diet tips' post. WATER.  CLA.

8:00 evening snack- a piece of fruit, cottage cheese, and a glass of herbal tea.

RECIPES:

smoothies:

Avocado Protein Shake- 1/4 frozen avocado, handful frozen spinach, about 1/2 cup almond milk?  (i really just pour some in til it looks about right), 5 ice cubes, a scoop of protein powder  (we use muscle milk).

Pour it all in a blender and blend til smooth.  Creamy, delicious and full of protein, good fat, and veggies.

Peanut Butter/Banana smoothie- 1 frozen banana, 1 T. natural peanut butter (I really want to try the PB2.  it's healthier), 5 ice cubes,  1/2 cup almond milk, a T. honey (preferably RAW honey.  health food store).   optional: protein powder (you could get a peanut butter flavored one!)

Pour all in a blender and mix til smooth.

Oatmeal- This is a great meal to eat before your workout, along with a few egg whites (protein).
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, 1/2 cup almond milk and 1/2 cup water (really you should do 1 cup water and leave out the almond milk, but I just can't do it.  almond milk gives more flavor.  it's the healthy fat.) a dash of salt.

stir around and cook in microwave for about 2 minutes (watch nearby so it doesn't boil over).

add a truvia packet (granules made from the stevia plant), a dash of vanilla, and a few shakes of cinnamon.

only every once in awhile i'll add a peach or some blueberries or apples to it.  most days i eat it without fruit.  remember to make some egg whites too!

oatmeal pancakes-  i've posted the recipe before.  Here's the link.  these are great!   they have egg whites, cottage cheese, and oats.  awesome breakfast.  just be sure not to pour tons of syrup on top.  i've had them with a tsp of coconut oil spread on top (don't overdo that either.  it IS a fat.  fat is good for us but not too much), and a sprinkle of the truvia.

sweet potatoes- I LOVE sweet potatoes.  (note: sweet potatoes are yellow, yams are orange.  they're in the same family and both are good for you but after reading about them i think sweet potatoes are better and, in my opinion YUMMIER.)  I like to buy like 6 at a time and prepare them in big batches so that I always have some ready in the fridge, for lunches or dinners.

wash and peel potatoes.
cut into small squares.
spread evenly in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
pour a couple Tablespoons of olive oil over them. (or you could use melted coconut oil)
sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cinnamon.  (experiment with different flavors.  you could do rosemary instead of cinnamon, or do garlic salt, or cayenne pepper.  so many options)

Put in preheated 400 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes.  Let cool and enjoy.

LOVE THESE!  they're great as a side with some lean meat and veggies or a salad.  Just remember your portion sizes from the 'diet tips' post.

FAT- good or bad?

This post started as a recipe, which I'll include at the end. I want to share with you a way to double the volume of your almond butter, cutting the calories in half, and making it last longer, therefore saving you money. But I thought I should first discuss FATS and why they are GOOD for you.

People hear the word or see it on a container of food and think they should steer clear of it, but in reality, some fats are GOOD for us. We actually NEED the fats in food, if we want to LOSE fat on our bodies. The key is to make sure it's the right kind of fat.

Almonds are a healthy kind of fat, and that's why I don't mind eating almond butter. Healthy fat-ie almonds, avocados, salmon- HELPS YOU LOSE FAT. Bad fat-ie red meat, whole milk, dairy products, ice cream, butter-makes you fatter. HERE is a good article on healthy fat.

Some tips I've learned, that I'd like to incorporate into my diet are to:

• eat fish (salmon, tuna) twice a week
• go meatless once a week
• i think chicken is always the go-to meat because it's not too difficult to prepare and not as expensive as fish, so i'll probably make chicken 3x a week
• take an omega-3 supplement. i take one pill every day of 'Nature's Bounty Fish Oil-1200mg'
• snack on almonds. i've learned, since posting my yummy cinnamon and chocolate roast almonds, that it's best to eat RAW almonds, so i've switched to that. i'm sure the roasted ones are good too, but raw are better.
• eat avocados every once in awhile. we like it on sandwiches, salads, or we make guacamole
• use olive oil for cooking (but only one or two tablespoons and don't overcook). i also use coconut oil (maybe one little teaspoon for french toast or eggs)

I've also learned that when you try so hard to eliminate fat from your diet, you compromise by eating too many carbs, therefore getting fatter. By eating HEALTHY fats in moderation, you'll feel fuller longer, and you're metabolism will increase.

Now. . . .on to the original post

How to double the volume of your almond butter, and cut the calories in half

I love to use almond butter in place of peanut butter. Sarah asked me what's so much better about almond butter and the answer is NOTHING. They're pretty much the same as far as nutritional value is concerned. Really, I just like almonds better than peanuts. The problem is that almond butter can be expensive.

When buying nut butters I always try to get a "natural" version, because it's really just made from the nuts, nothing else added. So I start with natural, unsalted (if that's an option. sometimes my store only has salted) almond butter. Then I follow the instructions found at Oh She Glows. Mmm! It's tasty. So I make a batch, stick it in a Ziploc plastic container, and into the fridge. It lasts a lot longer, saving me money, and it also saves me calories.

We like to eat it as a snack, with sliced bananas (or any fruit really), add it to our green smoothies, use it on peanut butter/banana sandwiches, etc.

KEEP IN MIND, this is a FAT so, as tasty as it is, don't eat TOO much. : )