Yeah, hello, I’m still alive out here. No, the duathlon didn’t leave me laying on the side of the road 😛 I promise, I am doing a recap but…well… they keep teasing us with all our free race photos and course I wanna toss one or two of those in as well… so hopefully sometime this week you can find it here so stay tuned. I had fun and I did ok so check back. 😉
However a busy Thanksgiving week and all my well intended plans to scratch something out for you seemed to sail out the window.
So much tasty food for Thanksgiving. Some new dishes shared as well as the traditional favorites everyone enjoys.
It goes without saying that eating comes pretty naturally for all of us. Where we differ is how we choose to eat and the foods that we put into our bodies.
Every time we eat, we have the power to make choices.
Obviously, how I feed my body is important to how well I can potentially do my training sessions and also have energy for the rest of my day. I’ve learned that cutting back on food or not eaingt pre work out is the equivalent of taking off on a long trip with your gas tank sitting on or close to the empty mark.
In todays busy world food sometimes seems complicated and it shouldn’t be. I don’t spend a lot of time obsessing over food .. unless it’s 4:30 and the dinner hour is breathing down my neck, everything is frozen, and I’m completely clueless what to feed the crew.
THEN I might start obsessing a little.
Having healthy snacks or easy balanced and nutritious meals shouldn’t have to stress you out. I’ve personally found if I have healthy foods in my ‘fridge with easy access to them I’m always more likely to grab them.
No, I don’t meal prep or have 50 containers of the exact food waiting for me day after day. There are foods that I can easily grab or assemble as a snack if I feel like I’m famished ( and some days after long training sessions those moments can come on quickly) Maybe you haven’t done a long training session but maybe you’ve put in a long day at work and dinner is still in the process of coming together.
Taking a little time to prepare some things to keep on hand will help you make healthier snacks choices.
Consider things like:
Hard boiled eggs
Cheese sticks or cheese cubes
A variety of precut, prepared veggies you can grab
Ranch dip, made with non-fat Greek yogurt
Fresh fruit
Peanut butter ( in moderation)
Grilled or baked chicken ( works for so many different things)
Greek yogurt ( toss in some berries or raw almonds)
Raw nuts like almonds or walnuts
Homemade smoothies with your choice of fruit, milk etc. (be really mindful of buying smoothies when you’re on the go as they are often high in sugar and loaded with tons of calories. )
I also like to keep whole grain crackers around. I will put together a small plate with some cheese and fruit to carry me over till I can eat my next meal.
Or try this tasty little healthy snack:
Apple slice cookies:
Red delicious apple ( you need a nice firm apple for slicing) , peanut butter, unsweetened coconut, mini chocolate chips, chopped walnuts.
Core apple, slice into 1/4 inch slices. Lay out on cookie sheet and press with a paper towel to absorb excess water ( this will help peanut butter stay in place) spread a thin layer of peanut butter then add coconut, walnuts and mini chocolate chips.
Enjoy 🙂
The more prepared you are the more likely you are to make good choices.
But back to that dinner thing….
I know I’m not the only one who sometimes bangs their head against the wall thinking of something clever for dinner. Personally, I could eat meat and veggies of some sort all the time but the rest of the crew.. well they have different ideas at times 😉
Mind you.. I have like… 5 thousand cook books so it’s not like I lack a place for ideas. It’s just that they aren’t always with me if I’m out running around an realize I need food ideas.
Enter Pinterest
Who doesn’t always have their phone with them? And if you haven’t checked out Pinterest, will you should. All I have to do is open that app and search up some dinner recipes. Although now I actually have a board started with all kinds of tasty dinner recipes to choose from so I can be in the store, get the ingredients if I don’t have them and still put something new and delicious together.
( Click on my Pinterest link to follow me there and find a lot of my fav dinner ideas.. oh… and do I have some desserts for you too 😉 )
My favorite new thing is one sheet dinners. I’m telling you… your life will never be the same again…ever.
All of the tasty goodness is cooked on one pan. Easy clean up. Nutritious. And there is a huge variety of ideas.
Simple nutrition my friends, simple.
Some of my favorites:
https://pin.it/4nqwlidnygrmkg ( Greek Chicken with Green Beans And Feta Cheese)
https://pin.it/o5yrbbd2v3vx2l ( Sheet Pan BBQ Dinner)
https://pin.it/mwxp5oounhzkdt ( Roasted Garlic & Herb Sausage and Potatoes)
https://pin.it/2qaxgmnxitv3k6 ( Asparagus Sweet Potato Chicken)
Not only are these meals easy to prepare with minimal work and clean up they offer a good variety from many food groups. Some are stand alone meals, some I might add a salad or bread depending on what it is.
Eating healthy with a focus on good food doesn’t need to be complicated. It may take a little time for you to get into the routine and find what works for you but once you adapt you will find it easier than ever to make healthy meals and snacks that will keep you on track with your health and fitness goals.
sassyfitnesschick 