Ok guys. I am NOT a writer but I have to learn to write so I can share my health journey with you all.  For those of you who do not know, I was in the health & fitness “industry” for years before I had kiddos.  I learned a lot during my time of research, studying and through trial and error.  I want to first share with you some of the things that I have tried along with what worked and what didn’t.

I tried clean eating.  I tried AdvoCare.  I tried no sugar.  I tried low sugar. I tried balanced eating. I tried low carb.  I feel like I tried it all (not really but you know what I mean!)  During this time frame I learned a lot.  I had an Instagram page with a group of women following and supporting me, then I became pregnant.  I couldn’t even look at healthy food without getting sick so things just kind of started spiraling for me.

After my first daughter was born I was bound and determined to hop back on that healthy train, so I did.  A year later when I got pregnant with our second beautiful daughter it started to happen again.  I felt like I was healthier with my second pregnancy but I tired more “moderation” or a balanced diet after Quinn and it just didn’t work for me.  Combine that with selling & buying a home where cooking at home was slim and I began living on fast food & ice cream to help me with stress levels and lack of time.

Which brings us to now.  I began to FEEL awful.  Feeling & health is much more important to me than looks and weight.  I mean, I wear LuLaRoe.  It looks AMAZING on everyBODY so that was not the problem for me.  It was feeling like YUCK that pushed me to get back on track.  How do you do it you are asking?  I am going to tell you!!!!

Focus on CLEAN (eating whole, real foods) & lowering sugar intake.

Focus on CLEAN

• Meals– Vegetable, Protein & Startch
• Snacks– Fruit, Veggies, Protein
• Little to NO processing (example buying granola bars vs making them- buying oatmeal packets vs making it.

 

Lowering Sugar Intake (I am NOT a nutritionist. Speaking from experience and research)

• Women daily 25 grams
• Men daily 30 grams
• Fruit is OK.  Your body uses it better than processed sugars.
• Fruit before 4pm is the goal so your body can actually USE that sugar consume
• This means look at the back of your cans, packages, etc.  You will SEE you are eating too much sugar.  Sugar is insane with processed foods!

 

Meal Prepping–

• Veggies (Pick out a few veggies for the week!)
  • Spinach, Green beans, broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Asparagus, Kale, Carrots, Snow peas, Snap Peas, Sqaush
• Protein (Pick out a few recipes for the week or keep it simple!)
  • Search on Pinterest clean recipes
  • Chicken with Mrs. Dashes seasoning cooked in olive oil
  • Turkey Breast, Fish (again Mrs. Dashes is amazing), Lean Beef, Bacon, Eggs, Pork
• Starch (pick out a few starches for your week)
  • Quinoa (cook with a little chicken stock), Brown Rice, Potatoes (sweet or red), Whole grain pasta, Oats, Couscous, Farro.

 

Prep a few of each of the categories and get your Tupperware out and add them to make meals for the week.  I would always do lunches at least and then I could find recipes for dinner on Pinterest or use my prepped food if I was in a hurry.

Here is what I prepped for this week…. Sweet potatoes (with cinnamon, paprika & garlic salt), hard boiled eggs in the oven, grapes & strawberries, ground beef with tomato sauce & paste, broccoli & carrots.  Don’t forget lots of water with lemon (if you like!)

 

I also LOVE Hello Fresh.  It is amazing for dinner time meals that are healthy, farm fresh and easy.  Look into that if you do not have time to look up dinner meals.

Breakfast is another day, another post but think homemade oatmeal, eggs, bacon, fruit, homemade parfait, etc.  That will be another post so stay tuned.

Please ask questions below.  I am MORE than happy to help.