Hey all! It’s been awhile since my last post, but I hope you are healthy and ready to start this new year and decade off right!
I created my goals in each area of life for the upcoming year, and I will definitely be sharing a post on goal setting because I had a lot of content in my online accountability group that I am excited to share with you! No matter what your goals, just make sure that you are focusing on the PROCESS. Goals are great to achieve, but if you aren’t making lasting changes on the way to attaining your goals, they won’t stick! (Plus you’ll wind up right back where you started when your old habits take charge and bring you down the same roads you’ve been down before). Instead, really focus on daily habits that you ENJOY and can STICK WITH FOR GOOD!!! If you find yourself dreading something or thoroughly disliking it, make a change!
Because nutrition is one of the areas that people are most focused on in the New Year, I recently decided to create a few sample meal plans and grocery shopping lists for my online community… I didn’t want you to miss out, so I am sharing with you as well! I am going to be sharing these every now and then because I know that nutrition can be the hardest part of staying healthy with all of the temptations that surround us!
My goal for the New Year was to cut out added sugar (not naturally occurring)- the kind you’ll find by reading the ingredients lists. The reason? Americans are ADDICTED to sugar! It is actually proven to be more addictive than cocaine! I’ve done this diet before and it is very freeing, but it DOES require label reading and possibly cutting out a few of your favorites. BUT, after doing this diet for awhile, I’ve noticed my desire for that after dinner treat diminish, and have noticed that fruit seems sweeter than anything. Sweets and sodas didn’t even taste good to me anymore, so hopefully, if you choose to embrace this diet as well, you’ll have the same outcome!
All of the meals I am sharing are sugar additive free, and I’ll start by briefly sharing a few ideas for breakfasts, lunches, and snacks. Then, I’ll share recipes and a shopping list for dinners:
Breakfasts
- Oatmeal- steel cut or rolled topped with nuts or nut butter, berries, cocoa powder, and almond milk
- Chia seed pudding
- Egg bake
- Shakes
- Leftovers- you don’t have to eat just breakfast foods for breakfast!
Snacks
- Larabars- only certain flavors don’t have added sugar
- RX Bars
- Beef sticks – Greenridge Farm has no sugar added
- Hummus and veggies
- Fruit
- Fruit/Greek yogurt (with no added sugar)
- Nuts
- Homemade trail mix- think more nuts/seeds and limit dried fruit to reduce sugar content
- Nut butter on fruit or veggie slices
- Protein or fruit/yogurt shake
Lunches
- Leftovers
- Salad w/ protein, fat (avocado or nuts), and veggies topped with oil and lemon juice or oil based dressing without sugar additives like Tessemae’s
- Bowl- grain (brown rice, couscous, or quinoa base with protein, veggies, fat like nuts or avocado, and sugar free dressing or just oil and spices)
Dinners Week of 1/5
Monday:
Zucchini Bake (w/Baked Chicken seasoned with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, onion powder, and topped with Parmesan cheese- bake with veggies to 165° )
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Breakfast- Scrambled Eggs and Paleo Pancakes w/ Nut Butter side with fresh fruit
Thursday:
Egg Roll Bowl (Sub cabbage and carrots for cole slaw mix for less prep!)
Friday:
Taco Salad (ground meat of choice w/ Taco Seasoning over lettuce mix topped with salsa, peppers, avocado, plain Greek yogurt for sour cream, and other desired taco toppings)
Saturday:
Couscous Chicken Bowl (sweet kale mix heated over olive oil with pre-grilled chicken strips or make your own mixed with couscous prepared as instructed on bag mixed with ghee, top with lemon dressing if desired)
Grocery List:
Carbs
- Steel Cut Oats or oatmeal
- Couscous
- 2- 6 oz bag of plantain chips
- Paleo pancake mix (Birch Benders or other)
Fats
- Almonds
- Nut Butter- almond, natural peanut (no added sugar)
- Olive oil
- Hummus
- Ghee
- Cooking spray
- Sesame oil
Dairy Section
- Plain Greek Yogurt
- Almond Milk
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Meat/Protein
- 1 lb organic 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 lb Jeanie O sausage or turkey ground turkey or beef
- Grilled chicken strips (tru grill has pre-made) or make your own
- 1-2lbs chicken thighs
- Eggs
Produce
- 2 large or 2.5 lbs zucchini
- Berries
- Fresh fruit
- Snack Carrots
- Lettuce Mix
- 10 oz grape tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup onion
- 5 cups coleslaw mix
- sweet kale mix
- desired toppings for nachos: onions, peppers, tomatoes, guacamole
- optional green onions
- optional parsley or basil
Spices
- Cinnamon
- Garlic Powder
- Sea Salt
- Ground ginger
- Onion Powder
- Paprika
- Chilli Powder
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Italian Seasoning
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- optional toasted sesame seeds
Other
- Vanilla
- salsa
- Chicken broth
- Soy sauce or coconut aminos
- Apple cider vinegar
- optional lemon juice
Any other desired ingredients from breakfast, lunch, and snack lists above!
I hope you find this useful and have a great start to your new year and new decade!
“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
– Gandhi
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
Wholee Healthy 