My “Not-So-Diet” Diet

Hi babes! I’ve been getting a bunch of requests to share what a typical day of eating looks like for me. Lately, I’ve been snapping on Instastories some of my favorite quick-to-make meals that are healthy and I’ll include those recipes here! Let me start off by saying, I’m not extreme with eating strict in any way. I love my huge salads for lunch while spending the night snacking on chocolate and ice-cream. Balance is my jam.  Also, what works for me may not work for you. We all already know maintaining an active lifestyle along with a balanced diet is the best way to maintain a healthy and strong body.

WHAT DIET DO YOU FOLLOW? I get so many messages with this question, so here we go. I really don’t follow any particular diet. My best advice is that if you don’t enjoy the foods in your healthy diet, it will never last. So don’t waste your time. I’ve found healthy foods that I legitimately love to eat. I never do any fad diets, sugarless months, etc. If I’m feeling too deprived then I’ll totally binge eat. I don’t count calories since I have a decent understanding of portion sizes and the caloric content of most foods. And currently, I intuitively eat what I feel I need since I’m exclusively nursing my 2 month old. I recommend downloading My Fitness Pals app on your phone and start logging all the foods and drinks you consume. It’s a great tool for helping to stay accountable and can be eye-opening with the foods you’re choosing to eat.

Here’s a few of my golden rules for dieting! And when I refer to diet I’m referring to the way I eat.

• EAT PROTEIN IN EVERY MEAL. Add it to your soups and salads. Swap out regular yogurt for greek. Add protein powder to your smoothies and shakes.
• DON’T DRINK YOUR CALORIES. Considering how much I LOVE to eat food, I have a really hard time drinking sugar-laden beverages. I also don’t drink alcohol. I usually opt for a protein shake over a fruit smoothie. Smoothies have SO much sugar and so little of the awesome fiber or protein. I mean, just give me an ice cream shake instead 😉
• EAT EVERY FEW HOURS. From the moment I wake until right before I head to bed I’m eating every 2-3 hours. If I wait too long then I feel ravenous and tend to grab the most convenient junk food. Prep your purse and fridge with easy to eat snacks in-between your meals.
• MINIMIZE EATING OUT. Usually I only eat out at a restaurant for a date night with my hubs once a week. And if I do hit up McD’s or Chic-fil-A for lunch with the kids, then I’ll try to have a regular meal at home so I’m less inclined to splurge too hard on a large fry…I’ll keep it to a small fry 🙂
• 80/20 RULE. I try to eat healthy at least 80% of the time so I can splurge 20% of the time. This has proven to be the best “diet” for me since the balance is easily maintainable.

BREAKFAST

1. PROTEIN BAR. Quest is my favorite (the HERO blueberry cobbler legit tastes like a blueberry cake donut- no lie. It’s not the crispy blueberry cobbler bar! ) since it’s super low in sugar and fat, high in fiber and protein. Since I have to nurse my baby and then get 4 kids in the car by 7:40am every day to take my oldest to Pre-K, I’d rather snack on a bar in the car. Some times I’ll have half a bar in the car and then make breakfast when I get back home after the twins have eaten and my baby is back down for a nap. The Alani Nu bars are also fantastic and my pantry is currently stocked with them! I also typically have one of THESE drinks every morning.
2. GREEK YOGURT w/GRANOLA. When looking at greek yogurts I first check for low sugar (like less than 5g per serving) and high in protein (10+ grams). Be super careful about granolas. Most store-bought granolas are packed with added sugars. Instead of your traditional granola, I like to get Kashi GoLean crunchy cereal because it has a similar texture as granola but without the extra sugar and with the extra fiber and protein. The berry one is my favorite!
3. PROTEIN OATMEAL. Cook oatmeal and water together until it’s mostly done. Stir in half a scoop of chocolate protein powder (I like Muscle Milk and Quest whey powders). Chocolate protein oatmeal is delicious! Sometimes I’ll add cinnamon or peanut powder.

LUNCH

1. SALADS BIGGER THAN MY HEAD. No joke, this is my favorite part of the day. I use 50/50 spinach and spring mix, microwaved chicken tenders (I heat frozen tenders in the microwave for 4 minutes while I’m prepping the rest of the salad). Sliced strawberries, apples, or any other berry I want. Sliced almonds. Dried cranberries. Chia seeds. Feta cheese. Then I top it with a low-sugar raspberry vinaigrette. Bolthouse has a great one! Trader Joes has a gorgonzola vinaigrette that is bomb amazing. I wish they had more TJ’s here in Dallas!

(And I prepped this salad in like 10 minutes to take to a play date at my friend’s pool. And yep, I drink Diet Coke on the daily. I know it’s not healthy, I don’t encourage it, get off me. You don’t know my life.)

DINNER

1. FAJITAS. This is our favorite meal and we typically have it 2-3 times each month! I don’t cook my chicken in oil. We’ll pan fry the meat, bell peppers, and onions. Fresh pico and salsa, lime and cilantro. Greek yogurt  instead of sour cream. SO delish and flavorful.
2. TOSTADAS. When we’re feeling lazy and low on time we love to make these. I use pre-packaged tostada shells and spread a thin layer of fat-free refried beans. Add sliced jalepenos + pan-fried chicken, sliced in small chunks. Sparingly sprinkle reduced fat cheese. Broil on high for 5 minutes just until the edges get black. Top with salsa and greek yogurt. OHMYGOSH I’m craving this like crazy now. **Side note, I’ve been snacking on Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips for the last 30 minutes and I don’t even feel guilty about it. My hubs is laughing at me right now. It’s whatever.
3. PAN-FRIED FISH. RICE. VEGGIES. I like my fish to be super crispy. I’m a texture lover. I add tons of salt-free seasonings from Mrs. Dash. This is where the flavor comes in but without the added sodium and fat. I’ll cook rice and steam veggies. Boom baby. Dinner done in 15 minutes.

(Meal prepping is such a great way to have healthy meals ready to go)

I hope this list of my go-to menu item helps with ideas throughout your busy week! I would love to hear any of your favorite, healthy meals. Leave them or any links to specific recipes down below in the comments. And if you have any questions about anything I mentioned then send them on over! Enjoy your sunny weekend!