The Things I eat...

Okay, this may seem like a strange post... or kind of like a "know it all" type of post. But really what my goal is, is to give some of you some ideas for some very easy healthy and quick meals. I want to share with you some of the ways I have created a healthier lifestyle. I am not a nutriationalist or a professional, so really all these are - are simply suggestions.

1) Download the free app: Calorie Counter by FatSecret. You can scan in barcodes on foods, search for items, find fast food stuff, and it sets you up for your weight/ height/ lifestyle, and gives you a caloric range to shoot for depending on your goal.
2) Breakfast: This is one meal I can NOT skip! I usually pick one of two things: weight control oatmeal (maple brown sugar is my fav. but it comes in banana bread, and cinnamon), I add skim milk to the oatmeal and 1/2 sliced banana. OR the Butterfinger Recipe Chocolate Shakeology by Beachbody. I still *gasp* have to drink my coffee, so I usually pair my breakfast with that.
3) Mid-Morning Snack: Rice Cake, or a reduced fat cheese stick ("string cheese")
4) Lunch: Grilled Chicken salad with baby spinach, iceburg lettuce, fit and active grilled chicken bites from Aldi (they are frozen- I cook them in the morning before work in the oven, wrap them in foil and refridgerate them at work), sprinkle of reduced fat cheese, low fat or fat free dressing, craisons, and just a dash of those new tortilla strips that are found by the croutons to add a little crunch. OR a "BL"- an arnold round (multigrain) sandwhich thin with reduced fat miracle whip, pepper, 1/2 slice of reduced fat provolone, 2 to 3 slices of microwavable turkey bacon, and lettuce (or instead of the bacon, I will have low sodium ham). OR the Shakeology if I did not have it for breakfast. Sometimes I will pair my lunch with a fruit or a greek yogurt or both, and a sprinkle of low fat granola! (Bare Naked Vanilla Almond). Sometimes an egg salad sandwhich will work as well on the arnold round for my lunch, and the recipe is posted in one of my other blogs!
5) Afternoon Snack: I try to fight this snack becuase I like to have an early dinner, so I try to drink decaf tea in the afternoon. If this doesn't work, and I need something more, sometimes I'll have a couple pretzles, or a fiber bar.
6) Dinner: Scrambled Egg Whites are usually my go-to dinner, with a little fat free cheese (Obviously I love cheese), pepper, parsley, maybe even some onion, paired with 1/2 arnold round, and maybe some steamed brocolli. The egg white is also awesome with the deli sweet onion salsa that is found in the refridgerated section in the supermarket. A low sodium, low fat soup with a side salad is also a good dinner. OR if I am in a super rush, I will make a quick smoothie. I have a variety of kinds I like to make! Boca Burgers on an arnold round with a light condement, and some lettuce or onion is also a great dinner, side with veggies! To get my craving satisfied for "fried foods" I keep "crunchtables" in the freezer. These are my treat every so often. They are breaded veggies that you bake in the oven. Brocolli, carrots (be careful, the zucchini one is higher in fat)!... and they are yummmmmmmyyyy!!!
7) Evening Snack: I try to fight this off as well, but if I must I will have some fat free popcorn with a dash of that powdered flavoring. I love the jalepenio chedder one!! OR a clemintine orange may do the trick!

Hope this helped, and gave you some ideas for healthy/ quick/ easy meals. I am a far cry from the girl who used to order pizza several nights a week, go for wings, tacos, etc!!! And even when I would try to "eat healthy", I would eat smart ones frozen dinners ALLLLL the time! They are just not that great for you! I do have them occassionaly, especially if I am in a huge rush, but these options are a lot better, and they aren't that hard to do!