Weekly Meal Plan: January 23-29

Happy Monday everyone! It's been quite the weekend here in SoCal with all the rain we've had. But I love it! I'm not a fan of driving in the rain, but when I'm warm in my bed hearing the pitter-patter, I'm in heaven! 

Last week was an amazing week for me! I felt like I was finally on track with my meals and workouts since before getting pregnant! Having a healthy pregnancy has always been important to me, but morning sickness + the curveballs that have been thrown at us during this pregnancy have made it difficult. But low impact workouts and nutritious foods are making a comeback!

I wrote last week about how I've been following the 21 day fix containers system again and it's been a lifesaver! It's made it SO easy to stay on track with my meals and make sure I'm getting ENOUGH food. I've gone up a few calorie brackets and added some containers based on how my body is responding. My goal is NOT to lose weight right now, which is why adjusting the meal plan is a-ok with me. But, if you are using this plan to lose weight, I'd say trust the plan and don't adjust things! See how your body feels and go from there! :) 

Here is my general break down of containers: 

6 green (vegetables) 

3 purple  (fruits) 

4 red (proteins)  

4 yellows (carbs)  

2 blue (healthy fats)  

1 orange (dressings)  

6 tsp (nut butters, oils, etc)  

I've been feeling so much more energized and nourished following this meal plan, and that's saying a lot since most of this pregnancy I've been pretty exhausted! Meals are delicious and satisfying, and I'm starting to crave healthier things...win-win!  

So here are my meal ideas for this week! Most are simple and easy because I am not about complicating healthy eating! The simpler you make it, the more likely you'll follow through! 

Breakfast: 

Spinach scrambles with some type of carb: granola, pancakes, toast  

Oats with berries and peanut butter 

Greek yogurt parfaits (I really can't stand Greek yogurt and it usually gives me tummy aches, but I want to see if I can handle a little bit of the non-fat kind in the mornings for some extra protein!) 

Lunch:  

Turkey taco meat w/rice and salad 

Leftovers from... 

Dinner:

Whole wheat spaghetti w/turkey meatballs & roasted broccoli  

Stuffed peppers w/beans and rice (recipe coming soon!) 

Tilapia w/stir fried veggies & potatoes  

**We also have some dinners out planned this week, but I still plan on sticking to my meal plan!  

Workout wise, I'm on week 2 of country heat and loving it! It's fun and low impact which is just what the doctor ordered. I'm going for a check up tomorrow and I'm going to ask if I can do some light strength training for my upper body too, just so I don't lose my muscle! I've found some seated arm workouts on you tube that seem doable, but I'll keep y'all posted! 

I'm ready for another successful week! Are you? If you have trouble making meal plans and following through, my door is always open! Click on the "contact me" button above to get in touch! I'm also currently taking clients for my February Faith & Fit challenge, which will focus on healthy eating, how God can help us with our healthy eating goals, and how we can honor God with our health and fitness journeys!  

Email me at coachtveen@gmail.com if you are interested in more info or want to join! I'd love to have you!  

Here's to a wonderful Monday and a great start to the week, friends! :) 

Pregnancy: Weeks 21-23

The weeks are flying by over here, and both my husband and I are in shock of how quickly my belly is growing lately!  

 How far along are you?

23 weeks and 3 days! 

Gender:

GIRL!! 

How big is the baby?

This week, our sweet baby is the size of a bunch of grapes! 

Total weight gain:

I'm finally at my pre-pregnancy weight! I was 137 when we got pregnant, then went down to 130, now back up to 137! Finally eating again and enjoying my food! 

How am I feeling?

I'm feeling pretty good! I have a lot more energy now and almost forget that I am pregnant except when my belly gets in the way! 

Maternity clothes?

Yup!!! The pants are a lifesaver! 

Favorite workouts:

I actually just started a brand new program, Country Heat! The doctor wants me to do walking and light exercise, and this is a line dancing program that is perfect for my pregnancy right now! 

Stretch marks:

None and I hope it stays that way! I’ve been using bio oil and a “bump cream” I found on Amazon. Hopefully they continue to help! 

Cravings:

No cravings lately just HUNGER! And then getting full too fast :( for a while my big craving was goldfish crackers but it isn't as strong now! I've been following my old meal plan (the 21 day fix container system, just increased in calories!) and I've been feeling so much healthier and craving healthier things! 

Food aversions:

I still have aversions sometimes to red meat, but everything else is sounding good to me! 

Sleep:

Terrible! I have no comments about this haha 

What I miss:

Energy, working out, and more than 1 cup of coffee/day!

What I am looking forward to:

Our next ultrasound is Tuesday where the will measure her and make sure she is growing on track since we have a velementous cord insertion. We will be checking on her growth every 2 weeks which I'm actually looking forward to because we will get to see her and make sure she is on track with her growth! Grow baby grow! 

We are so thankful to God for this sweet baby and praying she keeps growing big and strong and keeps kicking mommy! 

Healthy & Filling Snacks

You know the feeling…hunger striking in the middle of the day. It isn’t necessarily meal time, but you know you can’t make it till the next meal without a little something. I’ve been there, I’ve suffered through the hunger, and lemme tell ya…it’s not a good idea! When we are hungry, our bodies are asking us to PLEASE eat something so we can refuel and go on with our day. Enter: the trusty snack.

Snacking has gotten such a bad reputation over the years. And if your snack of choice is typically junk food, then that’s understandable. But there are many healthy and filling snack options that are easy to take with you to work or when you are out and about. They will curb your hunger and make sure that you make it till your next meal without an extra large fries from the drive through or a bakery muffin. Been there, done that.

Planning is everything when trying to make healthy food choices. But I’ve made it easy for you! Here are some quick and easy snack ideas for you to use when you are in a bind and need a quick fix. Carry these around with you when you know you will be out for a while, and you will be sure to stick to your healthy eating goals!

Banana + nut butter packets: this is always a great and delicious combination! Justins makes nut butter packets which I love, and they are so easy to carry around! I also just keep a jar of nut butter at work so that when the time come, my banana has the perfect topping so that this fruit + healthy fat snack keeps me full!

Veggies: any kind of vegetable that you can crunch on is a great snack. Try carrots, broccoli, celery, or bell pepper strips. If you have room to bring a dip along, even better. Hummus or guacamole are great dips for veggies. But even just raw veggies are a great option because they are full of fiber and take a while to chew, which helps our brains get the full signal and satisfies our hunger. Plus they are chock-full of vitamins and antioxidants, so it’s a win-win!

Fruits: along the same line as vegetables, fruits are great snacks! You can carry around some apple slices with you or some grapes, or really any fruit you love! They are refreshing and filling, and full of vitamin C and immune boosting properties, which we could all use this time of year…so enjoy!

Trail mix: just like nut butters, trail mix is usually full of different kinds of nutritious nuts. But be careful to pick trail mixes that are made up of mostly nuts and just a few dried fruits and/or chocolate pieces. I’ve gotten a trail mix once that was basically a deconstructed snickers bar…so be sure to read the ingredients and find a trail mix that is lower in sugar and higher in those healthy fats! I also love making my own nut mix (almonds, macadamia nuts, cashews, and just a few dark chocolate covered almonds…YUM!)

Larabars: there are a great option if you DO find yourself out and about without a snack on hand. They are sold at most grocery stores and even at CVS/Rite aid. Larabars are fruit and nut bars made from minimal ingredients and all whole-foods based! There is always a healthy option (even in a packaged form) when you find yourself in a bind.

And there you have it! I hope this list gives you some ideas on how to have healthy and filling snacks on the go! Make it a great week, folks!