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! 

Meal Planning and Finding Balance

Happy Monday everyone! It's the start of a fresh week, which is always exciting in my world. Unfortunately, I am just coming out of fighting a terrible flu, so I'm still feeling a bit under the weather. I started feeling sick Thursday evening/Friday morning, and by Saturday I had a high fever. The fever finally broke, thank goodness! But the doctor wanted me to take an additional day off of work to rest and to not pass this on to any of my coworkers/patients that I work with! I'm just so grateful to be feeling better...being sick and pregnant is not fun! 

But! Good things are happening this week, one being that my January free healthy eating accountability group is off and running this morning! Accountability is the magic behind making lasting changes in our health, and it's been particularly motivating to me to get my own health into better shape, especially because I am pregnant! I haven't gained any weight during this pregnancy (baby is growing fine so my OB isn't concerned) but I also know I haven't been eating as well as I could be. 

I'm still having aversions and bouts of nausea, but overall am feeling so much better. So this week I am starting back on following a balanced and healthy portion controlled meal plan to help me ensure that I am getting all food groups in healthy amounts! The 21 day fix container system is something I followed for a while, but since getting pregnant it's been rough! But I'm back at it this week and super motivated to start eating MORE of the good foods and more balanced. I know my body (and my baby!) will thank me! I'm adjusting my meal plan to increase calories for the pregnancy, and I'm excited for finally having structure and focus again instead of eating crackers 10x/day...yea...it's happened! 

These containers are a great way to add balance and health to your plate bexnase the program tells you exactly how much to eat of which foods. You can mix and match the containers throughout the day. And the best part...it's SO much food! If you struggle with portion control, I highly recommend this program! My clients have lost weight, gotten healthier, and finally feel in control of their food choices, while not starving throughout the day! It's an easy and enjoyable way to eat healthy and start feeling better! Click here if you'd like more info on my upcoming accountability groups that follow this program...my next group kicks off February 1st! 

I'm feeling so motivated being back to this meal plan, and back to coaching in general. A big motivator for me to become a Beachbody coach again was for my OWN health and accountability. Coaching is a great way to pay it forward and help others, but it is a fantastic way to help yourself too! The motivation from my team and my clients has helped me find the drive again to take care of myself; body, mind, and soul! It's such a great feeling to have a community backing you up and motivating you to be better!

As you can tell, even though I'm sick today I am bursting with excitement for what is to come this week! What have you got going on this week? What are your health and fitness goals? I'd love to hear! Comment below and let me know! Let's MAKE IT HAPPEN this week, everyone! 

Why I returned to Beachbody Coaching!

I am bursting at the seams (literally since I'm pregnant haha) to share with you all that I am BACK to being a Beachbody coach as of last week!  This decision was a LONG time coming, and I'm so happy I was brave enough to join back into the community that I love so much. 

As many of you know, I became a Beachbody coach back in 2015 and loved it! I was helping people lose weight, get healthy, and find the strength within themselves to finally live the healthy life they've always wanted. But by summer of 2016, I let life and other stresses get in the way. I also wanted to focus more on my private practice as a dietitian (which I'm still doing!) so I decided to step back from Beachbody. Within a month, I immediately regretted that decision! There is just something about the community I am a part of (shout out to Team Inspire Joy!) that I loved and missed. Those ladies strove to be better people, and encouraged me to a be a better person as well. ​We were all still friends outside of coaching, but I missed doing Beachbody life with them (i.e. workouts, shakeology, motivational talks, inspiring books, and business trainings). 

I thought long and hard for MONTHS about joining back, and then got pregnant (wooo!) and has a rough first trimester of pregnancy. My hubby and I made a deal that I'd wait till I was feeling better to make a final decision. And on January 4th, 2017, I rejoined my teamof  Beachbody coaches and am officially ​open for business again! 

Being back in the beach body world has taught me two things: one, that I have so much potential inside me that I should not waste. God has gifted us all with special abilities and I firmly believe that my career as a dietitian plus my passion for health and fitness have brought me to the very place. I won't let fear or anything else hold me back from my bigger purpose! 

Two: being a part of a community of women that are striving to make themselves better physically, spiritually, and emotionally is what I need. I needed that boost of motivation to choose healthier foods for me and my baby, to work hard at my business, and to surround myself with women that I know will empower me to just be BETTER...to be ME. Life is short and we only get one, so why not do the things that make us happy? 

So what ​does life look like right now for me? Well; I am still taking private clients through my practice as a dietitian (see above for more info!) BUT I will also be starting up my free accountability groups and longer challenge groups (my bootcamps!) that I ranmonthly  as a Beachbody coach! To kick off my business, I am hosting a FREE 5 day healthy eating challenge staring next Monday, the 16th! This is what it entails and all you will receive, for free! 

If you are interested in joining; or have any questions on how you can work with me, fill out the form below and I'll get back to you! I'm planning on making 2017 an amazing year and I'm hoping you will do the same! Don't sell yourself short on what you are capable of or what you are worth! Fill out the form below and we can start brainstorming ways to help you reach your goals and get healthier and happier! 

Pregnancy: Week 17-20

Happy New Year everyone!!!  2017 is finally here! I haven't posted for a while, life has been crazy! But I thought I'd do another pregnancy update since I hadn't done one in a while...and we finally know our baby is a girl!! 

 How far along are you?

21 weeks today! 

Gender:

GIRL!! Pink everything!! 

How big is the baby?

This week, the baby is the size of a large carrot! I can't believe how fast she is growing! 

Total weight gain:

I am still 2 lbs under my pre-pregnancy weight. But my appetite is improving so I'm hoping to start gaining weight soon! And the baby is right on track with her growth, so that was exciting to see! 

 How am I feeling?

I'm feeling pretty good! I had a bout of sciatica a few weeks ago but a few trips to the chiropractor and I'm much better! Now it's just those good ol digestive issues (TMI sorry!) 

Maternity clothes?

Ohhhh yes! Loving my maternity pants and flowy tops! 

Favorite workouts:

I've been told to lay off the workouts because of some minor complications, so that's what I'm doing. Just some light walking. I definitely wanted to workout during this pregnancy, but I'm listening to the doctor and doing what's best for my baby! 

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 help!

Cravings:

None lately...just getting hungrier which is good! I'm trying to stick to healthy foods, but I'm really liking sweets too! 

Food aversions:

I still have aversions to meat, but I'm trying to fill up on beans and fish for protein! 

Sleep:

No change here! Still sleeping terribly and tossing and turning. My OB says this is normal, so I guess I’ll just have to deal!

What I miss:

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

What I am looking forward to:

Our next ultrasound so we can see our baby again! Also I am feeling her move so much and I am looking forward to more of that! 

I can't believe I am over halfway through this pregnancy! It's been so exciting to watch our baby (and my belly) grow! 

Merry Christmas & a Life Update!

Hello world! Boy, I feel like it's been years since I've blogged! I had all these intentions of doing so much this week and getting tons done, but hubby got food poisoning on Tuesday and it delayed us quite a bit from our errands and last minute Christmas shopping! Poor guy :( but thank God he is better and we are ready to celebrate Christmas in style! 

A cute holiday mug from one of my coworkers!  

Pregnancy wise, things are going great! I'm feeling a lot better nausea-wise, just a few bouts here and there but nothing as bad as the first trimester. I got struck with some terrible sciatica pain but I started seeing a prenatal chiropractor and she has worked wonders on my back and hips! I'm 19 weeks so next week we will find out the gender of our little one! So excited! We are praying that God continues to bless us with a healthy baby and healthy pregnancy! 

As I've mentioned before, I've taken a break from working out this past month. At my last appointment, my placenta appeared to be a little low...not placenta previa. Just a tad lower than my OB would like. He did say that it would most likely move, but we didn't want to take any risks so for now my activity has consisted of walking at the mall. Nothing is worth harming my baby! I am hoping to do some light weights for my arms and get into prenatal yoga to help prevent the sciatica from returning (with doctor approval of course!) But for now, I am perfectly content laying low, taking it easy, and doing whatever my OB recommends! I do hope that, at my next ultrasound, we can see that my placenta has moved up! Prayers would be appreciated ;) 

To be honest, it's been hard to not workout and not eat the way I used to. I am eating healthier now that I am able to stomach vegetables. But I feel SO unlike myself! Just goes to show how crazy pregnancy can be! Im starting to be ok with these changes though, because I am already so in love with this baby! And it's all worth it! This time has been a season of giving myself grace and thanking God for the amazing gift of carrying a child. 

I am feeling so incredibly blessed as this year comes to an end and a new one begins. Our family is growing, my business is booming (I'm taking clients for the new year and would love to have you! Click on "work with me" above for more info!) and I'm excited to see what is in store for 2017!  

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy this coming weekend!  

FREE Goals and Resolutions Consultations!

With the freshness of a new year comes goal-setting, resolution-pondering, and intention-seeking. Some people thrive off of making goals, lists, and action plans to reach these goals. Others have a harder time setting goals, or when they do set them, they are lost as to how to achieve them.

When it comes to health and wellness, as a dietitian, I've worked with countless people on setting realistic, yet life-changing health goals. I work with my clients regularly and help them gain the confidence to quit unhealthy habits and change their lifestyles for the better. But, I've also worked with those who set lofty goals, or set goals with no specific actions included, and then feel lost as to why, year after year, they are in the same cycle and have not achieved the health and vitality they crave. 

Which is why, this year will be different! Because I am offering a FREE 30-minute goal and resolution consultation for 2017! I'll guide you and help you set goals that will change your health and you life, but will also give you the tools and action plan to make it happen. This year, you won't just be working on your resolution for the first few weeks of January and then call it quits. My hope is that, through this consultation, we will be able to set realistic goals for you and set small steps to help you start the journey of achieving these goals. 

PLUS, as an added (and optional) bonus, if you chose to continue to work with me throughout the new year, you will get 20% off of all my services! That means you can make a commitment to yourself to follow through on these goals in the long term. Following up throughout the year on a regular basis will help us base your goals on your season of life and tweak them according to your progress along the way. Again, this part is optional, but if you do decide that after your free consultation, you want MORE, the 20% discount on my consultations and follow ups is available to you!

To schedule your free consultation, fill out the form below and I will get in touch with you! These consultations can be done via phone or skype. Make this year different by actually following through on your goals and resolutions!

Food & Fitness Plan: December 12-18

Hello there! Is it just me, or is December flying by? I feel like we are going to blink and 2017 will be here! There are so many "new" things happening soon, a new year, new life as a mama in May 2017, and a new job starting tomorrow! I'm so excited for this new phase of my life! God is so so good :)  

With that said, I don't really know what this week will look like. My hours will be later than usual, which means slower mornings but less free time in the evenings. I'll be training for about 2 weeks and I'm not sure what my exact schedule will be! But I'm hoping that my meals will still stay on point and I'll be able to balance it all out. I know I'll be more tired come dinner time, so I'm going to try to make it as easy on us as possible to have quick and easy meals on hand! 

So, on to the menu for this week!  

Breakfast:

* Eggs: I've been digging eggs lately, so my plan is to scramble up eggs every morning to start the day off with protein!  

* Oatmeal: warm oats have been hitting the spot on cold mornings so I may have my eggs with a side of oats or wrapped up in a tortilla. My favorite way to eat eggs! 

Lunch: 

* Veggie & hummus sandwiches: I've been craving some good hummus sammies so I plan on making sandwiches for lunch with some cheese, veggies, and hummus! 

* leftovers from dinner...which brings us to...

Dinner:

* Roast: my mom made us a delicious roast lunch after church so we will be having the leftovers of that! Thanks Mama! 

* Spicy peanut chicken, brown rice, broccoli: this will just be chicken marinated in the Spicy peanut dressing from TJ's! 

* Chicken tortilla roll ups: recipe coming soon!  

* Tilapia, potatoes, broccoli: our go-to easy dinner!  

 * I'm hoping to also pair most of these meals with some broccoli to get my veggies in! 

Snacks will consist of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and crackers!  

Yum, I am SO excited for all these eats! I strongly encourage you to pick foods and meals you love for the week so you get excited about following your meal plan. That way you actually stick to it! And as always, if you need help making a healthy meal plan for you or your family, my door is always open! Click on "work with me" above to see how we can start working together to make your life healthier and happier! 

Have a fantastic week everyone!  

Daily Manna: belly is growing!

Hello friends! Hope everyone is having a wonderful week. Yesterday was my last day at work at my old job, and on Monday I start a new job which I'm so excited about! As many of you already know, I'm a dietitian and have been working at a dialysis unit for about 1.5 years. I just got a job at Davita, which is still in dialysis but just a bigger company! I'm excited for the new challenges and work environment and so grateful for this blessing! 

My last day at my old job was yesterday, so I have two days to chill and relax, which will probably consist of shopping, wrapping presents, cleaning, and doing some work for my private clients! I'm definitely looking forward to it! 

Let's rewind to yesterday...breakfast! I've been on an egg kick lately, which is much better than the eggo frozen waffles that got me through for my entire first trimester! I made a big dish of potatoes earlier this week which complimented my eggs nicely and made this breakfast so convenient and fast to whip up! 

It was a busy day at work trying to finish up projects and say bye to patients, so snacks consisted of a string cheese (no picture!), carrots, and a banana with a Larabar.  

My sweet coworkers planned two going away parties for me for Tuesday and Wednesday, so yesterday's meal was Panera!  

I am trying to eat less quanties more often during this pregnancy. I'm finding that if I let myself get too hungry and eat too big of a portion of any food, I'm getting nauseous after...so the half sandwich was plenty and I even did get some nausea after that :( oh pregnancy! 

We had plans to take dinner to my hubby's family tonight, so I whipped up some treats to take! I made regular Rice Krispie treats but also made some S'mores treats with Golden Grahams and chocolate chips! They were delicious (I had to taste test obvious). 

For an afternoon snack I had an apple with peanut butter which was a much better choice than Tuesday's afternoon snack! On Tuesday, I let myself get way too hungry and had two huge bowls of pub mix, which is basically like a Chex mix from Costco. I felt terrible afterwards and so uncomfortably full. I realized I had to stock up the house with healthier options, so hubby took me to the grocery store at 8:30 PM on Tuesday so we could get some fruits and veggies...thanks babe! 

I also feel like this week, my belly got bigger! It's so strange because I've just felt bloated for most of the pregnancy but now I feel like the bump is popping out! Woo!  

Dinner was pizza with salad, and then about an hour later another slice of pizza because I was still hungry! Finished the meal off with a Rice Krispie and s'mores treat! I'd say it was a successful day of balancing nourishing foods and having treats! 

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week so far! I'm off to get my morning started with some breakfast and Bible study! Happy Thursday all!  

Food & Fitness Plan: 12/5-12/11

My motto for life has always been, fail to plan and you plan to fail. Maybe that is control-freaky of me, but I love having a plan of attack and knowing what to expect in my day, week, or even month. Granted, I know life throws curve balls and we have to be flexible with our plans, but having a plan just sets my mind at ease and helps me go about my day with some structure? Anyone else? 

With that sad, pregnancy has been a major curve ball for me! Going from working out daily and cooking fresh meals and posting new recipes, to being exhausted all the time and eating goldfish crackers for dinner is a BIG change from the old me. Last night, I went to bed thinking "who am I???" As hard as I try to stick to a healthy lifestyle, pregnancy has required some tweaks and changes. For example, I've been instructed to put my feet up and rest more, and only do light walking. So that has been a big change for me from what I am used to. But, baby is worth it! So as far as my "fitness" plan goes this week, I'm going to walk when I can (lunch, breaks, at the mall) and rest for the rest of the time. 

As far as my food goes, I am going to focus on veggies and fruits this week! I have been eating pretty unbalanced, which I know can happen during pregnancy. I'm taking my prenatals and showing myself grace, but I also know that I need to nourish my body fully. Growing a human is no small task! So with that said, here is my food plan for the week! 

Breakfast: egg wraps, oatmeal w/fruit and nut butter, toast w/nut butter

Lunch/Dinner: we are having some lunches provided for us at work this week, which is nice! Some other things I plan on making are: chicken tortilla roll-ups (recipe coming soon!), tilapia w/potatoes, and turkey burgers w/brown rice and broccoli. I usually lump lunch and dinner together when I plan, because hubby and I are big on leftovers and we usually pack them for the next day!

Snacks: veggies, string cheese, nuts, fruits, crackers, larabars

I feel like these foods will nourish me while still keeping them aversion-friendly and satisfying! As a dietitian, I know how important it is to nourish your body well, especially during pregnancy! So I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit frustrated with my lack of nutritious foods during this pregnancy! But I am feeling much better than the first trimester so I know things will just get better from here! 

If you have trouble planning your meals or figuring out how to stick to a plan to reach your goals, I'm only a click away! I work with my clients to help them reach their goals while developing menus and encouraging them to stick to their plans! Click here to review the services I offer and see what would be a good fit for you! I'd love to begin working with you! :) 

I hope you all have a fantastic week!