You are what you Eat!

So true.  I took a nutrition class in college and there is one lesson that will forever stand out in my mind.  My professor had glass jars filled with yellow colored liquid.  Each jar was labeled with a common food item..."2 slices of Cheese Pizza", "Snickers Bar", "5oz Chocolate Ice Cream"...pretty much all foods that I ate on a somewhat regular basis.  Then she explained that the liquid in the jars represented how many ounces of fat were in that item.  YUCK.  One of those I think I just threw up a little in my mouth kind of moments.  Now, while I have to say I do enjoy the occasional piece of dark chocolate or some Coconut M&M's, I have been able to pretty much avoid all other forms of candy since.  I also just try to not buy snack items that I know I will not have the will power to avoid if it's in the house.  A great example would be sweet tea--if there's a gallon of it then I will drink every drop until it's gone, but if I just don't buy it, then I always opt for water.  Ever since being diagnosed as hypoglycemic in high school I've cut out all soda and never really been tempted to drink it again.  I have a huge love of ice cream, but now if I buy it I always go for the "Slow Churned" option from Edy's which is 1/2 the fat, or some sugar free frozen yogurt with cut up fruit [kiwi, strawberry, pineapple, raspberry] for sweetness.  Especially when I'm really into a workout regimen, I try to get creative with finding healthy meals and snacks that will still satisfy...and ways to work in chocolate :)  Here are some of my favorites right now:




Breakfast Smoothies | Lean Cuisine Spinach & Artichoke Dip | Tribe Spicy Red Pepper Hummus
| Quaker Popped Quakes - Cinnamon Apple | Yoplait Greek 100 Cal Yogurt |
Bananas | Snack Pack Fat Free Chocolate Pudding | Special K Savory Herb Crackers
 

 

For breakfast smoothies, I still follow this recipe.  I like to vary the options with different fruits, flavors of yogurt [vanilla, strawberry, key lime pie, chocolate, toasted coconut] and sometimes I will add in an instant coffee pack. 


So, if this has you in the mood to pick up some of these items next time you're at the grocery store, or just thinking about healthy snacks you love, here is a nice little meal planner printable that I've created.  I like to think about my actual meal plan for the week so that I don't end up buying a bunch of extra items that either go to waste or get lost in the back of the pantry closet for months.  There is no space for lunches on here because I usually bring dinner left-overs or a quick Lean Cuisine to work:

Enjoy!


XO, Stacey