30 Days of
Challenge
Group Content
Recipes
(can be posted in the morning or early afternoon)
**on some – I’ve included a paragraph you can include with the recipe**
Lunch
Raise your hand if you love egg salad!
Egg salad is one of those tricky foods that seem healthy. It’s made
from eggs and it’s got the word salad right there in the name, but mayonnaise
is the glue that holds it together and turns it into the creamy spread you know
and love. But that mayo is not your friend!
A great substitution for mayo is Mashed avocado!
Below is a link to a recipe that I am sure you all will enjoy J post your picture in the comments below of
yours if you tried it!
Lunch/Dinner
Having trouble deciding on a side dish for dinner or lunch? Sweet
potatoes are the perfect side dish to pair with almost any meal.
Check out this recipe that I know you’ll love.
Dinner
Who doesn’t love tostadas?
Growing up we often had tostadas and although they were
always amazing!! I’ve learned how to put a healthier twist to them.
Check out this recipe below!
Dinner
Oh macaroni! I thought we would never be able to see each other again J I’m a bit dramatic I
know! But honestly, when I started this journey I thought…. Ok well let’s say
goodbye to pasta and all the foods I love but no way!
I’ve learned that you can still eat the foods you love but
you can make healthier versions of them. Like this Macaroni & Cheese with
broccoli.
*more recipes*
Shakeology Recipes
Breakfast
Dinner/Lunch
Snacks
Dessert
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION
There are some pictures that meant something to me that I know could
motivate and inspire others.
Meal Planning Tips
**post on Saturday – before challenge group opens**
I know…I know… the thought of meal planning and prepping can
seem so long but it’s really a major part of your success. Eating healthy food
is easy. Cooking healthy food is the real challenge!
Below are some tips that can help you get your nutritional
game on point!
#1 - Set Your Goals
Look at your meal plan and determine where you are at. When
you meet the body’s fuel requirements, hunger disappears. Food cravings are
nonexistent. Energy, mood, mental function, and well-being all improve. When
that happens, it becomes very easy to follow a meal plan.
#2 - Make
a Plan
It’s important to keep variety in your plan so you don’t get
bored. When you’re planning your meals for the week, it’s okay to leave some
flexibility. Some people make a school cafeteria-style calendar and schedule
every meal in advance — but I know many of you are either stay at home moms,
work from home, and are home majority of the day so it’s also okay to stock up
on healthy staples and then wing it at mealtime. Do what works best for you! If you need to
prep for 2-3 days at first that is ok. I know doing a full week when you are
starting can be a challenge.
#3 - Shop Strategically
Make a grocery list based on your favorite healthy foods and
any new recipes you’ve pulled. Make a list of the foods you know are a part of
your meal plan, and make sure you stock up on those. I always have tons of
fresh fruits and veggies in my fridge, along with a few different types of
proteins, peanut butter, raw nuts, and lots of seasonings.
#4 - Bang Out the Prep Work
When you get home from the grocery store, don’t just put
everything away in the fridge. Peel your carrots, slice your cucumbers, scrub
your sweet potatoes, and dice your onions. Not only does it become a
one-and-done task rather than a daily chore, but it makes you more likely to
grab those healthy foods when you’re hungry.
#5 - Don’t Sabotage Yourself
Once you’ve planned and prepped, the hard work is done. Now
all you have to do is avoid the usual stumbling blocks. One common mistake is
trying to eat foods you don’t really like. I did that in the beginning and I
would end up avoiding the meals I’ve prepped because I didn’t like them. Buy healthy foods that you know you will like
& eat.
(Include picture) – Not included here
Tips
(Can be posted
anytime throughout the month)
Adding Color to your
meals
Hello Everyone! Have you wondered how you could add more
color to your meals? Each color of fruits and vegetables provides a different
set of nutrients, so it’s important to eat a variety of them. Colorful
ingredients with lots of flavor and texture make healthy meals something to
look forward to.
I’ve posted below some tips on how to add color to your
meals!
#1 - Set yourself up for success by shopping for foods from
every color of the rainbow. Before you check out at the grocery store, take a
good look at your shopping cart. Are you missing a color?
#2 - Eat many different fruits - Fruit is a great, light
snack, and is perfect because no cooking is required. Each color of fruit
provides different phytonutrients, so choose a few different types to eat
throughout the week, or mix them together into a beautiful fruit bowl.
#3 - Make egg cups with lots of veggies - Egg cups are
perfect because they are an easy, grab-and-go breakfast, or a quick,
protein-filled snack. Make sure yours have at least two different colors of
vegetables.
#4 - Make Technicolor salads - Make one of your meal prep
meals a salad with lots of different colors – no cooking required!
#5 - Get creative with color - Chicken sausage skewers are a
great idea for meal prep. You can make a bunch at once and enjoy them for lunch
or dinner all week. In addition to slices of chicken sausage, you can add red
tomatoes, orange bell peppers, yellow squash, white mushrooms, zucchini, green
bell peppers, red onions, and purple eggplant!
(include this picture)
Spice Up Your Veggies
Okay, let’s face it! We don’t all LOVE vegetables, right?
But there is no denying they’re good for us–and getting better.
I didn’t like vegetables much before because they just
seemed so bland to me! Well… I’ve learned that the best solution is to get
yourself a spice rack! Believe it or not, those little powder-or-flake-filled
jars can completely change the texture and flavor of relatively bland, healthy
food.
You’ve just got to know how to use them.
You can use rosemary or tarragon when roasting winter
veggies like sweet potatoes, potatoes, and squash. A blend of basil and oregano
makes anything taste Italian. Curry powder on anything makes for a taste of
India. Cilantro and chili powder transform veggies into a south of the border
fiesta. Ginger, cinnamon, mint, and nutmeg add flavor to fruit, particularly
apples.
Whatever you do, make it taste good and enjoy it! (Attach
picture below)
S U M M E R * T I M E
When I think of summer… I think of BBQ’s! But we’re still on
a mission guys! Of course, it’s one thing to avoid eating junk at someone
else’s BBQ but what if you’re the one hosting it?!
Here are some healthy, fun alternatives that you can use at
your BBQ.
1. Appetizers
These devilish little starters are no good! In fact, it’s
probably best to skip most of these little fat bombs at a typical BBQ. The only
saving grace of the first course is generally the veggie platter. The only
problem is, well, in a word, “Boring!” So instead of your basic
carrot-celery-tomato-broccoli mix, add some multicolored veggies you don’t
typically find on a boring old platter. Like, Bell Peppers, Asparagus, or
Broccolini. Add some hummus spiced up with a little garlic or cayenne to those
veggies and really give them a kick!
2. Drinks
What goes hand in hand with BBQs like beer? Truth is, it’s
not going to kill you to have a high quality craft brew or two, but the best
you can do is have lots of healthy alternatives on hand. Fill pitchers with a variety
of iced herbal teas. Offer plenty of water, and you can even make some infused
water. My favorite right now is lemon slices and apple slices!
3. Main course
Just think protein.
Forget about hot dogs and hamburgers and get a little creative. Fish is
great but it can really mess up a grill. Here’s a little trick. Choose a nice
moist fish like mahi-mahi or salmon. Take a one-foot-by-one-foot square of
aluminum foil and rub it with seasoning, lemon, and just a dash of olive oil.
Place your piece of fish in the center, wrap it up (not too snug—give it a bit
of room to breathe) and place it on the BBQ. You can cook up to five of these
at a time, and if you keep them wrapped until the guests are ready to grub,
they stay warm. Leave on the grill for 10 to 12 minutes and you have yourself a
nice healthy meal.
You can also do grilled chicken or even chicken sausage
skewers.
4. Dessert
Summertime is the best time for healthy desserts, given all
the yummy seasonal fruit on hand. Start by cutting a watermelon in half and
scooping out all the contents. Then fill it with all types of fruit, like
strawberries, blueberries, melon, bananas, peaches, plums, and kiwi. It is a
super creative, fun summer dessert.
(Attach this picture)
Don’t Fall Off the
Wagon
I’m sure many of you have experienced this at some point in
your weight-loss journey:
You’ve just found the solution to losing the extra weight
and keeping it off forever. You figure out what to eat with your meal plan, you
buy the groceries needed to follow it, and do the workouts on your program. You
follow the program strictly for two weeks, you lose some weight, you feel
better, and you like how your clothes fit. Success!
Then ____ happens!!
There was birthday cake at the office. You went out to lunch
with your coworkers. Before you know it, you drove your head into a bag of
potato chips.
Then here comes the following questions: “Why did I do that?
Now I’ve really blown it!”
Feeling like a failure, you ditch your program and meal plan
and fall back into your old habits. The weight you lost soon comes back, along
with a little extra.
It’s important to not set up unrealistic expectations that can
lead you to fall off the healthy weight loss wagon.
Below are some tips on how you can stay on track!
1. Focus on the Big
Picture – understand that this is a lifestyle change. It’s not a fad diet
and it’s not something that you will do and never look back at again.
2. Become a Mental
Endurance Athlete - If you reflect on your struggle with weight, you’ll
probably discover that it took you years to get to where you are today. It’s
possible that it may take years to find success in your weight loss journey and
to stay there in the long run.
3. Be Realistic About
Human Nature
Accept your
weaknesses. For example, if you know that an upcoming event that will be
stressful and it will be hard to stick to your food plan, work around it by
planning ahead. Consider what you will eat ahead of time and figure out a way
to de-stress afterwards that doesn’t revolve around food.
(include this picture)
Late Night Cravings?
I remember always having something sweet after dinner. Not
immediately after but it would always be right before I went to bed. Why do we
crave foods late at night? Are we hungry?
Late-night cravings are common in people who don’t eat
enough during the day. Make sure your breakfast and lunch are rich in protein
and fiber and low in sugar, and you may not want nighttime snacks. But if you
just can’t stop your stomach’s late night grumblings, consider the following
strategies.
Investigate Your
Hunger
Is your stomach really grumbling, or is your appetite all in
your head?
As yourself: “Are you
bored? Are you stressed? Are you sad about something?” If you answer yes, then
you know you’re not really hungry. Sometimes I find myself standing in front of
the refrigerator just looking….I’m not hungry… just bored and I decide I just
need to step away. Distraction often helps.
Drink Some Tea
Stress often triggers late-night snacking. After a long,
tiring day, it’s common to seek out a reward in the form of a late-night treat.
Instead of reaching for those snacks, pour yourself some tea. It’s calming, and
it fills your stomach. You can pick a flavor you like enough that you’ll look
forward to drinking it.
Consume More Protein
Sometimes you really are legitimately hungry in the P.M.
because you didn’t eat enough earlier in the day or you worked out so hard that
your muscles need more fuel for recovery. A high-calorie nighttime meal isn’t
the solution, but a dose of protein is. If you have it, you could have some
Beachbody Performance Recharge, which will supply you with what you need for
just 100 calories. If you don’t have that a couple of scrambled eggs or ¾ cup
cottage cheese are also good options.
(include this picture) lol
Cooking Tips
STEAK
Ok guys… so if you’re like me…you know how to cook the most
AMAZING steak ever right?! WRONG! Who am I kidding? I use to be really horrible
at it but I’ve gotten better.
I learned really great tips that I wanted to share with you.
You may already know a lot of these things but who knows, you may learn
something!
First things first… What the heck kind of steak do I buy?
Consider leaner cuts: top round, top sirloin, eye of round
steak, and bottom round steak and select the pieces with the least amount of
visible fat.
Next … Bring the steak to room temperature
I always use to just take steak that I’ve defrosted out of
the refrigerator or bought that day and just added salt & pepper and onto
the pan it goes. I didn’t know that doing that can cause an uneven cook. So
always bring to room temperature first. (About an hour)
Next … Season with Care
Funny & embarrassing story… A few years back, I was
watching BBQ Pitmaster and I saw that they had all those dry rubs and were
really getting them into their meat so I thought… Hey! I can do that too!! I
added a lot of whatever I had on hand and got to rubbing. Let me tell you!!
That was some SALTY meat!! You could not even eat it. I was a mess I know.
So go easy on the add-ons to allow the meat’s natural
flavors to take center stage.
Next… Oil Up
You’ll want to coat your pan with healthy oil that has a
high smoke point. Use coconut oil, olive oil (not extra virgin) or, a small
amount of grass-fed butter.
Next… Don’t Flip Out
Put your pan on the burner and crank up the heat. Once the
pan is hot, place your steak onto it & RUN! Jk! Let it sit for two to three
minutes before flipping it over. Another two to three minutes on the other side
as well. If you carefully touch the center of the steak and it feels the same
as the pad of your thumb, your steak is rare. Unless you want to eat,
overcooked meat, don’t leave it in the pan much longer. But before you remove
it, use tongs and give the edges some face time with the pan before taking it
out to rest.
& Finally – let it rest for a bit before cutting into it
& Enjoy!
(picture to go with post)
Tips
I know drinking water can be hard for anyone… Here are some
tips that can help:
• Drink half your bodyweight in
ounces of water (if you weight 160lbs, drink 80oz of water each day).
• Carry a bottle everywhere with
you as a reminder to keep drinking.
• Eat raw fruits and vegetables
– they are dense in water. You can get water from food, not just from
beverages.
(include picture)
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