Summer-Ready Eating Plan

It’s that time of year again.  It’s getting warmer, vacations are being planned, and bathing suit time is right around the corner.  I am not trying to lose a bunch of weight, but, I’d like to feel better about my figure before wearing a bikini.  I’ve put myself on an “eating plan” and wanted to share it here.  I am a healthy eater by nature, but I wanted to change things up to feel and look better.

Here are the basic principles:

• Eat healthy fats
• Larger (filling) breakfast, medium lunch, smaller dinner
• Fewer snacks
• More water
• Tons of vegetables
• No desserts
• Fewer high-sugar fruits
• Work out more (that is a given)

My tips:

• Prep food ahead of time: grill chicken, wash and slice veggies and fruit
• Stock your refrigerator with produce.  You will choose healthier options if they are readily available to you.
• Make your meals before you are starving.  If I prep my lunch before I get too hungry, I stay away from eating junk.
• Try giving up sweets for a week.  You’ll get used to it and won’t crave them!  I have been doing this for about a month and have lost a couple pounds. 
• Don’t be too much of a perfectionist about this.  

 

BREAKFAST: Avocado toast with red pepper flakes, half a grapefruit, and coffee.  This honestly keeps me full until lunch, even with a morning workout.  If you’re wanting to lose weight, just eat 1 piece of toast (which is what I should do on days I don’t exercise).  Avocados are a great source of good fats, and are helpful for skin and hair.  Grapefruits are full of vitamin C, and are even an appetite suppressant.  They also have a ton of other health benefits.  I am officially addicted – grapefruit anything, please!  If you don’t have time to eat a grapefruit, just drink the juice.  Also, don’t add sugar.

LUNCH: I try to eat a big salad with plenty of vegetables, or healthy fruit, and a lean protein.  If you’re at home, a great alternative is eggs (healthy fats again) scrambled with spinach or kale.  Another idea is sauteed greens and vegetables, with some leftover chicken or fish.  I also sometimes have corn tortillas with greens, chicken or beans, and a little cheese.  I like to add something spicy to this meal, so that I will not overeat, such as salsa or sriracha. If I’m craving something sweet, an apple or another fruit does the trick!  I do typically have a few tortilla chips if I eat a salad.  I crave salty food much more than sweets.

DINNER: Try and keep this meal smaller than the others.  I’ve been finding that I really do not need a carb or starch with dinner.  Ideally, we eat chicken or fish with vegetables.  I do try and fix a starch (sweet potato or brown rice) for the boys.  Last night we had a “taco” salad with romaine, a little brown rice, black beans, grilled chicken, tomatoes, cheddar, lime juice, and salsa.  I did not finish my portion.  Honestly, eating this way keeps me fuller longer.

SNACK: Most nights Todd and I have popcorn.  We are addicted!  But it has kind of become our thing and really it is not too unhealthy.  Make sure you’re buying non-GMO corn! (Trader Joe’s has a great organic version popped in olive oil.  Boom Chicka Pop is another good one).

If you need a snack during the day, try nuts or an apple.

I’ve also made smoothies for a snack, and even for lunch if I’m low on time.  My favorite is organic spinach (at least 1 cup), organic unsweetened coconut flakes, raw almond butter, banana, cocoa powder, almond or coconut milk, chia seeds, probiotic, crushed ice.

If you have other ideas, I’d love to hear them!  And to see some of my other healthy meals, go to the Clean Eating category on my blog.

Thank you for reading!