Real Abs are Made in the Kitchen

I've been hearing this phrase a lot lately in my research and since changing my eating habits and hitting the gym regularly, I have definitely found this to be true.  Back in March, I was inspired to have my own "March Madness" where I revamped my eating habits and (for a change) planned out all my meals - five a day, plus extra things to eat if I got hungry.  I realized that when I got hungry, that was when my self-control was at its low.  When my stomach grumbled, my hands tumbled...over anything it could get a hold of!  Planning out my meals helped my body know when it would be fed to prevent food cravings and binge eating, ensured that I got all my nutrients and protein, and allowed me to plan things I liked and looked forward to in order to prevent boredom and dissatisfaction.

**Changing something as drastic as your eating habits is a very psychological thing.  Something that really helped me during this month of revamping my diet was trying to read positive things about health and nutrition.  It just got my mind aligned with my body and actions and definitely made it easier to eat clean.  

So here's the first two weeks of my meal planning.  *DISCLAIMER* I didn't measure out everything to a T and I don't have all the macro nutrients calculated.  This is a rough outline I used and am posting for my own record and to give you guys some ideas to base your meal plans (or individual meals) around.  Everybody's needs are different and this is where you need to listen to your body. You can also use a calorie counter (such as myfitnesspal) or the like to get an idea of what your needs are.  

MONDAY

Breakfast	Pumpkin spinach shake w/Chia seeds
Snack	Whole wheat bread w/almond butter & cinnamon
Lunch	Omelet w/peppers, onions, spinach Berries
Snack (pre-workout)	Celery w/peanut butter & hemp seeds Herbal tea if hungry
Dinner	Salad – Spinach, Canellini beans, egg white (hardboiled), feta cheese, tomato, lemon dressing.

If hungry, snack on protein bar or mixed nuts.

TUESDAY

Breakfast	Pineapple Spinach Shake w/Chia Seeds
Snack	Mixed nuts w/craisins.
Lunch	Fish w/rice & Asparagus
Snack	Celery w/peanut butter & hemp seed
Dinner	Protein Mix w/cinnamon. Protein bar. Sesame snack

If hungry, snack on apple or protein bar. 

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast	Oatmeal w/Chia Seeds, protein, cinnamon Wheat toast, almond butter, cinnamon, honey.
Snack	Greek Yogurt w/strawberries, cinnamon, honey, pecans
Lunch	Grapefruit w/cottage cheese
Snack	Protein bar & carrots Grapefruit w/cottage cheese
Dinner	Salmon burger w/spinach salad arugula/pea sprout salad w/carrots, kidney beans, Caesar dressing. Sourdough toast.

If hungry, snack on nuts. 

* As you can see, I didn't always follow through with what I planned.  If I did, I bolded it.  If I didn't, I crossed it out and wrote what I actually ate. 

THURSDAY

Breakfast	Peanut butter spinach shake
Snack	Homemade carrot protein bar
Lunch	Egg white breakfast burrito
Snack	Greek yogurt w/strawberries, cinnamon, honey, pecans, and hemp seed
Dinner	Sun-dried tomato chicken & asparagus  ate out – thai food

FRIDAY

Breakfast	Oatmeal w/chia seeds, protein, cinnamon
Snack	Grapefruit and cottage cheese
Lunch	Turkey burger w/asparagus
Snack	mixed nuts
Dinner	Sun-dried tomato chicken w/asparagus

SATURDAY

Breakfast	Bagel w/avocado and cream cheese - CHEAT
Snack	Chocolate protein w/hemp seeds
Lunch	Salmon burger w/spinach salad
Snack	Protein bar
Dinner	Sun-dried tomato chicken w/asparagus

Week 2 

(Changed the format here) 

Day	Meal 1	Meal 2	Meal 3	Meal 4	Meal 5
Wednesday	Banana/blueberry protein shake	Orange & homemade flax Muffin	Sourdough bread w/shredded chicken & tomato	Vegetable quinoa	Salmon Burger w/broccoli
Thursday	Oatmeal	Orange & homemade flax muffin	Eggs w/shredded chicken & cottage cheese	Green shake	Page 8 (Greek Chicken)
Friday	Protein Shake	Cottage cheese w/cantaloupe & pineapple	Black bean soup w/sourdough bread. Add shredded chicken?	Salsa w/black beans & cottage cheese	Page 5 (pan-seared oven-roasted chicken w/brussel sprouts & mushrooms)
Saturday	Salmon Omelet	Nuts & orange	Black bean soup w/sourdough bread	Green shake	Leftover 8 or 5
Sunday	Protein Shake	Nuts & apple	Eggs w/quinoa	Pea pancakes	Turkey burgers w/broccoli

Nowadays....it's something like this: 

I don't plan out my meals, but I plan out my protein.  I just let everything else fall around that.  Because I am trying to build muscle and not lose any, I try to get around 1 gram of protein per pound of my body weight.  Since I weigh around 140, I divided that by 5 meals and figured I needed around 28 g of protein per meal.  I always make sure I get my protein, fruits, and vegetables.  Then every couple days, I will have a high carb day where I eat lots of good carbohydrates with my proteins. My favorite good carbs are oatmeal (do not get the packets!! they are sugar-loaded), quinoa, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pita chips, whole grain cereals with almond or coconut milk, couscous, brown rice, aaand I think that's about it.  Increasing and decreasing your carbohydrates is great because it tricks your body and speeds up your metabolism, burning more fat on the days you don't eat as many carbs.

You can follow me on Instagram as well to see more meals/tips.  @hspeaker

Bumping up my protein and even my weights in the gym, I have seen more pounds drop on the scale and have gained more lean muscle.  

CHALLENGE: Make a list of the benefits or gains you see/feel when training mean and eating clean.  Put these somewhere you can see them.  Once you crave these feelings and results more than you crave that chocolate ice cream, you will be able to reach your goals!!  Thrive on that :)