How I Meal Prep

I've had the SAME EXACT meal planning and prepping routine for over 3 years, I kid you not, I could do this blindfolded!  LOL  I'm here today to lay it all out, from beginning to end, what it is I do each week to help me prepare for a successful week ahead.  I do this weekly because I have found that fruits and veggies spoil fast, and planning is WAY easier as well.

EVERY SATURDAY I start with a printable weekly meal planner in front of me....one kinda like this:

 

Next, I grab some resources for meal and snack ideas, sorta like these:

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/03/recipe-index.html

http://peaceloveandlowcarb.com/recipes

http://paleomg.com/

http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/recipe-index-2/

Amazing and Simple Lunch Ideas:

http://chefmommy-brandao.blogspot.com/2012/05/mail-bag-healthy-lunch-ideas.html

Same blog with more recipes:

http://chefmommy-brandao.blogspot.com/

http://www.lifeasaplate.com/recipe-database/main-courses/

I like to keep things SUPER SIMPLE by repeating most of my meals all week except for dinner, that is when our family all sits down together, and they probably wouldn't appreciate eating the same 2 dinners every other night.  BUMMER!

Here are some Breakfast ideas: Oatmeal w/banana & PB.  Scrambled eggs with spinach, tomatoes, and crumbled feta/goat cheese.  Smoothie.

Here are some snack ideas: Apple & String Cheese.  Yogurt w/fruit.  Veggies w/hummus.

   

Next, I start writing out my meal plan by choosing a couple diff breakfasts, snacks, and lunches.  And like I said, I will repeat the few that I choose all week long.  KISS - Keep It Super Simple!!

I'll then choose 6 different dinners (we eat out one night a week, every week), and write them down on the meal planner as well.

Here is my sample meal plan from last week:

Once I get my meal planner all filled out, I grab a piece of paper and write out my grocery list.  I make sure to go through my fridge and pantry to see what I already have stocked so I don't double up (I've done this too many times to count, and kick myself every time!).

THEN, on Sunday, I go shopping!  I get things ONLY on my list.  I repeat, I get things ONLY on my list! You will save money doing this, I promise!

When I get home, I put all the groceries away.  Once that is done, I'll prep any and all meals that I can, especially lunches and snacks.  For example, take a look at the pics above.  Those are my morning snacks for the entire week, prepped and ready to just grab and eat.  They can easily be taken to work or on the run as well!  NO EXCUSES!!

Here are my prepped "Salads in a Jar".  They stayed fresh all the way to the end of the week!

Here is my Meal Planning and Prepping schedule in a nutshell:

SATURDAY - 

1. Print out a weekly meal planner

2. Gather recipe resources

3. Choose 2-3 breakfasts, snacks, and lunches, and write them down on the planner

4. Choose dinner recipes for the week and add them to the planner

5. Write out grocery list

SUNDAY - 

1. Go grocery shopping

2. Put groceries away, prep snacks and lunches

I hope I have helped you in some way.  It's always a little time consuming in the beginning, but be patient, give yourself time to learn the process.  Stop making excuses as to why you can't meal plan or don't know how or where to start.  Spend time on Sunday to prep, I can't even BEGIN to tell you how flippin' happy you'll be when you see how much time you saved throughout the week.  Being able to open the fridge and grab your lunch when you're running out the door for work in the morning....PRICELESS!!!

I always like to say: Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail.

xoxo, 

Roxie

roxiemorrow.com

Lessons Learned

A few tidbits from my week of trying.

Because that's how I see it.  Each week I try to do a little better than the one before.  That way it's okay if I fail.  It happens.  Another week is right around the corner.  But when I conquer, I'm that much stronger.

Lesson 1 = Sweet Potato Chips

This is nothing new.  It's been discovered by millions but I thought I'd finally take my shot at it.  It has ended up taking a spot at the top of my healthy food list.  Plus it's SUPER EASY...because that's the only way I cook.

 Grab your yam/sweet potato of choice.  Peel and cut thin.  Consistency is the key.  If you have different sizes, they will cook unevenly.  Aim for silver dollar size.

On my first try I used a basting brush to spread the olive oil and sprinkle the salt (as per the instructions I found via Internet).  Well, the oil took too long and I had salt all over the tray.  It's much easy to put it all inside a container and shake a few times.  Then everything is coated the same.  I also used a BBQ rub which was NUMMY.  Seasoned salt works great too.  Throw them on a cookie sheet and cook in the oven @ 375 for 10 min., flip, and repeat.

 I used the chips as a side for my Tilapia and spinach.  Tilapia is a relatively cheap fish and pretty darn healthy.  We all know the green stuff is.  I sprinkled lemon pepper on the fish and then lemon juice over the spinach.  I'll admit I don't make extravagant meals but they are easy, fast, healthy, and taste good to me.  Give it a shot!

FYI - If you don't mind the starchiness, a raw sweet potato chip isn't that bad.  Reminds me of a carrot.  Yes I'm weird.

Lesson #2 - Spirit Sleeves make you Fast.

What do you use when all your running pants are dirty?  You guessed it.  SPIRIT SLEEVES.  Sure I look like I'm trying to hold onto my youth longer than my face allows but I sure felt fast.  My Garmin didn't prove it but it's all about how you feel right?  Plus my calves were grateful.  Maybe that can be their new name.  

Spirit Sleeves  Calve Coats
I have them in pink too.  Thank you sock outlet.

Lesson #3 - Wash your hands after using Peppermint Oil

I'm not an oil Guru.  That would be my counterpart Sheena.  However, my Mom gave me a bottle of Peppermint Oil and since my hair is still falling out after baby #4 I thought I would give it a shot.  Plus it was free...thank you Mama.  I have pretty much no idea what I'm doing but it feels good and smells nice.  I just put a little on the tips of my fingers and apply to my scalp, especially my hair line and temples.

Here is where the lesson comes in.  

After I finished my oil application, I moved on to my moisturizer.  Well my friends, if you don't wash your hands after using peppermint oil and then you apply your moisturizer all over your face...watch out!  It's a fine line between invigorating and HOLY MINTY EYEBALLS!  

That is all.  

Happy Weekend ya'll!

Marathon Training: Just an update on how I am doing here

This post prego mama runs!!!

As you know I went a bit crazy in January and decided that I wanted  needed to sign up for my first marathon.  I have been training and researching like crazy.   I have been running for fun for the last 5 years, and in the beginning I never thought I would call myself a runner.  If you know both Kiesha and I, you know that Kiesha has had a life long passion for running and she is great at it!!! (I might be super jealous of her skills here).  But I will forever love Kiesha for many reasons, but one of those is because she introduced me and pushed and helped me learn to love to run.

Our van pre run!  It was raining so hard at the finish we have no pictures.

My first race was 2 months post baby, running a relay, as I pumped in between runs and thought I was going to die, I swore I would never subject myself to such craziness and pain ever again!  Well we got to the finish line, soaking wet, muscles so sore I could barley stand, and we were exhausted, but the adrenaline and feelings of accomplishment for doing something so awesome took over in my brain and I was ready to sign up for the same craziness next year (minus milking myself in the van as we went, I will never do that again, nursing and relays don't go together).  I loved the team aspect, the support, but mostly knowing that I did something hard and I survived!  After that I still said I hated to run, but really I loved it, I just didn't know it yet.  I didn't do any other races until ragnar the next year, and then after that I started signing up for other races a few 5k's a 5 miler, and then Kiesha roped me into a half!!

Me and Kiesha Post run at the Mantua Dam Run 2012

Our Epic team 2012 (I think?)

2010 Ragnar Pre-race! 

Yep this is Sione from Biggest loose season ? 5 I think... He was at the starting line!!!

Before our half!!! Kiesha had some serious bling on!

My half was interesting, I felt great for most of the race, I wasn't going in with any expectation of finishing time other than I didn't want to be last.  I kept a pretty decent pace for myself through most of the race, I got lost in the beauty that was around me (we were in Park City, UT in the Fall), in my music and just pushing myself forward.  I got to mile 8 and had a problem however, I needed to poop! (I cannot believe I am sharing this with you all but if your a runner you understand, and if your human you poop too so hopefully you understand too).  There wasn't a porta potty in sight so I started walking.  I walked and walked and pretty soon I noticed the urge had left and I was good to run again... so I started up...  Well I was running the wrong direction...  I am not sure where or how I got lost, but I did.  OOPS!  So I turned around and started running with the crowd... thankfully I had the same mileage at the finish, but it kinda messed me up.  So my finishing time was not awesome, but it makes it easy to beat next time right.

Ash and I on the bus up to the start!

We finished (she finished long before me) but we finished in the rain!

Our last year has been a bit rough, my 4 year old fell out of our second story house and although he sustained no critical injuries (thankfully), he still had to be walking only for several months, and watched very closely (so this became my full time job)  everything went to the way side  I stopped running, I stopped crossfitting, everything was about keeping him down and safe.  My husband was working at a new job and had been commuting 2 hours each way while we were trying to sell our home and this happened during all of that.  A month later my 6yr old broke his arm (by this point we were on a first name basis with the ER doctors) so when Kiesha approached me and said hey lets get a few of us together and run the Ogden Marathon as a relay I said ok, but give me the easy leg I have too much on my plate right now.  Well fast forward a few months and we had moved, my kids were not requiring the same amount of attention and I was ready to start training again (in fact I needed to start doing something).  I was talking to my friend on the phone and she says to me, "we should run a marathon this spring"  I told her she was nuts and no way.  She was persistent though and we went back and forth talking about doing one in the fall etc.  Finally we decided on doing one in the spring so I called Kiesha and asked if she could fill my spot on the relay because I was running the whole thing.  Kiesha of course thought I was crazy (because maybe I was a bit), but she said she could fill my spot and gave me a ton of information on training and where to start.

Me and Alisha 16 miles!!!

Me and Kiesha 15 miles!!!

After I signed up I was excited and had some serious adrenaline going for a day or so.... then the reality of what I had done set in and I may have been a bit scared, but still excited to check this off my bucket list.  So I looked up a few training plans and finally decided to follow one from www.halhigdon.com  It seemed reasonable for me and felt like something I could do in the 17 weeks I had available to me.  I then started asking everyone I know about running, in addition to reading every article I could find on online, and every book I could get my hands on.  The one I have loved the very most is called IronFit: Strength Training and Nutrition for Endurance Athletes by Don Fink and Melanie Fink.  This book was a gold mine of information on sooo many things that I needed help with.  I have been following my training plan (well mostly, I may have missed a few short runs here and there), learning to fuel my body for what works best for my body not only during my runs but before and after and during the week.  I am working on my hydration plans too.  The strength training routines they have outlined in the book are so wonderful and helping a ton.  I have ran up to 16 miles which is 3 miles further (well 2.90) than I have ever ran in my life.  Each week is my longest run I have ever done.  Each week I feel like a total rockstar when I am finished, it is exhilarating!  I really enjoy crossing off each run of my training plan.  I just hit my 200 mile mark for the year yesterday which is awesome for me.  I usually run 300-400 miles in an entire year! I have 6 weeks left before race day and I am excited and nervous, but I am hoping all my research and hard work will pay off and I can finish in my goal time of 5 hours or less, and be able to enjoy it.  I have very much enjoyed my training up to this point and hope that joy continues.  It has been so fun and I have even found a few new running buddies down here to run with!

I am currently running 4 days a week, strength training 2-3 days a week, and trying to fuel my body for what is to come.  I eat 5 small meals a day trying to keep it as clean as possible.  I have cut most of my sugar, soda etc.  I am drinking 3 liters of water per day, and trying to figure out how to hydrate during my runs.  Pre run I try to eat some steel cut oats and egg whites or and apple with peanut butter.  During my runs over 8 miles I fuel with gu every 4 miles (I have thought of trying for something more natural but right now the gu works for me and so I am sticking with it)  I need to work on hydrating during my long runs, I hate carrying my water so dropping water seems to be my best option so far. Post run I grab a chocolate milk ASAP and then I have found I want warm food, like a pulled pork sandwich or breakfast burrito, and I need to eat quickly or I start to feel really icky.  What does your training look like?  What have you done that has worked well for you (I would love to know)?

Me, Scot and Kylee 12 miles in a down pour!!

What is the farthest you have ever ran? Or the hardest run or hardest workout you have ever done?  I know some of you are runners and some of you may not be (deep in my heart I am a crossfitter too I have just had to put that on hold for a moment but I will be back.) but regardless of what you do be it lift, bike, swim, run... I want to hear what is the hardest workout you have done or your biggest fitness accomplishment!?