If I don't have a menu for the week - I won't stay on track.
As long as I have a plan, we are good! I try to make my menu for a week or so at a time so I can make sure I can get what we need and thaw things out in time. It also helps me budget, because I buy what I need for the menu.
Sometimes things get mixed around or we end up needing more or less - but I at least know what I have on hand to make.
I realized that leftover nights are wonderful! Cook once and eat twice - YES! Sides for dinner are usually some kind of veggie that I can fix up quickly.
So I've been doing pretty well with my eating and lost 15 pounds! Woo hoo! I got off track a little - it is so easy to forget how good you feel when you eat good. My husband and I went a whole month without eating out (to be healthy and save money) and when we went out for a friend's birthday, we got so sick!
I am taking a 30 day challenge to clean up ourmy diet - which means my husband is along for the ride. We are eliminating as many processed foods as possible. There are so many awesome resources out there on clean eating - some of my favorite clean eating blogs are 1oo Days of Real Food and Whole Foods New Body. I will admit - we probably won't be perfect, but who is? I say if we have eaten 85% clean, we have succeeded!
Eat:
Whole foods
Whole Wheat / Whole Grain
Lean protein
Locally raised meat - when possible
Fruits and Vegetables
Organic - when possible (though I think it is better to eat a non-organic strawberry than a candy bar)
Do NOT Eat:
If it comes out of a box and has ingredients I cannot pronounce
Foods that say 'Fat Free, Low Fat, Light'
Fast Food
JUNK
Sodas
Refined or Artificial Sweeteners
There will be some obstacles - that's life, though, right?
Our anniversary is this month - so we will be enjoying the Melting Pot. (I am not sorry!) There's also a day or two that we will be traveling and we'll do the best we can. Other than that, I hope to 'clean up' my diet as much as possible! I know at the end of our 30 days, we'll feel so much better.
Today was actually day 2 - I'm a little behind! I went grocery shopping at Trader Joe's and was ready for the week.
