woke up to single digit temps in chicago, burrr. I have never been so excited to go on a vacation! we leave for florida on sunday and I can practically feel the sun baking my skin already. to say that I am not in swimsuit shape is the understatement of the century. things are extra squishy right now, and I know I will not feel good in my swimsuit if I don’t tighten things up this week. so here is my crunch time workout + meal plan….
I am working out EVERY.SINGLE.DAY until we leave for the beach. even if it is a quick 20 minute circuit, it is happening. I am doing an arms set twice a day, everyday. personally, when my arms are in shape, I just feel better all around. and that is a part of my body I know I am whip into shape really quickly. I am never going to have great abs, and I could honestly care less about them. and I am always going to have a mom butt no matter how many squats I do. but my arms, those I can get into shape. so, this week I will focus on that. should I share an arm circuit or two on stories this week?
in terms of our meal plan, things are going to be extra clean. smoothies to start the day (usually around noon, because I like to fast in the mornings). lots of greens and salads. plus some lean protein.
MONDAY
smoothie
I do the same smoothie every day, I just mix up which fruit I use…frozen berries, spinach, flax seed, collagen peptides, coconut water
salad
escarole, avocado, green onion, hard boiled egg in a red wine vinaigrette
salmon + spinach
recipe I have posted on my stories before, served with tomato and spinach in a white wine sauce…going to sub olive oil for butter to make it extra clean this week
TUESDAY
smoothie
frozen mango and blueberries, spinach, flax seed, collagen peptides, coconut water
salad
radicchio, green onion, avocado, walnuts in a balsamic vinaigrette (vinaigrette recipe + pictures below)
quinoa bowl
quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, shaved brussel sprouts, red cabbage, in a shallot vinaigrette (sweet potato and shallot vinaigrette recipe below)
WEDNESDAY
smoothie
frozen berries, spinach, flax seed, collagen peptides, coconut water
quinoa bowl
chopped salad
escarole, bacon (I always get no nitrate, no hormone organic bacon and let it set in paper towels after cooking to absorb some of the extra grease), chicken, green onion, hard boiled egg, cabbage, sweet vinaigrette (1 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup red vine vinegar, 1/2 tsp honey, spinkle of oregano, sprinkle of red pepper flakes, 1/2 clove crushed garlic, salt + pepper to taste)
THURSDAY
smoothie
frozen mango and blueberries, spinach, flax seed, collagen peptides, coconut water
salad + salmon
escarole, lemon + olive oil, salt and pepper
going out to dinner
FRIDAY
smoothie
frozen berries, spinach, flax seed, collagen peptides, coconut water
mozzarella, tomato + avocado salad
lettuce wraps
grilled chicken, caramelized onion + avocado, wrapped in lettuce served with dipping sauce of choice, I like a chipotle aioli
SATURDAY
leftover on saturday to try to clear out the fridge before vacation!
SUNDAY
vacations starts!! bring on all the fresh fish, white wine and margaritas :).
SNACKS
I have been snacking a lot lately, and not healthy snacking. so I am going to make sure my fridge is packed with healthy snacks this week. here are a few of my favorites
orange + walnuts
veggies + hummus
olives
guacamole + radish chips
when I am trying to eat clean, there are a few things I always try to pack into my meal plan, avocados, nuts, salmon, and sweet potatoes. they are all packed with nutrients and good fats and really fill you up.
RADICCHIO SALAD
radicchio
green onion
avocado
walnuts
balsamic vinaigrette (1 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/2 clove crushed garlic, salt + pepper to taste)
SWEET POTATO RECIPE
(you can find this recipe on my story highlights on instagram, the bowl I eat them in is on my highlights too!)
1 sweet potato peeled and diced
1 tbsp olive oil
chipotle powder
garlic powder
salt + pepper
combine all ingredients on a cookie sheet until sweet potatoes are coated in olive oil and seasoning. bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. stir halfway through.
shallot vinaigrette (1 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup sherry vinegar, 1 shallot, sliced, 1/2 clove garlic crushed, salt + pepper to taste)
HOW TO PICK/STORE AN AVOCADO
ok, I am 31 years old and have been buying and eating avocados for my entire adult life. literally, last year, I learned how to pick the perfect avocado. I am not sure how I went that long not knowing the proper way to pick an avocado. this may be basic, common knowledge, but I figure if I somehow did not know these tips, chances are some of you don’t know these tips either! so feel free to skip over this sections if this is obvious, old news to you!
(1) make sure the stem is still attached! if you are planning on using the avocado right away, you can peel off the stem at the grocery store to make sure it is perfectly ripe! if the stem does not peel off easily, it is not ripe yet. if the stem falls off too easily and it looks brown under the stem, it is overrip. it should be green under the stem! but, do not peel off the stem too soon before using, as it can cause that end of the avocado to ripen too quickly and go bad. below is a picture of what it should look like under the stem!
(2) the skin should have a matte appearance NOT shiny. if the skin looks shiny, it is not ripe yet!
(3) if there are not any ripe avocados available, here is a trick for helping it ripen. put 2-3 avocados in a paper bag. make sure you close the paper bag! this only works if you put more than one in a bag together.
(4) do NOT put your avocados in the fridge until they are perfectly ripe. if your avocados are perfectly ripe, but you are not ready to eat them, they can store in the fridge for a few days and that will slow down the ripening. BUT, if you put them in the fridge too soon, it will effect their texture and ruin them.
(5) if you are storing half of an avocado, squeeze lemon or lime juice over the open area to keep it from turning brown.
(6) ps, did you know you should always wash your avocado before cutting it?! I didn’t learn this until I was pregnant with blake. the skin can contain a harmful bacteria called listeria. so be sure to wash the skin thoroughly before cutting it open.
