Hey Budgeters! It’s been a couple weeks since my post about cleaning up your act when it comes to food. So how’s it going? Yeah, I’ve been slacking here and there as well. Fortunately, last year I had the pleasure of meeting Brittany Giles, owner of FitXBrit. I instantly knew she'd be the perfect person to help us out with our journey!
SOAB: Why do you feel people think eating healthy is expensive?
FXB: It’s actually less expensive, but people don’t want to do the work. It takes a lot of dedication, and it’s not easy.
SOAB: What do you think is the biggest mistake one can make while transitioning to a healthy diet?
FXB: Mirror what someone else is doing. If it’s not custom to your goals it’s likely you will get frustrated go back to your old ways.
SOAB: What’s one tip you can share with Budgeters looking to make a healthy lifestyle change?
FXB: Adopt a lifestyle that’ll make you feel good and energized on the inside, and it will resonate on the outside.
Courtesy: FItXBrit
Giles is a teacher by day, health and fitness advocate/entrepreneur by night (and day) Oh yeah, and a full-time mom! Yeah it’s a safe assumption that she’s got a lot on her plate. But she was gracious enough to help us figure out what good stuff to put on ours! Here is a full day's list of healthy (and cheap) meals courtesy of FitXBrit. No excuses this week y'all!
Breakfast: Smoothie and 2 boiled eggs
Powered Up Green Protein Smoothie
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder ( optional)
2 handfuls of spinach
¾ cup of mango
¼ cup of pineapple
1/3 cup of blueberries
1 cup of almond milk (preferably unsweetened)
1 banana
3 tbsp of hemp hearts/seeds
Directions: In a blender first blend liquids and greens. Add seeds and blend for about 30 seconds and then layer up the fruit and blend. In my experience it is best to blend the greens first( depending on the strength of your blender), so that you do not end up with chunks of spinach. The goal for me with every green smoothie is to not even be able to taste the greens.
1st Snack: 1 cup of Trail Mix
Trail Mix
1 cup of cashews
1 cup almonds
1 cup of dried cranberries
½ cup of banana chips
½ cup of granola
¼ cup of dark chocolate chips
¼ cup of coconut flakes
This mixture usually lasts me the entire week for a morning snack option
Lunch: Shrimp or Chicken Tropical Salad
Tropical Salad
1 cup of grilled chicken or shrimp
3-4 cups of spring mix greens
2-3 strawberries sliced
⅓ cup of fresh pineapple chunks
⅓ cup of fresh mango chunks
¼ cup of unsalted sunflower seeds
Directions: In a bowl throw in all of the ingredients mentioned above. Like literally, there is absolutely no science to this. Make sure your bowl has a lid, place lid on bowl and shake it up. I usually grill about 5-7 chicken breast every Sunday so that I can have some on hand for any recipe I am prepping for the week. This is also a good practice because I if you do not feel like cooking you can always heat up some veggies and you already have a meal ready to go.
Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
⅓ tsp of pepper
½ cup of olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp of honey
1/3 cup of white balsamic vinegar
Directions: Throw in a bowl and whisk.
2nd Snack: Veggie sticks and ¼ cup of hummus
Grab your favorite veggies and enjoy them with a little hummus on the side. I like to make my hummus using the linked recipe, but if time is not on my side a store bought brand can work as well. I would definitely check the labels and be cautious of the additives, sodium and oil that may be included in your choice.
Dinner: Naan Personal Pizza
Naan Pizza
• One package Whole Wheat Naan Flatbread
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Suggested toppings:
Spinach
Bell Peppers
Kale
Bannana Peppers
Mushrooms
Grape Tomatoes
Sundried tomatoes
Olives
Herbs (like basil, thyme, or oregano)
Sliced chicken sausage
Beyond Meat vegetarian chicken strips
Sliced mozzarella (or goat cheese, or grated fontina; I personally prefer Almond Mozzarella or Pepper Jack Cheese)
Marinara Sauce( any flavor, I use organic Dave’s Gourmet sauce from Sprouts if I don’t have time to make a homemade sauce)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
2. Place the naans on a baking sheet.
3. Brush each side with olive oil.
4. Top with your desired toppings – start with the veggies and herbs, then add sausage if desired, then end with cheese.
5. Season
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the naan is golden and crisp around the edges. Drizzle with olive oil and top with additional chopped herbs if desired.
This is just one substitution you can use in your household to help fight off those unhealthy cravings that just won’t go away.