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Hi and welcome, y’all!  May the 4th be with you!

If you follow me, you know that I’m a nerd, love food. I collect cookbooks, love to cook, and love eating out.  You also know that I am working on my fitness and health goals and nutrition is a big part of it. I follow an 80/20 philosophy for the most part.  80% of my meals and snacks are on point while 20% can go towards more decadent goodies and the occasional glass or bottle of booze.  

Meal planning for the mixed household has not changed much.  All of the sides are vegan and I cook extra veggies and grains in batches so they are ready to grab at a moment’s notice.  I get recipes from Meal Mentor (I love Happy Herbivore and have for years – go Cougars!) and from Beachbody’s Nutrition+. With Nuttrition+, I have access to both Ultimate Portion Fix and 2B Mindset.  I’ve used both programs depending on how things are going with my fitness plan and goals.

 

Thanks to a few unexpected issues, I’m currently following 2B.  I divide my plate and make sure that I get water, veggies, and a balance of starchy, carby goodness, and protein.  This is similar to the plan I started following years ago when I decided it was time to get my weight under control.  This plan is customizable and effortless once you get the hang of it.

When things are a little less hectic and pain is manageable, I will jump into Ultimate Portion Fix.  with it, I use color-coded containers to help me hit a day of balanced nutrition.  I have the option to plan my own meals or follow a timed nutrition plan that shows me what containers to have at specific meals and snacks, including pre-and post-workout.

With either plan, there is flexibility and the reminder to get in more protein.  I tend to skip protein in favor of more fruit and veggies and bread. Getting my meals in makes a difference for me.  So far in 2021, I am down several inches (and will need more pants soon) and I am not mad at the scale.  My blood pressure and glucose are lower and my next round of tests should show lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides.

Your girl rediscovered accidentally vegan baked goods during semi-quarantine life in 2020 and had to get things back in check.

I  track meals and snacks because I like to see what I had the day before that may have aggravated pain or stomach irritation and so I can remember to repeat (or not repeat) some meals. I personally like tracking, whether it’s on an app or just a quick photo.  It helps keep me honest about why the scale doesn’t move and why my clothes aren’t as loose as I would like. Do you track?

So, how are you earing these days?  Be on the lookout for examples of my meals in the near future.  I love the variety of goodness available this time of year and cannot wait to incorporate goodness from the garden (fingers crossed).

Until next time, peace.