For the Days When You Don't Have Brain Power

Make sure you have FOOD POWER!

Thursday was a tired day for me. I'm going to have to gather up some motivation and get going. You know, I realize that I can go for couple days on the highest of highs, and then have some low days, and then I can alternate between high motivation and low motivation in only a week's time!

Please tell me I'm not the only one??

First meal of the day started off with my new favorite treat: 1 cup Lowfat 1% cottage cheese (4sp), 1/2 c drained mandarin oranges, and 1/4 c Kashi Go Lean Clusters Vanilla Pepitas (2sp). I add just a little bit of natural sweetener and it's such a treat...one of favorite meals to eat first thing in the morning.

It was Motor Class Day for Little Man, and so I needed a LC meal that would be easy to carry. So? I turn to my favorite go-to, a Smore's flavored Quest Bar (4sp) and 2 T unsalted mixed nuts (3sp). Yes, a little higher than normal, but it was very fulfilling and I just made sure to make a 5 smartpoint meal for my 3rd.

And I did! I enjoyed some leftovers again! A good helping of roasted spaghetti squash, 6 oz of shredded chicken breast (4sp), 1/2 c green beans, 1/2 c mushrooms, 1 c romaine lettuce, 2 T Kirkland Organic Salsa (0sp), and 1 Frigo Cheesehead Light String Cheese Stick (1sp). A WHOLE PLATE of food, and then some, for only 5sp!

Healthy food can be so delicious and not even have a lot of brain power to make! When you do have enough brain power to make a delicious meal with chicken or some type of protein, make enough to carry over into the next day. That way you can throw something simple, yet delicious, together in no time!

My fourth meal was as quickly put together as it was to eat. I'm pretty proud of this meal because it was my whipped together version of a Jimmy John's Unwich sandwich. I was running tight on time to get to work, with getting my family fed, and I just though about calling JJ's to make me a sandwich. See what I did there? Anyway, I realized that I actually didn't have to spend any money and I could probably put together a great meal in no time! So what did I do? I finished off the last bit of spaghetti squash, grabbed and washed 4 leaves of butter lettuce, some squeezes of mustard, 8 slices of Kirkland turkey breast for 3 smartpoints, 4 slices of pickled cucumbers, and 2/3oz of unsalted nuts for 3 smartpoints. All of that for 6 smartpoints!!

Remember, even when you are in a rush, make your plates pretty! Make them visually appealing and it adds to the experience while eating!

Now, my 5th meal was something I had been CRAVING!! In comes my super friend M&M to save the day. I had run out of Fage earlier in the week, and I didn't realize HOW MUCH I DEPENDED ON THAT STUFF until it was gone! So, I texted M&M to ask her if she had 1 cup left and if she did, to bring it tonight and I would make us a treat. SCORE! She totally did, and Vanilla Protein Pudding came to be!

Vanilla Protein Pudding (6sp)

1/2 c Fage Total 0% Nonfat Greek Strained Yogurt

2 T vanilla protein powder

1 T crunchy almond butter (you could do smooth if you wanted)

Mix all together an enjoy!

You start the day off great and finish the day great. You are getting your confidence and strength back in your promises. You are slowly getting your power back! And then...life happens. In my life, it so happened that my sister comes running from upstairs saying that Mom and Dad are going to send fudge from the best fudge shop our family knows of. You can only find it in NC...and your mom and dad live only a few hours away...and if you ask your mom for some, she'll send you two pounds per person unless otherwise specified. 

So...

What do you do when you are on a lifestyle journey?

You do this...

Yep, you run to the nearest computer, gather your sister and husband around the computer and go through every single picture and every single flavor and decide on your top...6... BUT, you make sure to specify ONLY THE SMALLEST WEIGHT of each flavor. And then...

You plan for it.

If it arrives earlier than the day you plan to eat it, put your portion away in the fridge and write all over it and make sure you ENJOY IT the day you've planned. There is so much more to planning your treats. Not only have you planned for them point wise, but you have also mentally and physically prepared for them, so there is NO GUILT involved upon consumption. Remember that!

Happy eating everyone and make sure you have enough of your faves around so that when you JUST CAN'T THINK...you can safely reach, and enjoy!
Camille