Real Strong Mom hosts a 3-day RESET a few times a year to introduce new mamas to the BASICS! Each day for 3 days, we dive deep into the Real Strong Mom program to give others an idea of what the RSM PROGRAM is all about! We are going to recap the RESET in a series of blogs over the next few weeks. Today, we are chatting about the #KitchenBasics!
When thinking of what you should eat or how you should be eating, use the plate guide (pictured above) at each of your three meals for the day. If you have already experimented with starch and know that your body responds better to having your starchy cards all at ONE time or at certain times of the day, just do what works for you!
These are just guidelines and you will have to experiment with what your body prefers. The point is NOT to follow this guide perfectly -- but to simply use the guidelines as a starting place and see what works best for you!
Here is a quick reminder WHY protein and fiber are important. Foods that are full of protein, fiber, and water are the best foods for fat loss because they fill us up, keep us full, and are easy on the blood sugar.
It’s that simple. Don’t overthink or try to complicate this. Adding more protein and fiber to your plate will help you manage your HEC better and will encourage you to make choices that continue to keep you balanced and make you feel amazing.
I wanted to SHOW you how easy it can be to fill the real strong plate in your REAL LIFE with some breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas.
The best thing you can do for each meal is ask yourself -- how can I make this fit the plate?
Here's the magic formula -- Start with protein + then add the fiber!
BREAKFAST
Protein FIRST --
- Eggs, Egg whites for added protein
- Egg muffin cups, egg bakes, egg everything and anything
- Sausage, canadian bacon, deli meat
- Smoothies w/your fave protein powder
- Try Ezekiel bread or a high protein, high fiber bread
Then Fiber --
- Leftover veggies are your friend
- Steamer bags
- Thinking outside the box -- soup anyone?
- Adding veggies to eggs
- Riced cauliflower -- oh yeahhhh
- Spinach, peppers, other veggies with
- -- other veggies alongside -- (air fryer is your friend)
LUNCH
So many options here -- but same concept -- protein first and then fiber!
- Think salads and soup over sandwiches -- to get the extra bulk of all the veggies and remembering that -- protein, fiber, water content are where it's at to fill you up
- My faves
- Eggs + veggies
- Salads with frozen chicken tenderloins fresh out of the airfryer
- Deli meats on a salad in a pinch
- Soup -- make a broth based veggie soup and add different proteins to it throughout the week
- Leftovers -- skillet with eggs
- Make a large batch of chicken and then divide it up and flavor it.
DINNER
This is where it gets REAL for a lot of mamas. My family doesn't want to eat what I eat or eat healthy.
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- I need you to remember that YOU get to choose -- this is all you
- Your family may want pizza and that's great -- you can totally have pizza that fits the plate by having a big ass salad w/added protein and pizza on the side
- I keep it very real and we eat very “normal” meals and I just do what I need to do to make it fit the plate.
Some of my family's favorites:
- Tacos
- Sloppy joes
- Spaghetti
- Chicken and rice
- Hamburgers
- Meatloaf, meatballs
- Pizza
- ADD A VEGGIE and make it fit the plate
- Your options are endless -- just keep the plate in mind!
It can be easy to think, "Ok Melanie...I will try this but what about the sugar and the snacks and the other things that I need to cut out?" This is where I ask you to trust in the process and know that adding in more of the “good things" is going to help you in so many ways!
You are going to be focusing on adding things in versus taking them out and THAT feels so much better than walking around thinking, "I can't have that or that or that..." You can STILL have the foods you love, you are just going to work on finding the balance around becoming a more nutritious eater more often. You WILL begin to manage your HEC and that alone is going to help you control some of the behaviors that you are worried about like snacking and sugar intake. A lot of the “trouble” we have with food is less about the food itself and more about the relationship that we have with it and the habits we have surrounding the foods
Change your habits and change your life.
Make sure you join the Real Strong Mom Squad on Facebook so you don’t miss the chance to join the next FREE RESET launching in a few months!!! SEE YOU THERE & happy eating!