What the heck happened?

I’ve been MIA for a while now, but I’m ready to jump back in to the Spark community! I was sick all last winter and spring with various respiratory illnesses, and learned that I have asthma which just made it that much more fun. At the same time, my DH went back to work (YAAAAY!) and we were coping with a new hectic schedule. I was completely unprepared for the chaos, and we fell into the habit of getting takeout 1-2 times each week. Work has also been absolutely insane, and I started buying lunch out 1-2 times per week just to get out of the office for a few minutes.

Sick, not exercising, eating out, stress, and a new unpredictable routine… I completely undid all of my hard work. All of the progress I made last year… poof!

Now that we’re into a new routine – it’s not any easier, but at least it’s predictable! – DH and I have decided to work together to get back to the way we were eating last year. It’s so much better when we’re on the same page, so we decided that we’re in this together!

So I’m baaaa-aaaack!

My plan is to keep it under 1500 calories per day, except the night before a long run. I’m eliminating simple carbs wherever possible, and eating only very limited whole grains. I’ll be tracking everything I eat once again, because I know that’s the #1 best thing I can do for weight loss.

I’ve planned this week’s meals and shopped accordingly. During my staycation this summer, I stocked our freezer with healthy meals that I can defrost overnight and then cook in 20-3o minutes when I get home, and I will use 1-2 of those meals each week on those nights we typically get home late. I also scoured my extensive cookbook collection for new recipes to try on my earlier nights, because it’s always fun to experiment in the kitchen!

I will continue to make my lunches for the week on Sunday, as I’ve had the most success with that. I will not let myself buy lunch anymore, unless there’s some kind of emergency.

I’m currently in training for an upcoming ½ marathon or two, so my workouts will include lots of running, plus other cardio, yoga, and strength training on off days.

I’m going to use this blog to keep me accountable, posting about my workouts and the healthy meals I’m preparing. Expect to see lots posts from me in the coming weeks!

I’ll start with this week’s breakfast/lunch plan. I have a mini fridge in my office, so I bring everything in on Monday morning. I make a batch of something on Sunday and portion it out for the week. This has worked so well for me in the past, so I am committing to it once again!

Breakfast: Egg white omelets (prepared at work in my stoneware microwave egg cooker), with spinach and tomatoes.

Morning Snack: 1/2 cup of cantaloupe, 1/2 cup of pineapple

Lunch: Roasted chicken seasoned with Italian and sweet basil rubs; roasted veggies (zucchini, red pepper, onion, and mushroom); 1/3 cup of brown rice



Afternoon Snack: Chobani yogurt with 1/4 cup of Kashi GoLean Crunch

It's all packed and ready to go!