Plan-a-rooni

I have decided to take things a little at a time and to get back on track.  I have started with food because that seems to be where the most issues arise.  So, I am going to begin with my food plan.

Breakfast
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am eating on the go.  I am going with a protein shake that I can drink in the car along with a piece of fresh fruit.  I love the idea of taking oatmeal or something similar with me to eat when I get there, but that is just not realistic for me.  The minute I walk in the door I am busy.  I cannot make it from the door to my office without someone needing me for something.  It is just par for the course in my profession.  If I start to eat breakfast in my office it could literally take me two hours to finish because of all the interruptions.  Soooo, I am going to stick with food that can be eaten while driving down the highway.   I have my protein shakes ready to go and plenty of fresh fruit.  So far so good on breakfast.

Lunch
I eat lunch with a group of colleagues.  Someone is always bringing in cake or cookies or brownies or fried chicken.  For the past several weeks I have had a real difficult time saying "no."  I have decided to start though.  I think the first step is by making food for lunch that is satisfying.  If I am looking at a lunch that is smallish and that I am still hungry after eating, that fried chicken is gonna look damn good.   This week I tried a new recipe (Thank you, Pinterest) for Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup.  It a reasonable amount of calories for a pretty generous serving.  It is also filling.  Therefore, paired with some fruit or yogurt, it makes a great lunch.

I topped it with a sprinkle of reduced fat colby jack cheese and a few crumbled, organic tortilla chips.  I ate this for dinner last night and had not had any grains for the day, so I used a few more.  I would probably cut that in half for a lunch serving.  It was outstanding!!  It actually reminded me a little bit of the tortilla soup from Max and Erma's -- only not as spicy.  I cannot take any credit for this recipe at all, because I found it online.  Go here and you will find this great recipe posted by a fellow blogger.  She even has a recipe for making your own cream of chicken soup, so that it is an even cleaner recipe.  I honestly, used the 98% fat free canned version, but I could see myself making my own in the future and freezing it for recipes.

I have to go to a luncheon at work today.  I have gone to the same luncheon each year for the past 4 years, so I can anticipate what will be served.  The meal itself is usually not bad-- typically it grilled chicken with potatoes or rice.  They serve a tossed salad too.  My strategy?  Ignore the bread basket and pass on the mediocre dessert. 

Dinner

Dinner can be a little more complicated, because I have a picky household.  I have decided on the following menu for the week:

Monday:  Taco Salad

Tuesday:  Grilled chicken breast, steamed broccoli, and a sweet potato.

Wednesday:  I typically make spaghetti, but so I can avoid the grains, I plan to make meatballs with sauce and pair it with a veggie.

Thursday:  This is the night of the week I eat grains.  It is Chipotle burrito bowl night.  No worries though.  I do not get any cheese on it and I get sour cream on the side.  I use only a couple tablespoons worth of it. 

Friday:  We usually go out on Friday nights.  I plan to figure out what I want ahead of time and go for a sensible option.  No burgers and fries.

Saturday:  Honestly, I have not planned for Saturday, but I will have plenty of leftover chicken and veggies.  Will likely go for a round two of Tuesday's dinner.

Sunday: Darcy's birthday party.  There will be some unhealthy options here,but I plan to avoid the cake and opt for meat and veggie choices.

Exercise

As mentioned in yesterday's post, I am nursing an injury.  I am doing much better, but I do not want to agitate things -- as it still is painful when I try to do certain everyday tasks.  Instead of jogging 30 minutes at night, I will walk instead.  Then, when I feel confident that my butt is back in business, I will begin jogging again.  Activity is activity.  As long as I do not spend the whole night on the couch, I consider that a victory.  

                           

                            

So, there you have it -- my plan for this week!  I am hoping that by sharing my plan, I will stay more accountable. Here's to a new week!