Under 500 Calorie Meal

Here's what I'm enjoying for dinner tonight at work (going out so having an early dinner):

 

 

This delicious meal is incredibly healthy and super easy to make! Follow these step-by-step directions for a 20 minute meal that is diet approved:

 

1. Thaw Shrimp if Frozen or Peel/Devein if Fresh (Roughly 30 Shrimp)
2. Chop 1x Onion
3. Saute Onion in Olive Oil on Med-High
4. Chop 1x Squash and 1x Zucchini
5. Once the Onions Start to Get Translucent, Reduce Heat to Low 
6. Add Zucchini and Squash--Cook for Roughly 10 Minutes on Low
7. Add Shrimp, Stir Continuously for 5 More Minutes or till Shrimp Turn Orange (as pictured)
8. Top with Pepper and the Juice of 1x Lemon

 

This entire meal cost less than $10 and serves 4-6 depending on portion control. You can easily make this meal go further for cheap by doubling the veggies. It is great as a main dish or easily paired with other healthy sides. Enjoy!

Post Holiday Diet

I'm Southern aka my family cooks great and I like to eat. I ALWAYS gain weight during the holidays and I'm okay with that, but I'm ready to be 'normal-sized' again. Exactly one week ago today my boyfriend and I started dieting. We're focusing on low-calories, smarter choices and working out. Proud to announce it's working! I've lost 5lbs in one week. I realize this is a lot, but this is pretty normal for my post-holiday self. I'm excited to keep going and hopefully continue to lose 1lb a week. Here's some menu samples of what I've been eating the past week:

BREAKFAST

• Bakery Bread Piece of Toast with Almond Butter and Bananas
• Plain, Non-fat Greek Yogurt with Strawberries
• 1 Tortilla with 1 Cup of Chopped Bell Peppers and 6 Tbsps of Egg Whites, Topped with 1/4 Cup of Cheese and Tobasco
• Strawberries
• Banana

LUNCH

• Grilled Tilapia Salad with Corn/Beans
• Stuffed Poblano Peppers
• Avocado, Tomato, Mustard and Salmon Sandwich

DINNER

• Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp, Broccolli and Rotel
• Grilled Tilapia Salad
• Brussels Sprouts with Fish Sauce

SNACKS

• Bananas
• Bananas with Almond Butter
• Strawberries
• Celery and Almond Butter
• Celery and Hummus
• Cucumbers and Hummus
• Almonds

Leave a comment if you're interested in any of the recipes. Everything has been home-made. We cooked on Sunday for all week. It made dieting super easy, because you didn't have to put any thought into your meals all week. We've been tracking our calories with the application MyFitnessPal It has a barcode scanner and remembers recent meals, which makes updating super simple.

Hope your New Year's Resolutions are going great, as well!

New Year's Resolution

Do people still do these? They seem to becoming increasingly unpopular. I still do! This year, I made a realistic resolution of writing in a journal 365 days. Like my healthy eating resolution with my boyfriend, I planned to start this task on Jan. 02, 2014 (you know, after the hangover settles); however, I was so excited to start a journal that I started a day early on December 31, 2013.

Three days down and I'm already enjoying reflecting and growing from listenting to my own feelings. I, honestly, think this will make me exercise more and eat healthier because I'm noting how I felt that day.

Here's the setup I'm using:

• General Thoughts/Entry
• How I Felt Today
• Highlight(s)
• Low Point(s)
• Goal for Tomorrow
• Bible Verse
• Read
• New Word (English or Another Language)
• What I Ate
• Exercise Completed
• Any Takeaways/Motivational Words for Tomorrow

I hope this entry helps inspire you. You don't have to wait till next New Year's to make yourself a better person. Every day is a new day! Enjoy it!