My Meal Plan for Week 2 of the 30-Day Real Food & Fitness Challenge

 

With week 1 of the 30-Day Real Food & Fitness Challenge nearing completion, it’s time for my week 2 meal plan. I mainly rotate through the same few meals for breakfast and lunch, but I always try to incorporate one new lunch and one new breakfast every week. The last thing a healthy eating plan needs is too much oatmeal for breakfast or grilled chicken for lunch!

 

When planning your weekly meals, don’t forget to check your local grocery stores circular sale ads. I always try to buy the chicken that’s on sale, whether it be breasts or thighs (I love dark meat). I also check for any good deals on wild-caught fish. My fruit and vegetable purchases are based off what produce is in season, because it’s usually also the produce on sale; I eat a lot of squash and apples in the fall!

 

Food prep: On Sunday I will be making a large batch of brown rice, 3 lbs chicken breasts, roasting a spaghetti squash, boiling 1/2 dozen hard-boiled eggs, chopping up peppers & tomatoes, and freezing peeled bananas & fruit for smoothies. By devoting a few hours on the weekend to prep some meals, I’ll save a lot of time during the week.

 

My meals for week 2 of the 30-Day Real Food and Fitness Challenge

 

Day 8-Monday 

Breakfast: smoothie made with 1 cup blackberries, 1/2 a frozen banana, 1 cup unsweetened soy milk, 2 cups spinach leaves, 2 tbsp flax seeds, 1 serving hemp protein powder; coffee with 2 tbsp canned coconut milk

Snack: handful of dried fruit & nuts only trail mix

Lunch: 1 can tuna over 1/2 cup cooked brown rice seasoned with garlic & cayenne, sliced red pepper, halved grape tomatoes, and 1/2 a small avocado; apple with 1 tbsp peanut butter (no added sugar or oil)

Dinner: 1 small baked potato topped with 4 oz chicken, and piled high with sliced bell peppers, onion, 1/2 a small avocado, salsa (no sugar in ingredients list); 1 cup steamed broccoli; 1 cup grapes

Exercise: run 3 miles, 45 min weights

 

Day 9-Tuesday

Breakfast:  1/2 cup certified gluten-free oats cooked in soy milk, and 1 banana (caramelize in microwave), 1/4 cup blueberries, mix in 1 tbsp chia seeds after cooking; coffee with 2 tbsp canned coconut milk

Snack: 1 hard-boiled egg, 1/2 cup baby carrots

Lunch: 1.5 cups spaghetti squash with 4 oz shredded chicken topped with 1/2 cup Delallo roasted garlic pasta sauce, sliced green bell peppers, and sliced black olives; 1 pear

Dinner: sweet potato, black bean, and quinoa stuffed peppers (omitting cheese); 1 cup grapes

Exercise:  rest

 

Day 10-Wednesday

Breakfast: smoothie made with 1 cup frozen blackberries, 1/2 a pear, 4-5 mint leaves (from my backyard), 1 cup almond milk+protein, 1 serving hemp protein powder, and 1-2 tbsp chia seeds; coffee with 2 tbsp canned coconut milk

Snack: handful of raw cashews and 1 plum

Lunch: leftover sweet potato and black bean stuff peppers

Dinner: 5-6 oz baked mahi mahi ($3.99/lb this week at my local Sprouts) seasoned with salt, lemon, and olive oil; 1.5 cups baked red-skinned potatoes seasoned with rosemary, garlic, and pepper; 2 cups green beans and red peppers; 1 serving peanut butter & banana ice cream

Exercise: run 5 miles

 

Day 11-Thursday

Breakfast: smoothie made with 1 frozen banana, 1 cup soy milk, 1.5 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 serving hemp protein powder; coffee with 2 tbsp canned coconut milk

Snack: baby carrots and 1/4 cup hummus

Lunch: 1.5 cups spaghetti squash with leftover mahi mahi (or canned tuna) topped with 1/2 cup Delallo roasted garlic pasta sauce, mushrooms, and sliced black olives; 1/2 cup cooked green split peas; 1 small apple

Dinner: frittata made with eggs, broccoli, baby spinach, and caramelized onions Broccoli Spinach Frittata

Exercise: run 2 miles, 45 min weights

 

Day 12-Friday

Breakfast: 1/2 cup certified gluten-free oats cooked in soy milk, and 1 banana (caramelize in microwave), 1/4 cup blueberries, mix in 1 tbsp chia seeds after cooking; coffee with 2 tbsp canned coconut milk

Snack: 1 small apple with 2 tbsp my healthy nutella

Lunch:  2 cups spinach salad with 4 oz shredded chicken, 2 tbsp dried cranberries, 2 tbsp walnuts, 1/2 a sliced red pepper. Dressing: plain balsamic vinegar to taste (I don’t use any oil, but you can add 1 tsp olive oil to the balsamic); 1/2 cup cooked green peas

Dinner: spaghetti squash with roasted shrimp and adding in diced roma tomatoes, black olives and caramelized onions; 1 cup grapes

Exercise: run 3 miles

 

Day 13-Saturday

Breakfast: Butternut squash-apple-pecan hash (making a double batch)–I haven’t made this before, but my gut tells me it’s delicious, and a fun Saturday morning real food breakfast full of fall flavors; coffee with 2 tbsp canned coconut milk

Snack: 1 hardboiled egg and 1 cup grapes

Lunch: 1 can tuna made with avocado, dill, lemon, and garlic powder served over sliced bell peppers and 1/2 cup cooked brown rice (cook extra for dinner); 1 plum

Dinner: shrimp creole over 1 cup brown rice (I’m subbing olive oil and using 1-2 tbsp for the 3 tbsp butter; omitting worcestershire sauce); 1 cup steamed green beans; 1 banana

Exercise: 45 min weight training

 

Day 14-Sunday

Breakfast: Leftover butternut squash-apple-pecan hash; coffee with 2 tbsp canned coconut milk

Snack: hard-boiled egg and handful of almonds

Lunch: spinach salad topped with 1/2 cup edamame, 1/2 cup sliced red peppers, 1/4 cup corn, and green onions, dressing is olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sprinkle of oregano and garlic powder; 1 pear with cinnamon

Dinner: 1 serving Spicy Cilantro-Lime Lentils & Rice made with Coconut Milk; 1 peach

Exercise: run 7 miles

 

What did you eat during week 1 of the challenge?