My Meal Plan for Week 3 of the 30-Day Real Food & Fitness Challenge

 

Almost two weeks of the 30-day real food & fitness challenge are complete. I feel incredibly empowered, and I hope you do too. Even more than before, I know that I have full control over the food that goes into my body and my exercise habits. The only activity I gave up to exercise more was sitting on the couch–seriously. Other than a few stare downs with some cupcakes during week 1 and passing up on a croissant at the beginning of week 2, I’m pleasantly surprised at how proud I feel about the food I’ve eaten.

 

I believe the human body possesses an innate ability to self regulate hunger when it recognizes food in its natural form. Unfortunately, processed food is neither real nor natural (despite the claims on the label). I was easily able to stay within my required calories, hunger free, all week–that’s proof enough that sugar and processed foods throw off my body’s ability to tell me I’m full.  When was the last time you wanted to go into a food coma after eating too many apples and carrots? I would bet never.

 

Things I have learned during the challenge so far:

• I am exponentially stronger after exercising 6 days a week. I’ll admit that I was only getting in an average of 3-4 days prior to the challenge.
• I love unsweetened soy milk, and I will not be switching back to skim milk.
• Fruit is the perfect dessert. I have a baked apple recipe I can’t wait to share on the blog.
• I can consciously say no to random cookies and candy.
• I don’t need cheese; food tastes good without it. That was a tough one.
• I’m glad i didn’t put coffee on the foods to avoid list.

 

My meals for week 3 of the 30-Day Real Food and Fitness Challenge

 

Day 15-Monday 

Breakfast: smoothie made with 1 cup fresh pineapple (on sale for $1.77 this week!), 1/2 a frozen banana, 1 cup unsweetened soy milk, 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut, 1 serving hemp protein powder; coffee with 2 tbsp canned coconut milk

Snack: 1 hard-boiled egg and cherry tomatoes

Lunch: 1/2 recipe of spicy spaghetti squash with black beans (will make on Sunday)

Dinner: 4oz baked tilapia seasoned with dried sage and garlic; 1.5 cup steamed broccoli with lemon juice and garlic; 1 cup cooked brown rice; 1 pear

Exercise: run 2 miles, 45 min weights

 

Day 16-Tuesday

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs; 1/2 a  small sliced avocado & grape tomatoes; 1/2 a grapefruit; coffee with 2 tbsp canned coconut milk

Snack: 1 cup fresh pineapple and handful of almonds

Lunch: remaining 1/2 of spicy spaghetti squash with black beans; small apple

Dinner: warm quinoa and roasted vegetables with lemon vinaigrette (omitting sugar and subbing dried mustard for prepared mustard), adding in 4 oz shredded chicken; 1 cup grapes

Exercise:  rest

 

Day 17-Wednesday

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

Snack: baby carrots with 1/4 cup hummus

Lunch: 1 can tuna made with avocado, dill, lemon, and garlic powder served over sliced bell peppers and 3/4 cup cooked brown rice; 1 fresh orange

Dinner: scrambled eggs with veggies :butternut squash, red peppers, and kale cooked with oregano, salt, and pepper–I will cook the veggies on the stovetop, and then mix the scrambled eggs into the sauteed vegetables; 1 small apple

Exercise: run 5 miles

 

Day 18-Thursday

Breakfast: smoothie made with 1 cup fresh pineapple, 1/2 a frozen banana, 1 cup unsweetened soy milk, 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut, 1 serving hemp protein powder; coffee with 2 tbsp canned coconut milk

Snack: baby carrots and 1/4 cup hummus

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: basic lentil soup; 4 oz oven baked turkey breast; 1 orange

Exercise: run 2 miles, 45 min weights

 

Day 19-Friday

Breakfast: smoothie made with 1 frozen banana, 1 cup unsweetened 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: 1 small apple with 2 tbsp my healthy nutella

Lunch: leftover basic lentil soup; 4 oz oven baked turkey breast

Dinner: Sun-dried tomato amaranth “cous cous” (omitting cheese); grilled chicken breast (making enough for dinner tomorrow); grilled zucchini and onions;  pear. 

Exercise: run 3 miles

 

Day 20-Saturday

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs; 1/2 a  small sliced avocado & grape tomatoes; 1/2 a grapefruit; coffee with 2 tbsp canned coconut milk

Snack: 1/4 cup trail mix–nuts and dried fruit only

Lunch: egg & avocado salad (makes 2 lunches): 4 hard-boiled eggs, 1 large mashed avocado, 1/2 tsp dried dill, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and 1/2 tsp salt served in a bell pepper; 1 cup cooked brown rice (sometimes I just mix the rice into my egg salad)

Dinner: 2 cups spinach salad with 4 oz grilled chicken breast, 1/2 cup baby carrots, 1/2 a small sliced avocado, 1/2 a sliced red pepper, 1/4 cup diced red onion. Dressing: plain balsamic vinegar & oregeno 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; 1 serving peanut butter & banana ice cream

Exercise: 45 min weight training

 

Day 21-Sunday

Breakfast: Peanut butter banana roll: 1 banana rolled in peanut butter, ground flax, pumpkie pie spice, and grapenuts (I’m subbing pecan pieces for the cereal); 1 hard-boiled egg

Snack: 1/4 cup trail mix–nuts and dried fruit only

Lunch: leftover egg & avocado salad: hard-boiled eggs, mashed avocado, dill, cayenne, and salt served in a bell pepper; 1/2 cup cooked brown rice

Dinner: 4 oz orange-chile tilapia filet served over 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, 2 broiled cups asparagus seasoned with olive oil and salt; 1 apple with 2 tbsp almond butter.

Exercise: run 8 miles

 

If you’ve made it this far, don’t give up. If you’ve messed up, keep going. New healthy habits are forming during this challenge, and who knows how many more you’ll have by the end of it. Eat well and exercise hard!