Back in the day fats were frowned upon in the health-food-world. However, let’s get one thing straight: eating fat does not make you fat. The right fats sources have some great benefits and should be added into any clean eating diet.

Fats are higher in calories compared to proteins and carbohydrates. Fats contain 9 calories per gram, while protein and carbs contain 4 calories per gram.

Here’s the kicker though, if combined with the right foods, healthy fats can keep you feeling full longer! Combining healthy fats like extra-virgin olive oil, avocado or peanut butter with whole grains and lean protein is a great combination for a healthy meal. [Read more…]

“Carbs are bad for you.”

“Carbohydrates make you gain weight.”

“Carbs will make put fat around your belly.”

Have you heard these things before?! Let’s get one thing straight…. carbohydrates are not the enemy! The problem is that a high carb diet might also be a high calorie diet, which will lead to weight gain and belly fat. [Read more…]

Protein is a huge part of my healthy diet. I try to get quite a bit of it since I weight train 4-5 days per week. Protein keeps me full longer, especially when combined with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.

Proteins are the building blocks of muscle and are found in pretty much every part of your body – your hair, skin, nails, etc. It is essential for your body to function and is key if you are exercising.

Sure, you could drink protein shakes with every meal and get the amount you would need for a day, but I’d rather mix in a few natural sources of protein. I opt for lean proteins that are as nutrient dense as possible (get more bang for my buck). [Read more…]

Meal prep is a huge part of my weekly routine. I try to make all my lunches and snacks for the week at some point over the weekend. I use a variety of appliances of course, including my oven, stovetop, microwave, etc. However, I also use a variety of meal prep tools as well.

So what do I use the most? Each week is different in terms of what I make and how I make it. However, these meal prep tools are the ones I use pretty much every week, regardless of the menu. [Read more…]

It is finally Week 12 of the 12 Week Meal Prep Series! We’ve covered SO much over the last 12 weeks in terms of healthy meal prep techniques.

This week I want you to put all your knowledge together.

Each week I’ve had you focus on one task so that you feel more comfortable with it later on. For example, cooking chicken for the first time might be intimidating, but once you’ve done it a few times it doesn’t feel intimidating anymore. You can easily incorporate it into your meal prep schedule once you are confident cooking chicken. [Read more…]

Over the last few years I have really gotten into preparing food and meals for the entire week. Meal prep can help save you time throughout the week because the cooking part is already done. It can also save you money because you won’t need to eat out for lunch or dinner!

The meals that I create are all clean eating friendly. However, meal prep does NOT have to be clean eating. Make the foods you love that will help you reach your individual goals. Diets that are gluten free, vegan, high carb, low carb, etc can all be accommodated through your meal prep. [Read more…]

Beans, beans the magic fruit….the more you eat the more you toot! Why do you toot? Legumes such as means are full of fiber, which is important to add to a healthy diet. Beans are probably the most popular legume, but peas, lentils and even peanuts fall into that category. There are several legumes that are staple food items in our house.

Beans are the most popular legumes, but peas, lentils and even peanuts fall into that category as well. Legumes are low in fat, high in protein and provide key nutrients to your diet including iron and potassium. There are several ways to incorporate this staple food into your diet. Legumes can be added to salads, soups or spiced up and eaten on their own. [Read more…]

Each week I show you what I buy at the grocery store and how I prepare that during meal prep for the week. However, there are some items that I rarely have to buy at the store, but they are a staple food in my pantry.

Staple foods are ones that are eaten or prepared routinely. The staple food that comes to mind in terms of my diet is chicken. What is a staple food in your diet? [Read more…]