This year is the first year I've ever had a weight loss goal for New Year's. I still don't have a number, just a pile of clothes I need to fit by a certain date. I took my weight and measurements, I bought a fitness planner, but the scale has not been a good guide for me in the past. Because I am hypoglycemic I am going the Whole 30 type route for weight loss.
Since I'm trying to lose weight and continue my journey to less and less processed and more and more whole foods for the family, I am being very meticulous about meal planning. I don't mind making myself something different for breakfast and lunch, but I don't want to make 2 dinners. And really, since we've been eating increasingly more whole foods over the last few years, planning meals that I can eat with the rest of the family hasn't been as hard (so far) as I thought it would be.
Because I'm trying to do this the whole year, not just 30 days, I have a few concessions. I'm allowing myself Paleo style desserts, 1 brown rice or dry bean serving a week, cream in my coffee, homemade ranch, 1 other dairy serving a week (cheese addict here), and up to 2 all natural tortillas a week. Other than that, it's pretty much protein veggies and fruits.
To keep track of how well I'm sticking to things, I'm writing my menu plan in my fitness planner in pencil, and going over in pen when I eat it. That way I know at a glance how many things I planned to eat but didn't, and how many things I ate that I didn't plan to. Not that it's good or bad, just for reference.
Side note- Anyone else's kids go through a ton of food while off for Christmas break? Seriously, I try not to complain because my cart is at least half produce, but wow!
So here's what my menu plan looks like for the week:
Those bottom 4 columns would be the grocery list. Seriously. I've had problems keeping up lately. I used to able to go to the grocery store one time per week. It's hard to stick to that now. Even with the extra fridge in the garage.
Now here's that plan in print that's not too tiny to read ;) : (lunches are just for me since kids and hubby have packed lunches for school and work that consist of sandwiches, leftovers, and bento style lunches).
Monday: Breakfast - kids cereal, me sausage and applesauce
lunch - me - salmon with grapefruit avocado salsa (I'll be reviewing that on here and my Daily Ration FB page)
Dinner - Hamburger chili dish- haven't decided yet if this will be my 1 rice this week or if I will pull mine out before I add rice to it.
Snacks: juice (hubby got me a juicer for Christmas), hard boiled egg, nuts
Tuesday: breakfast- kids breakfast cookies, me vegetable soup
lunch- smoothie and lettuce wraps
dinner- Chicken Prosciutto Involtini from Nom Nom Paleo for the whole family with salad
snacks: smoothie, nuts, fruit
Wedenesday: breakfast- kids yogurt, me sausage and applesauce
lunch: leftovers
dinner: meatball sammies for the family with fruit salad, just meatballs/veggie sticks/fruit salad for me
snacks: juice, hard boiled egg, nuts
Thursday: breakfast - kids cinnamon rolls, me vegetable soup
lunch: wrap on a tortilla
dinner: crock pot taco bowls for the family, taco salad for me (this is an easy substitution, I just leave out the rice and put a bed of lettuce down under the toppings.
snacks: avocado mousse
Friday: breakfast- kids- cinnamon toast, fruit and bacon, me- fruit and bacon
lunch: leftovers
dinner: spaghetti and salad for the family, spaghetti sauce (homemade meat sauce) over steamed broccoli for me
snacks: nuts, juice
Saturday: breakfast- kids pancakes, me eggs or Paleo breakfast bars if I feel up to making them
lunch: vegetable soup with chicken
dinner: out after church - I allow myself to pick a healthier menu choice and don't obsess over every ingredient.
snacks: undecided
Sunday: breakfast- kids cereal bars (Sundays I try to rest), veg omelet for me (at least one of my kids usually end up wanting this too)
lunch: leftovers
dinner: appetizers - we do this every Sunday night with either a football game or family movie. I will have fruits and veggies on a tray as part of the appetizers but usually make the rest based on what needs to get used up in the fridge. Not sure yet what I'll be eating this night other than the fruits and veggies. I might get back to you on that on Sunday.
And on to the winter garden!
I've wanted to do a winter garden forever. I just keep getting lazy. This year I was determined. It probably helped that my Back to Eden style garden has little to no weeds so it has become a matter of just sticking plants in the ground. But I was still late getting it in. I should have planted in September but here we're still getting summer veggies in September and I couldn't bear to pull them out. We didn't plant this until December 4th so we'll wait and see if things actually grow. We planted arugula, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, beets and carrots.
What are your New Year goals? Share them in the comments!
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