Pssssst, Prepping is the secret to eating healthy!
Having worked in the wellness and beauty industry for over 40 years has taught me a lot. I’ve seen many woman and men lose weight. I’ve also seen them gain the weight back and then some. What I’ve noticed is that the people that succeed in keeping the weight off have several things in common. First, they look at the changes they’ve made in their diet as a lifestyle change, not a diet. Secondly, they don’t deprive themselves and occasionally have foods that they love. Third and most important, is that they prep their meals and snacks ahead of time. Calories add up fast and before you know it you can consume 500 extra calories or more getting ready to eat. Here are some tips that can help prevent that. On the weekend cook for the week. Make a tray of chicken tenders. I put them in a bag with some olive oil and spices and mix well. I use my air fryer to cook them. I have the Emeril air fryer and I love it. I use the air fry option because the meat doesn’t dry out while cooking because of the air that circulates around the food. It cooks evenly and is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. If you don’t have an air fryer you could broil them as well. Store the cooked chicken in a container that closes tightly. During the week I use the chicken in several different ways. Sliced on top of a salad, in a whole wheat wrap or mixed with some brown rice and beans are just a few ideas. You could also add some cooked veggies and some broth and have an instant chicken soup! I sliver veggies like mushrooms, scallions and carrots and cook them in the microwave in a little water for 5 minutes. It makes the perfect soup! Remember to have prepped the veges as well. It’s easy to throw a salad together if you have all the vegetables cleaned and sliced. In my wheat wraps I love to add, spinach and feta cheese. For snacks I make yogurt parfaits. I buy vanilla yogurt, fruits and nuts and granola. Fresh fruit is nice but frozen works as well. I take medium size, wide mouth mason jars and put a few tablespoons of yogurt in the bottom. I then layer some fruit on top. My third and forth layers are nuts and granola. Just alternate the ingredients until the jar is almost full. These are great snacks that are sweet and provide protein and a fruit serving! Another great snack is doing the same thing but with vegetables. I like to clean and cut celery sticks to fit in the jar. I save some room at the top. Put peanut butter in a small container and place on top of the celery sticks. I buy the small plastic containers like restaurants give you with dressings. These are available on Amazon. Other ideas include broccoli and cauliflower with some Greek dressing in a small container for dipping. Carrots and celery with some hummus is yummy too! Salad jars are easy too. Make sure you put the dressing on the bottom so the veggies stay crisp. You can layer quinoa, slivered zucchini, carrots, really just about any vegetable works. Try a greek salad by layering lettuce, tomatoes, feta cheese, red onion….the possibilities are endless. Before you eat it, simple turn the jar over a few times to mix in the dressing and enjoy! Fill as much as possible so there isn’t a lot of air in the jar. Screw the top down firmly. I find that these snack jars last 4 to 6 days in the fridge. The possibilities are endless! The bottom line is that if you take some time on the weekend to prep your food and snacks, you will be setting yourself up for success!
Sixties and Sexy 