My Daily Food Log

I was going to call this "What I Ate Wednesday", but today's my birthday (oot oot!), so you KNOW there will be some indulging happening.  [wink wink]

Sooo I thought it'd be better to share a more "normal" day of eating with you all.  That is, meals that are made with prepped foods and eaten at my usual times.  

I typically eat 4-5 times a day, depending on if I'm working or not.  I wake up at 4:30am on work days, and eat breakfast by 5:30.  So I usually have to have something to tide my over till my lunch break - or things are gonna get UGLY. 

Now, let me preface this by saying a few things: 

1. I do not always track my food intake.  I definitely do when I'm trying to actively build lean muscle ("bulking"), because I want to make sure that I'm keeping my macros high enough to promote those muscle (read BOOTY) gains.  Currently, I am at more of a "maintenance" intake level, but I'm slowly increasing it to get back to muscle-building mode.  I've also found tracking beneficial during stressful times, when I feel those binge tendencies or negative feelings towards food creeping back up.  Keeping a food log keeps me from grabbing food to deal with emotional issues, and it also ensures that I'm eating enough, which has been an issue for me, too.  
2. This is what works for me.  I'm not a doctor, nutritionist, or registered dietician.  I'm not telling you that you have to track your macros, or that you have to eat exactly what I eat.  Do what works for YOUR body, babes!  My goal with this post is to show you how I plan out my day and make my meals fit the current macros I have set for myself.  
3. I still listen to my body.  You'll notice I exceeded my "goal" for this particular day, and this happens maybe a few times a week.  Some days when I train a lot harder (read: leg + booty days), I am STARVING.  So I usually eat a few more carbs and/or have a little more nut butter or avocado.  I don't beat myself up over this, because I'm not mindlessly eating junk food - I'm giving my body the fuel it needs to be able to train properly and keep me strong and healthy.  

[Side note: You'll notice that I almost always measure my food in grams.  This is what I've found to be the most accurate method.  For instance, a serving of Publix rolled oats is 39g.  If I measure out "half a cup" and actually measure them, it might actually be more like 50g.  This may not seem like a lot, but those little differences can add up over the day, which add up over the week, which...oh, you get the point.  Haha.  If you're serious about tracking your food intake, buy yourself a cheap - but reliable - food scale that measures in grams.]

Ok, now that we've gotten THAT out of the way, let's get to the fun part...the FOOD!

• BREAKFAST: My usual bowl of "proats" with berries and PB + a "matcha-collagen latte"

• MID-MORNING SNACK: Plain rice cakes (I'm always in a hurry to scarf something down) + an iced almond milk latte (no sweetener) from the Starbucks downstairs at the hospital) + my Natural Calm magnesium powder (which I always put in my Healthy Human Life water bottle)

• LUNCH: A hodge podge of goods - baked sweet potato fries, low-sodium/all natural deli turkey, veggies, hummus, + some GF pretzels (because I always need a good CRUNCH factor)

• AFTERNOON SNACK: Rice cakes + PB Fit (I'm obsessed with this stuff!).  I didn't workout this day, but if I did, I would've added a simple protein shake (water + Pretty Fit protein) and adjusted my protein from some of the other meals (such as cut out the protein added to my morning oats or reduce the amount of shrimp I have at dinner).

• DINNER: sautéed shrimp + bell peppers, quinoa + rice (mixed), lots of lettuce (for my greens!), salsa, avocado (for healthy fats), + a glass of kombucha (I love drinking this at night to give me calm vibes AND keep my gut health on point)

That's it, you guys!  That doesn't look so complicated, right?  

It's all about PLANNING AHEAD.  (Cause, yes, in case you didn't read my last post, I'm a planner.) I like to roughly plan out what I'm having the night before and then adjust it during the day if I need to (like I mentioned with the afternoon snack).  If I need a few more carbs, add 25-50g of brown rice.  Need more protein?  Add in some extra chicken or another 1/2 scoop of protein into my oats.  Low on fats?  Well, you know what I'm gonna say about that...WHIP OUT THAT NUT BUTTER, BABY!  Just remember to measure things out so that you don't go overboard - which I am TOTALLY likely to do.  (Oops...haha!)

Have questions?  Feel free to email me or leave a comment below.  I love hearing from you guys! Also, if you'd like more help learning about macros (or having yours calculated to help meet your own fitness goals), I offer that as a service, too (under "Train With Me")!  

Blessings,

3 TIPS TO HELP ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE

Hi, babes!

It seems a bit ironic that I am FINALLY getting the opportunity to sit down and write this post about organization/time management - and have been interrupted about 27 times by two adorable little tater tots for random requests.  Ha!  But nonetheless, here it is!  

This is one of the topics I receive the most questions about on Instagram.  Everyone wants to know how I manage to do all that I do (and stay sane while doing it).  Well, here's a little secret for y'all:  I lost my sanity a loooong time ago!  I'd say about two kids ago.  HAHA!  

But seriously, I do have a Type A personality and have struggled with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) since childhood.  While I don't have some of the "ticks" that others do (having to do things a certain number of times, etc.), I do have to stick to my daily routine and get very flustered if that routine gets out of whack.  Which, as you can imagine, happens A LOT as a parent (and as a PRN, or "as needed", nurse).  Slowly but surely, I'm evolving and learning to let some things go and adapt to changes when they arise...but I'm not gonna lie: it's still HARD!

As far as how I juggle my kids, husband, job(s), housework, and clients, here are a few tips that will help you organize, streamline, and take charge of your life!

1) MAKE LISTS.  And yes, I meant to put the "s" on the end of that.  I have THREE (but meaningful) lists that I use every. single. day.  Those are:

• My CALENDAR: This is what I jot all of my family's events/appointments/and special dates down on.  It is also where I put deadlines for clients, social media collaborations, and my schedule for the hospital.  You'll notice I'm showing you December's page because it's not as jam-packed (yet) so it won't overwhelm you - haha!  You'll also notice the mini sticky-notes over certain days.  These are on there to hide certain fun things I have planned for you all on Instagram (shh!).  But I DO actually use those sticky notes to jot down important information for certain dates (such as current client check-in statuses, reminders to write a check for school activities, etc.).  

I like to use the lines to the side of the calendar to write down "intentions" and "goals" for the month.  This could be things like: reading my devotional every day, taking on a set number of new clients this time, or yelling less (yes, that was actually an intention of mine for last month).  Every day when I look at my calendar, I am reminded of these intentions and goals, making them easier to reach.

• My LEGAL PAD/CLIPFOLIO: This is where I write out my "to-do's" for the week.  I usually write this out on Sunday so that I have a good idea of what needs to get done that week.  Writing it out for the week ahead of time also lets me spread tasks out more evenly, which keeps me from being overwhelmed or feeling like I "failed" if I couldn't do it all on a certain day.  On the other side of the folder, I have a little flap where I can stick important papers: the kids' school event flyers, recipes I want to try out this week, etc.  (Again, the sticky notes are there to hide some projects that I'm working on for you guys. [wink, wink])

• My GROCERY LIST: I keep a running grocery list going, because when you have Mom Brainitis, you forget things literally 1.3 seconds after you think about them.  (My husband knows where this list is, so he can go and jot items down as he thinks about them, too.)  I also like to split up the different stores I go to every week to make my trip easier.  It may sound like I'm being a bit extra, but after overlooking items and having to make repeat trips back to the store waaaay too many times, I've finally learned what works for me!  I usually write the menu down on this list, too (or on the back of it), so I can make sure to get the items I need for each meal.  

2) PRIORITIZE THINGS. I try to list my to-do's in order of priority, and always make sure the most important things get done first.  When I do, my days just flow better, because even if I don't get every last task accomplished, I know the most important things were tended to.  For me, my priorities are listed like this:

• family/home obligations
• work
• working out (which is a total stress reliever for me, but also so important so that I can help inspire and motivate you guys!)
• "other tasks" (or those that don't have to be done right this minute, but I would like to get done eventually - like purging the kids' clothes, organizing an area of the kitchen, etc.).   

3) LET THINGS GO!  Like I said before, this one has been the hardest for me, and an area that I work to improve on daily!  I believe both prioritizing my daily tasks and listing them out (so I then mark things off and feel a sense of accomplishment) have helped tremendously.  Personally, it helps me see to see the things that I don't get done and yet, somehow, everyone lived (haha!).  

For instance, I used to sweep the floor anytime I saw some crumbs or have to make all of the beds before we leave the house (don't look at me like that...I told you I have issues!).  While I still like these things to be done, they're not a priority.  I've learned that if there are some crumbs on the floor or the beds aren't made every day, it's not a big deal!  The kids will still be fed, clean, and happy.  My husband will still have dinner on the table at 7pm (ok, 7-ISH...).  Life will continue!

I guess the point I'm trying to make with this last tip is that you don't have to be perfect.  No one expects you to be, so why should YOU expect yourself to be?  Do what's important, get done what you can, and let the rest go.  Hey, if I (the self-proclaimed Queen of OCDs) can do it, you can totally do it!

I hope this post helps to inspire you guys to take a step back, refocus, and organize your lives a bit - or at least know that you're not alone!  If you ever have any questions or just want to ask for some prayer to help you through a difficult/crazy time, I'm just an email or DM away!  

Love you guys!

**Since I know this question will come up, the calendar and legal pad/clipfolio were purchased at Target , and then grocery list pad was given to me as a gift (for someone who knows my list-lovin' heart!), but you can find them at Office Depot (click the link provided).

Chocolate Chip Coconut Collagen Balls

Well that's a mouthful.

But a delicious one. [wink wink]

These little gems are a play on my family's favorite "Energy Balls" (which you can find here).  I just tweaked a few ratios, omitted some ingredients, and gave them a nice little boost of protein with Vital Proteins' brand spankin' new COCONUT COLLAGEN CREAMER.  Oh yeah.  It's just as amazing as it sounds.  

They're super simple to make (think 5 min or less) and are perfect to pop in your mouth for some pre-workout fuel or just grab when you're in need of a sweet treat.  

CHOCOLATE CHIP COCONUT COLLAGEN BALLS

Prep Time: 5 min

Total Time: 25-35 min (including time in the freezer)

Servings: around 15

INGREDIENTS

• 1 C rolled oats
• 1/2 C nut butter (I used 1/4 C @georgiagrinders creamy cashew butter + 1/4 C @eatnuttzo power fuel chocolate seed/nut butter)
• 3 scoops @vitalproteins COCONUT COLLAGEN CREAMER (their brand new product, which is AMAZING 🙌 They also have a vanilla and gingerbread flavor 🤤)
• 1/4 C unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2-3 splashes of @rebbl chocolate reishi drink (or you could use nut milk)
• 1/4 C @enjoylifefoods mini chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

Put everything but the chocolate chips into a food processor. Blend on low/pulse until it forms a ball (adding in the splashes of liquid a little at a time as needed to help it along). Fold in the chocolate chips. Roll into balls (recipe makes about 15) and freeze for 20-30 min to help set. Store in fridge or freezer for easy snack-a-lackin’. 

I've been busy working on some other yummy recipes lately, as well as some other interesting blog posts for you guys.  My goal is to blog more frequently/routinely so I can share some of the mom tips, life hacks, workouts, and recipes with you all!  So stay tuned! 

Blessings!