january 15 marks the end of my housewife status which sucks major ass. as this date comes screaming towards me (rather too quickly!), i've been trying to figure out how to rearrange my schedule when it comes to exercise and meals and after much thought, i've decided that the best time for me to exercise is at 5am every day, bleh. but you do what you gotta do, right? even though the "right thing" is ass.
each morning, i'll have close to 2hrs to get everything done (eat, exercise, shower, get ready etc) before i either have to leave for work (645am) or get kayla ready for school (7am). i'm not concerned about having to wake before 5am (even though it sucks balls); what i'm most stressed about is what i'm going to be eating pre-workout and throughout the day while i'm at work. since i no longer have the luxury of eating breakfast 8am (at a leisurely pace, i might add), i now have to plan all of my meals in advance for the week since i refuse to eat the garbage they call "food" at my work cafeteria.
knowing this, i super-sleuthed my way through the interwebs to find some healthy, quick recipes and here's what i plan to incorporate into my meal plans for those rushed mornings:
breakfasts/pre-workout snacks:
1) my number one, go-to breakfast is 3 microwaved egg whites on a whole wheat english muffin (1/2 slice of cheddar is optional meaning, if it's in my fridge). it literally takes 5 mintues to prepare and you can wrap that sucker up and eat it on the way to work or in my case, scarf it down before a workout. throw in a single slice of all-natural, nitrate free ham and you've got yourself a healthy, filling breakfast sammich!
the mcdonalds egg mcmuffin in all its fatty, sodium-filled glory is only 300 calories (i couldn't believe it either) so given that this isn't anywhere near as unhhealthy as that, this sandwich is only 224 calories (without the ham). with the ham (smoked, nitrate free) is 284 calories.
2) broccoli and egg mini omelets
{via skinnytaste.com}
servings: makes 9 | calories: 103.9 | Fat: 6.5g | Carbs: 2.7g | Fiber: 1.2g | Protein: 8.7g
Ingredients:
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 4 whole eggs
- 1 cup egg whites
- 1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar
- 1/4 cup good grated cheese like pecorino romano
- 1 tbs olive oil
- salt and fresh pepper
- cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Steam broccoli with a little water for about 6-7 minutes.
When broccoli is cooked, mash into smaller pieces and add olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Spray cupcake tin with cooking spray and spoon broccoli mixture evenly into 9 tins.
In a medium bowl, beat egg whites, eggs, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Pour into the greased tins over broccoli until a little more than 3/4 full. Top with grated cheddar and bake in the oven until cooked, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately or wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator to enjoy during the week <-- bonus!
--eat with a toasted whole wheat english muffin and you have a yummy, filling breakfast!
3) overnight oats in a jar (tested & successful!!):
*recipe from skinnytaste.com
Servings: 1 • Serving Size: 1 jar • Calories: 244.9 • Fat: 10.8g • Carbs: 35.4g • Fiber: 8.5g •Protein: 6g • Sugar: 12g
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup quick oats
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or skim, soy)
- 1/4 cup chopped strawberries (you can also sub in blueberries or other fruit etc).
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
- 2tsp brown sugar
- pinch cinnamon
Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a jar, shake, cover and refrigerate overnight. Add your favorite crunchy toppings such as nuts, granola, etc and enjoy the next day!
RESULT:
i modified this a bit and added 1 scoop of vega protein performance chocolate protein powder, fresh strawberries, an extra 1/4 cup almond milk (because of the extra protein powder) and about 2tsp cinnamon. i didn't use the banana or added any toppings.
it tastes SO GOOD and is incredibly filling. the temperature really wakes you up and is very refreshing but it's filling so if you plan to eat this before a workout, eat half and then eat the other half after the workout.
4) low-fat peanut butter and banana muffins
{via skinnytaste.com}
see here for step-by-step instructions. i love that these can be wrapped and eaten on the go!
5) Eco-Planet Organics hot cereal (oatmeal):
i'm
not a huge fan of hot cereal, but i know that it's filling, really good
for you, gives you the fiber you need to poop regularly and what i like
about this brand is that it uses 100% organic ingredients and made in a
dedicated facility that has zero exposure to soy, dairy and gluten
products. not that i care all that much about that but the less soy
exposure the better because we all know that processed soy (by-products)
are no bueno.
i tried the "original" one already (aka plain as fuck) and i won't lie: plain oatmeal tastes like ass. so, i added a tablespoon of honey and cinnamon and tossed in a handful of fresh blueberries and it wasn't bad. next time, i plan to use some brown sugar, cinnamon and half a banana.
at work, i stock my cabinets full of healthy things to eat:
Vega all in one nutritional shake; healthy planet, $54.99 per tub:
i don't believe in drinking my calories but when i'm between (or in back-to-back) meetings and need something light and healthy to tie me over until lunch, this shake is perfect and 100% clean. mix 1 scoop with 1-1.5cups of water and shake.
Vega Sport protein bars:
the "cleanest" bars that i've found so far. i love the vega brand because it's a natural, all-plant based formulation. it's free of dairy, gluten and most importantly, soy. this is the only protein bar that doesn't use any soy-based protein or fillers. it also tastes really good and gives you a good dose of protein (15g).
other snacks that i usually take to work:
after closer inspection, i realized that clif bars use an awful lot of soy-based products in their bars, booooo. i bought a crap load of boxes from target so i just have to finish them off and then that's it for the clif bar. too bad too because it tastes really good.
this week is my "test week" for my new eating and workout routine. even though i'm not at work yet, i needed this time to get my body used to working out at the 5am bullshit time and figure out how much i need to eat pre-workout without feeling sluggish.
what are some healthy snacks that you eat? i'm always looking for more ideas!
