Meal Planning for a Busy Schedule - 21 Day Fix style

With 2 children that are involved in extra-curricular activities, and my husband and I both working full-time, I've found it is so easy to get caught at 5:30 and realize I haven't taken anything out for dinner and need something fast, which usually results in something processed and not so healthy. Since starting 21 Day Fix (on Day 2 of Round 2 now), I've become quite fond of the meal planning aspect of it all. Taking 30-40 minutes a week to plan out our meals for the upcoming week based on what I know our schedules are going to be has made it a breeze to make sure we are eating healthy meals that can be prepared based on the amount of time I have to spend getting dinner ready and served. For instance, tonight, my daughter had cheer practice from 3:45-5:45, and then softball at 7. We live about 20 minutes from town, so the time between practices is not enough to come home, cook and eat dinner, and get back to town. So today, I dropped her off at cheer, came home and got dinner cooked, packaged up our plates and my son and I met my husband and daughter and had dinner in the car in the parking lot of the softball field. It worked perfectly, kept us on budget and on plan. Here's a pic of our yummy dinner!

I marinated boneless pork chops in Tony Chachere's Creole Pork marinade and grilled them. Served with a baked sweet potato dusted with cinnamon and steamed green beans. It was kind of fun to sit in the car together and share dinner and just have a moment of peace and togetherness before going back to the hectic day. And I definitely felt better about what we were eating than if we'd gone through a fast food drive thru instead! This whole week is going to be busy and a little unusual with the kids on spring break, but we're ready for it! Check back for more meal ideas and let me know if you'd like me to help you create a meal plan and get started on 21 Day Fix!

21 Day Fix

Here we are on the end of Day 16 of 21 Day Fix!! I am so excited about the results we are getting from this program! My husband refuses to get on a scale until the end, but I can see his hard work paying off and the changes in his physique (what a fun word) in just this short time. I wanted to take a minute and share a few of the things we've enjoyed on our meal plans so far.

Saute edamame in EVOO, some minced garlic and crushed red pepper (1 green). Serve with a baked sweet potato (1 yellow), dusted with cinnamon and a grilled pork loin. I marinated the pork loin in some OJ, EVOO, and McCormick's Gourmet Bourbon Spiced Pork seasoning (1 red). 

This is one of my favorite morning snacks. Toasted Bagel Thin (1 yellow), 1 70 cal Greek Yogurt (1 red), and a mix of strawberries and blueberries (1 purple). 

Loved this salad of spinach, strawberries, blueberries, feta and shredded rotisserie chicken. 1 Green, 1 Purple, 1 Red, and 1/2 blue. Dressed with dark chocolate balsamic and EVOO (1 tsp). 

Chicken tostadas were a hit with my kids! Shredded rotisserie chicken (1/2 red) mixed with store bought pico de gallo (1/2 green), topped on a tostado (1 yellow) and sprinkled with 1/2 blue of shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for about 15-18 minutes. 

Fish tacos were a big hit. Season tilapia with cilantro, lime juice, sea salt, pepper, cumin, paprika. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Mix broccoli slaw with pico de gallo, lime juice, and 1/2 cup non fat Greek yogurt. Crumble baked fish and serve on warmed corn tortillas with 1/2 green container of slaw and fresh avocado (1/2 blue) and shredded cheese (1/2 blue). These are per taco, 2 tacos per serving. You may have to adjust the avocado and cheese based on your container allowance. Mash the avocado and spread on the tortilla to make it go further. 

Another favorite, roasted asparagus, wild rice and grilled venison backstrap. Sprinkle asparagus (1 green) with garlic powder, pepper, Worcestershire, and Parmesan (1/2 blue). 1 Yellow of Wild Rice. Marinate backstrap in Wine Rub (from Pepper Palace) and Worcestershire. Grill on Med/Hi heat for 5-6 minutes per side, until medium rare (anything longer will dry the meat out and lose the flavor and tenderness that venison offers). Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice into 1/4 inch strips for serving. 

Venison Chili. 1 lb of ground venison, 1 can of kidney beans (I pureed them because my kids do not like beans....or so they think), 1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 1 or 2 tsp minced garlic, 1 can of low sodium tomato sauce, 1 can low sodium tomato paste, 1 package Mrs. Dash (no salt) chili seasoning. Serve with dollop of Greek yogurt and shredded cheese. 

I can't believe we've been able to eat food this amazing (and this is just a few of the things we've had on our menu), and still lose weight. 5 meals a day, 30 minutes of workouts each day....and it simply works. Eating real food, giving our workouts our best effort, and using the support of a challenge group. These are the 3 keys of success to 21 Day Fix. 

I'd love to help you on your journey to reaching your health and fitness goals. This is not about getting skinny....it's about getting strong. And healthy. And happy with yourself. And proud of what you've achieved. Setting goals and reaching them. You have to give yourself permission to succeed and plan for it. It is possible, you can do this! 

Want more information? Please visit my website, www.beachbodycoach.com/rmbmajor

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