Starved Rock

I’ve made it my goal this summer, and in general, to spend less time sitting down. This has been a challenge for me as I have had to think of ways to pass the time that don’t involve laying in bed watching One Tree Hill or sitting on the couch with Adam watching Alaska State Troopers. So when Adam suggested we go to Starved Rock this past Saturday, I was totally game.

Most of the trails and canyons were closed that day due to damage from storms, but we were still able to do the short circle around Starved Rock and then hike the Illinois Canyon a couple miles down the road.

It was such a beautiful day with temperatures around 80 degrees and very little humidity.

We even managed to avoid the temptation to indulge at local ice cream shops by packing our own snacks. The cashews and grapes were a better way to fuel our bodies anyway.

What a great way to spend a Saturday!

Brittany

Meal Planning

This summer has been a testing season of sorts for me. Although I am still living on campus, I’m much more on my own than ever before. I have had to make time to grocery shop each week, comparing prices and nutrition labels like a responsible adult. And in an effort to maintain as much order and efficiency as possible (hello, Type A personality) weekly meal plans have been a necessity.

Meal planning keeps me on track with my spending, but it has also been a huge help staying on track with clean eating. Here’s how it works for me…

I typically start planning on Fridays (that’s when the new weekly challenges come out for my summer challenge group). For each day of the week I make a line for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, workout, and water. I also write down what hours I work that day. Then I start filling in meals. Honestly, this is what takes me the longest. Breakfasts are easy because I’m totally okay with eggs and oatmeal every day. Lunches look different from week to week, and sometimes day to day, because there are some days when I need a quick lunch while working and other days I have more time to prepare something. Salads and/or leftovers are pretty typical lunches for me.

Right now, since I’m working on a limited income and only cooking for myself, I will usually choose just one or two options for dinners each week. I don’t need something different each night of the week. It’s pretty easy at the beginning of the week to bake some chicken and sweet potatoes. Add some veggies and dinners are set for the week.

When it comes to snacks, I don’t really plan those in advance in terms of what I will eat specifically each day of the week. I just make sure I have a bunch of healthy, portable options on hand so I can grab and go. I’ll stick to the plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and then go back into my notebook each day and write down what I ended up having for snacks as well as how many ounces of water I had that day.

After finishing my meal planning on Fridays, it’s pretty easy to write up a grocery list. So grocery shopping happens sometime over the weekend, and then Sunday nights or Monday mornings are spent preparing food (cooking chicken and potatoes, cutting up veggies, measuring out serving sizes for snacks). After all of that, I have found that sticking to healthy eating has been almost a no-brainer.

I do have to admit that I am not perfect at this. A couple weeks ago I realized that I tend to “cheat” in social settings. If I get invited out for dinner with friends or someone offers me pizza/ice cream/junk out of hospitality, I have a really hard time saying no. Having come to this realization, I am really trying to work on bringing good food with me or suggesting healthier alternatives in the next few weeks. Clean eating is important to me, but it’s not so important that I’m going to shut myself in my room in order to stick to the plan. In order to make real, lasting changes, you have to find balance. That’s why I allow myself to go out. I allow myself to have treats. But if I do go out, I try to make the best food choices that I can.

I’m still trying to find what works for me when it comes to this new healthy lifestyle, because I truly do want it to be a lifestyle change, not just a diet I tried for a month or two but ultimately didn’t work. Turns out that meal planning works for me.

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

Brittany

The Brighter Days Guide to Barbecues

Barbecue season is here! Summer is prime picnic time, especially with the 4th of July this weekend.  With such a huge spread of food, how do you navigate the picnic tables and make good food choices? Here are some things to consider before you fill up your plate:

Prepared salads: Many prepared salads (like potato salad and some pasta salads) are loaded up with fatty mayonnaise, oils, and cheese. It may be best to pass up on these.

Meat: If given the choice, a grilled chicken breast is better than a brat or hot dog. Chicken is a leaner, less processed meat. And it’s so good when it’s grilled!

Chips: Empty calories, and typically very oily. Skip the chips and hit the veggie tray for a healthier, crunchy alternative.

Fruit: Watermelon? Fruit salad? Go for it!

Beverages: It’s important to stay hydrated, especially in the summer heat. Stay away from soda, which actually dehydrates you. And when it comes to fruit juices, watch the sugar content. Water is always your best bet! But if you must indulge in some adult beverages to celebrate the holiday, drink in moderation and drink responsibly.

Have a safe, fun weekend everyone! Happy Independence Day!

Brittany

A Brighter and Lighter Summer

Whoa, there’s no way it’s the end of June already! How did that happen?

I wasn’t always a big fan of summer (I actually liked being in school), but it’s growing on me as I get older. Bonfires and beaches, smoothies and sundresses, there’s something about summer that really lifts my spirits and lightens my mood.

As you know from my previous post, this summer I am taking the challenge to really push myself toward a healthier lifestyle. If your health/eating/exercise has taken a back burner lately, summer is a great time to get back on track. With all the sunshine and warm temperatures, it’s hard to find an excuse not to get out there and enjoy it. And that usually means some sort of physical activity. Swimming, biking, rollerblading, even getting involved in a softball league. A simple walk right around sunset is one of my favorite things. If you can commit to at least three days of activity each week, that’s a great place to start!

As much as I love a big bowl of chili on a cold night, summer food gets me just as excited. Give me a salad every day, please. Anyone who told you that salad is boring has no idea what they’re talking about. They probably have lame salads with iceberg lettuce, croutons, and ranch dressing. Yeah, that sounds pretty boring to me too. I love a big, bright summer salad. And salad isn’t just for veggies, friends. Add some blueberries or strawberries. I have had a spinach salad with blueberries, almonds, and a homemade lemon dressing for lunch every day this week. Top it with grilled chicken and, let me tell you folks, that thing is a winner.

Aside from the beautiful weather, one of the greatest things about summer is that a lot of fruits and veggies are finally in season (which means they’re cheaper and more readily available – yay!). When you are focusing on eating healthier, the produce aisle is your best friend. And grocery shopping can be fun when you walk through local farmers markets. Eat healthy and support your local growers: win-win.

Finally, I love summer playlists. Who doesn’t love a sunny day, driving with the windows down, and playing something loud and fun? This summer my playlist includes a lot of American Authors, CHVRCHES, and The 1975. Those are the bands that get me in the mood for driving, running, and dancing. Add some country (if you’re into that) (p.s. isn’t country music so much better in the summer?) and I’m all set for beaching or barbequing.

I am excited to continue on this challenge, using this summer to launch a healthier lifestyle. At the end of June I am already feeling brighter and lighter!

Brittany

Comment below with your favorite summer activities, summer foods, or summer music.

Back in the Game

Spring semester was a rough one. I was trying to focus on large final projects and papers and emotionally prepare myself for graduation. Up until the week before graduation, I had zero plans for summer employment and had kind of resigned myself to going back home and hopefully finding something, anything. Basically, I was living in a near-constant state of stress. And my body was not happy.

I stopped working out and neglected almost all thoughts of healthy eating. My face was breaking out and I started gaining back some of the weight I had lost the year before. I wasn’t happy with what was going on inside of my body, but I didn’t have the mental capacity to address it at that point.

After a week of vacation, settling into my summer housing, and starting my on-campus job, I was able to breathe again. And when my head finally started to clear and the anxiety and stress were nearly gone, I found the desire to live a healthier lifestyle stir in me again.

Fortunately, right around that time one of the Facebook pages I follow introduced a summer challenge. A group of people committed to making changes over the course of 90 days and seriously pursuing a healthier lifestyle. It was just the push I needed to get back in the game.

So over the last week I have found myself planning meals, buying more produce, and actually looking forward to workouts again. And it has been fun (so far)!

I have every intention of getting back into blogging this summer as well, and hopefully this will be a place of sharing and encouragement and honesty and maybe even struggles.

Thanks in advance for following me through this new season!

A Breath of Fresh Air

While all of my friends have been on Spring Break this week, I have been at my desk trying to catch up on schoolwork. Sitting for long periods of time never used to bother me much, but lately it drives me crazy. I have been especially restless this week since the weather has been improving. It’s getting warm(er) and the snow is (almost) gone.

I’m all for going hard and getting work done, but sometimes a girl needs a break. This week I decided to reward hard work with walks. It worked! Knowing that finishing this page, this chapter, these emails would earn me some time outside made me stay focused and cross a lot of things off my to-do list.

Allowing myself breaks throughout the day is good for my mental/emotional health, and taking walks around campus is good for my physical health. Win-win!

Now I can’t wait until the ground is less muddy so I can start reading outside again!

Here’s to brighter days,

Frozen (Literally)

Yikes. Chicagoland has been under Deepfreeze 2.0 Polar Vortex: The Sequel and classes were cancelled the last two days (can I get a hallelujah?). I basically annoyed everyone Monday night singing “Do you wanna build a snowman?” over and over and over. That’s actually the only line of that song I know, but I digress.

I don’t know about you, but I’m one of those people who could go for ice cream anytime. Summer. Winter. Polar Vortex. Doesn’t matter, I’m down. But we didn’t have any in the apartment, so I got creative.

Frozen orange crème yogurt. Tastes just. like. a. creamsicle. And only 90 delicious, frozen calories!

Dorm Cooking Basics: The Recipes

Welcome back to the mini-series, Dorm Cooking Basics!

My new lifestyle began toward the end of my sophomore year of college. I have spent the last year looking for ways to make eating smart easier. It would be easy for me to make excuses during this particular season of my life. After all, most microwavable meals are NOT healthy and the chocolate chip cookies at my university’s to-go services are so. freaking. good.

But I decided not to let those excuses hold me back. I have been learning and trying new things, and this mini-series is my way of sharing what I have learned with you. Most of my readers have busy schedules like me, but they also have full-sized kitchens and many more appliances at their disposal. So take a look at my basics, create some basics of your own, and stick to them. No excuses anymore, mkay?

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Today’s focus is on five simple meals/snacks that can be made easily in a typical college dorm room. Let’s dig in!

Breakfast Sandwiches
Top a multigrain English muffin with a slice of ham and reduced fat cheese. Scramble one egg in a small ramekin and microwave for 1 minute, 30 seconds (not too long or the egg will pop). Add egg to English muffin. Optional: add a tablespoon of salsa for more flavor

Oatmeal
Don’t use the instant stuff. You can make your own, better version in the same amount of time. Follow the directions on the side of the container of quick oats. The fun part is experimenting with different toppings! My favorites include: bananas and nuts, nuts and maple syrup, apples and cinnamon, peanut butter, or fresh blueberries.

Smoothies
There are almost endless possibilities when it comes to smoothies. Most of my favorites start out with a simple base of nonfat plain Greek yogurt and a banana, maybe a splash of milk. My blender doesn’t handle ice very well, but if yours does you might consider adding ice as well. Two of my favorite smoothies are:
-Banana, Greek yogurt, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg
-Banana, Greek yogurt, apples, almonds, cinnamon

Dessert Yogurt
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp. peanut butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, chocolate chips …it’s like a healthy cookie dough!
- Vanilla Greek yogurt, sprinkles, chopped peanuts …let it freeze and you have fro-yo so good you won’t be disappointed about missing Sundae Sunday in the caf.

Fruit & Nut Bowl
This has been my favorite snack this year. Slice up a banana, chop some strawberries and almonds, sprinkle a little cinnamon on it all. It’s that easy, and it’s filling and delicious too!

 

Sorry, no pictures because I wrote this over Christmas break.