Start your new meal prep routine with these 3 easy steps.
1. Freeze ripe bananas for easy and quick protein smoothies.
2. Make a big soup with plenty of lean protein and veggies over the weekend for easy weekday lunches or dinners.
3. Make overnight oats daily for a grab and go breakfast or snack the following day.
Making many different items in bulk can be overwhelming.
Prep simple things like freezing ripe bananas for smoothies, or chop fresh veggies for salads.
Pick one thing to make in bulk to get you going.
Prep other single serve meals and snacks throughout the week as you go.
Then add more bulk prep as you gain more confidence.
Want to learn way more about meal prep? Want loads of delicious meal prep friendly recipes? My e cookbooks dedicated to helping you master the art of meal prep are available now. Click here to find out more. Subscribe to my newsletter for a discount.
Make your health and fitness goals a priority with the help of this tasty, quick and easy chicken salad recipe. It is high in protein, low in calories and has loads of flavor thanks to the green herbs. It stays light thanks to the nonfat Greek yogurt, but still has enough mayonnaise to give you the rich tangy flavor of their full fat counterparts. Don’t have canned chicken. Try canned tuna or salmon instead!
Serves 2: Per serving –140 calories 24g protein 2g carbohydrate 4g fat
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
1 can cooked chicken drained (I like the one from Costco)
30g nonfat Greek yogurt
14g mayonnaise
1-2 tbsp chopped green fresh herbs (any single herb or combination of dill, parsley, cilantro, and chives)
1/2- 1 tsp dried herbs if no fresh are available
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS :
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. This makes enough for two. So you can either share or save it for the next day. Leftovers store up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Perfect with bread, in a wrap, on crackers or use it to top a bed of greens.
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Need some more fun and delicious recipes to help you reach your goals? My e- cookbook is available! Click here for details. The Art of Meal Prep For Sustainable LivingThis chicken salad recipe is in it as well as many more yummy and versatile quick and bulk meal prep recipes including soups, pizza dough, and BBQ.
Find me on Instagram for more recipes, fitness tips, and meal ideas.
As long as you are creating an energy deficit via diet and/or exercise you will lose fat.
Do you like shorter more intense intervals via HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) or do you like longer less intense sessions via LISS (Low Intensity Steady State)?
The type of cardio you choose does not change your ability to lose fat.
Which type of cardio you choose depends on your preferences.
You can also do both which is my preference for general health and because I enjoy it.
Consistency is key to having a Sustainable Fitness Journey.
Your preferences matter.
Consistency is only possible when you enjoy the journey.
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If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
We should get at least 30g of high quality protein in each of our meals. Next are my top 5 lean protein sources and their portions in grams. Each portion contains 30 grams of protein.
Whey protein: 35g = 124 calories
Raw Boneless skinless Chicken breast: 130g = 134 calories
Raw Tail On Shrimp: 155g = 127 calories
Egg whites: 275g = 133 calories
Nonfat Greek Yogurt: 285g = 168 calories
Having these lean and high protein foods in stock will make it easier to hit your meal and overall daily protein goals.
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If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
As long as you are in a calorie deficit and eating sufficient protein, either can work!
(About 1g per pound of your ideal bodyweight is a good place to aim for.)
You can lose fat on high carb, high fat, or balanced diets. Macronutrient distribution does not change your ability to lose fat.
This is great news!
Choose whatever makes you feel and perform your best.
Consistency is key to having a Sustainable Fitness Journey.
Your preferences matter. Consistency is only possible when you enjoy the journey.
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If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
These simple and effective tips are the ones I follow 365. If a day doesn’t go as well as I hoped, I start fresh the next day.
1.
MAKE SURE EACH MEAL CONTAINS AT LEAST 30G OF PROTEIN.
2.
INCLUDE FRUITS AND/OR VEGGIES WITH EACH MEAL.
3.
EAT REGULARLY AND DON’T ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET TOO HUNGRY.
4.
DON’T SNACK OR NIBBLE BETWEEN MEALS.
5.
DON’T RESTRICT FOODS OR FOOD GROUPS AND YOU CAN INCLUDE FUN FOODS IN MODERATION.
Stay Consistent.
Treat yourself with kindness.
And the results will follow.
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If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
🌟Client Spotlight🌟 We have been working together for over 2 years now and I am so proud of all he has accomplished.
He began his journey with me after losing a substantial amount of weight (over 100 lbs!) and though super successful on his own with weight loss, moving away from the dieters mentality was a hurdle he was having trouble navigating on his own.
This client had already lost 100lbs before we started working together.
Post weight loss there is an understandable fear of regaining the weight back. (Unfortunately, this is the common reality for most.) It’s nerve wracking to increase calories, to increase carbohydrates, and to decrease activity.
His goals with me included building more muscle, but he wanted to do so in a sustainable way that minimized fat regain.
Initailly I guided him through a reverse diet followed by a long lean muscle building phase that together lasted a full 18 months. In that time we increased his calories (including carbohydrates) and I tailored his weight training program to fit his physique goals while keeping in mind the various obstacles he faced along the way. I adjusting his program as needed as he dealt with life and work. I guiding him through the recovery process after an accident that crushed his toe just 9 months into the process, and even more recently, adjusted his programming to accommodate a healing finger that needed stitches after an accident in the kitchen. (Life keeps happening even when we have fitness goals, and if we stay positive and creative there is always progress to be gained.)
At the end of the 18 month build be was up 10kgs or 22 lbs. Even though he gained a little bit of fat along the way, what he actually gained was mostly muscle.
Over the last 6 months we embarked on a fat loss journey. Using a small deficit and continuing to resistance train he slowly revealed the muscle he worked to build. During his fat loss phase his strength continued to go up and he still ate a substantial amount of food including plenty of protein and carbohydrates. In this time he lost fat and retained his muscle (even built muscle) reducing his scale weight by about 3-4kgs or 7-8 lbs. Notice by his pictures he is leaner now than when we started 2 years ago, but he is still up in scale weight by about 6-7kgs or 15 lbs.
2 years later! Not only has this client maintained his fat loss results, he continues to build more muscle!
Not all scale weight increases are to be feared! He has learned that first hand. Over his 18 month build he averaged a gain of .54kgs or 1.2lbs per month and the vast majority of those gains were from increasing his lean muscle mass. This is incredible!
His full transformation to date. Weight loss is only the beginning! Building muscle after the diet ends is the next step for epic results that last!
I know first hand what it takes to lose weight. I also know how hard it is to let go of an attachment to certain scale numbers to keep those results coming. But it’s so worth it to keep going after the “diet” ends. I deeply appreciate his trust in me to stay the course and stay consistent with my recommendations day in and day out these last few years.
What’s next for him? We are currently on his second reverse diet. We are building back calories and carbohydrates and aiming for some more lean muscle gains. It’s time to take his current results to yet another level!
Weight loss is only the beginning. It feels amazing to keep setting goals and to continue to level up.
Also see his full transformation to date. It is possible to lose weight, keep it off, and build a strong, capable, and healthy body.
If we can do it. You can too.
If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
When it comes to breakfast, meet my morning staple. Loaded with all the good stuff to keep me feeling energetic and capable to tackle the day. I want to train hard during my workouts and still have energy to take care of my work and life to do list. This is for the those with high performance goals. Meet life’s demands and feel like a badass of mind and body all day long! And did I mention it’s delicious??
Serves 1
573 calories
36g protein
85g carbohydrate
10g fat
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
240ml 2% milk
40g rolled oats
30g whey protein powder (flavor of choice)
10g sugar free instant pudding mix (flavor of choice)
100g sliced ripe banana
100g frozen berries
pinch of salt
Optional: 10g zero calorie sweetener or choice sprinkles on top
Directions:
On the stove top or microwave, cook the oats in the milk until softened. In a glass storage bowl (bonus if it has a matching lid) measure out your protein powder, pudding mix, and add a pinch of salt. Add your cooked oats in milk to the bowl with your measured dry ingredients and whisk together for 1 minute. This will help it to thicken. Top with the fruit and optional sweetener. Enjoy right away, in a couple hours, or even make the night before. If, enjoying later, store in the refrigerator or cooler with ice packs. Mix and match flavors of protein powder, pudding mix, and fruits to keep things fun!
***You will find this recipe and over 60 more in my upcoming E Cookbook The Art Of Meal Prep For Sustainable Living- Volume 2.***
Follow me on Instagram to stay up to date for its release, but in the meantime enjoy this free recipe straight from it!
1 year later and this amazing client never ceases to amaze me.
She show’s the power of staying consistent over time. She consistently reaches her step goal and fits in her workouts. She consistently meets her protein and calorie targets. All to maximize her ability to build muscle, get stronger and reduce body fat.
This is not to say that in the last year there have not been difficult days or even weeks.
As I remind all my clients, we do not live in a bubble when we decide to make fitness a priority. As a full time working parent and wife she still juggles life’s demands. But through all of it, she still makes fitness a priority.
And because she has, she is making incredible progress that is both maintainable and sustainable.
As I reminded her recently in our weekly email check in. She can do this. Because she has already done it.
Time and consistency will keep giving her the results.
Because the time will pass anyway. Why not make the most of it.
Let’s make the most of your time!
Melanie was my last ditch attempt at losing weight before I decided I would just give up. I had spent the previous 9 years since I had my daughter being told by doctors that I needed to lose weight, but them providing me with no or very unhelpful guidance in how to do so. This culminated with a doctor telling me the only way I would lose weight was if I went on a 1,000 calorie a day diet of protein shakes and veggies. Previous doctors had told me I would lose weight if I got a handle on my stress. One told me to start taking the stairs instead of the elevator after I told her that I worked out in the gym 6 days a week. I’ve worked out religiously for 20 years, but I never understood nutrition which led to a vicious pattern of restricting food and then binging because I was so hungry. Every time I tried something new to lose weight, I would end up gaining some more. Then came COVID. I was stuck in the house with a 7 year old trying to do virtual school and also work full time. My husband had to continue to work outside the home. My anxiety was through the roof and I ate all my feelings. I gained 30 pounds in a short period of time.
My goal has never been to lose a massive amount of weight. I just wanted to feel like myself again. Fit into my clothes again. So far, I’ve lost 10% of my body weight and the clothes that were packed away fit again. Best of all, I feel so strong and healthy and I feel like I’m setting a good example for my daughter.
Melanie’s greatest quality as a coach is her kindness. She is always supportive and never judgmental. Whenever I have a bad week and feel like a failure, she sends me motivating messages that make me feel like I’m normal and I can get right back to the plan. She takes all aspects of my life into consideration. Working full time, being a mom, hormone changes, sleep changes, holidays, and traveling are all acknowledged and considered when coming up with a healthy living plan. She doesn’t pretend like I live in a bubble and am unaffected by outside forces.
She doesn’t hold me to a plan of foods that I don’t like. I can eat whatever I want as long as it fits within my macros. Her workouts are very easy to follow and make the best use of my time. I actually spend less time in the gym now than I did before I started working with her. Working smarter, not harder. I’m still a work in progress, but I’m gaining my confidence back.
If you’re on the fence about hiring a trainer, I highly advise that you take the leap. Don’t give up on yourself. I promise that you will not be disappointed working with Melanie.
A.W.
If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
Guess what!? They are the same tips I recommend all year around no matter where you find yourself in the world. We bring ourselves anywhere we go and these basics will always help us reach, maintain, and level up our fitness. Even while traveling.
Stay proactive with these habits so you can feel good wherever life takes you.
1. Cook and prepare your own meals most of the time. Choose accommodations that have at least a mini fridge and microwave and you can make all kinds of delicious and healthy meals.
2. Grocery shop: upon arrival get to a local store. Grab some easy lean proteins, fruits, veggies, plus some healthy snacks.
3. Walk: Stay active by exploring new places on foot.
4. Don’t snack: Mindless snacking makes it so easy to overeat. Have a well rounded breakfast, lunch, and dinner centered around a lean protein plus a fruit and/or veggie.
5. Exercise: Don’t let the excuse of not having equipment or gym access stop you from training! A solid session of weight training is great, but you can do a lot with bodyweight only exercises. When my fitness coaching clients are traveling I always make sure to provide them with a fun and quick full body- bodyweight workout.
If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
