Enjoy this seasonly inspired smoothie for an easy high protein and super tasty breakfast. Only a couple of ingredients and it tastes like Pumpkin Pie. Enjoy!
about 240ml of water, or enough to reach your desired smoothie consistency
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
Want to try one of my favorite protein powders to help you reach your daily protein needs? Use code MELANIE10 for 10% off your first order from Outwork Nutrition.
Find this high protein recipe and so much more in my E Cookbooks dedicated to macro friendly recipes perfect for meal prep and beyond. Reach your fitness goals with my easy and delicious recipes! This recipe is from Volume 1.
The best meals and snacks for a fat loss diet include choices that are high volume, high fiber, high protein and lower in calories.
Including meals and snacks that fit this criteria help to ensure better satiety and hunger regulation. This makes it easier to stick to the calorie deficit required to lose fat.
In addition, a high protein diet is crucial for muscle retention while dieting. Otherwise the risk of muscle loss during dieting makes any weight loss results less sustainable. Aiming for 1g of protein per pound of ideal bodyweight everyday is a great target.
It’s also important to include foods that are delicious and flavorful. Any fat loss diet that lacks the opportunity for food enjoyment requires unnecessary levels of will power. When we feel overly restricted and bored, diet adherence disintegrates.
Next is a list of some of my favorite meals and snacks to include in a fat loss phase.
Air Popped Popcornseasoned with grated parmesan cheese and garlic powder
Fresh Fruitsuch as sliced apple dusted with cinnamon
Frozen Fruit such as mixed berries sprinkled with cocoa
Hearty Soup or Stew packed with a lean protein source and loads of vegetables
Huge Saladfilled with a variety of vegetables, a lean protein source, and a light dressing
High Protein Homemade Baked Treatsuch as chocolate brownies made with greek yogurt instead of butter and protein powder instead of wheat flour
Fruit And Protein Smoothiecontaining a scoop or two of flavored protein powder and frozen strawberries and bananas
I highly recommend putting the time in to learn how to turn your favorite foods and recipes into healthier versions by swapping in better ingredients. My e cookbooks are filled with ways to do this. They are also filled with over 100 of my tried and true recipes for soups, dressings, brownies, cookies, smoothies, and so much more!
Now 8 years into my journey I get a lot of comments such as “Well, it’s easier for you because_____. It’s harder for me because_____. “
I wouldn’t call the efforts required over 4 years to lose 145lbs and another 4 years of maintaining and leveling up my body composition.… easy. But that’s beside the point. No one wins in the competition of who’s had it the hardest.
We all have our own unique set of circumstances and challenges that we navigate while prioritizing our heath and well being.
The great thing about living a healthy life with healthy habits and routines is that it works for everyone.
Young and old.
Underweight and overweight.
Weak and injured.
Through all stages of life and through all manner of struggles, we all benefit from taking care of ourselves with a healthy lifestyle.
It is a huge step to let go of the narrative of old self limiting beliefs and to start putting our energy in the right places.
I promise that each of our own challenges and life histories do not need to be a permanent crutch. We need to let go of comparison and allow all the things we have uniquely survived remind us of how awesome and capable and resilient we are.
When new purpose outweighs old excuses results have no choice but to follow.
The only way to guarantee no results is to give up.
Never Quit!
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.
Over the course of losing and keeping off 145lbs I have learned quite a bit about what it takes to make weight loss not only possible, but also sustainable.
It can feel hard to build new habits.That’s why it is best to keep things as simple as possible. It’s amazing how all the small things we do each day add up with time and consistency, not perfection.
Here are 5 proactive habits you can begin doing now to help you get and stay fit long term.
Cook: make most of your meals at home.
Grocery shop: do this weekly to make sure you always have fresh fruits and vegetables and lean proteins available.
Walk: Move more often throughout the day. Bonus points if you can do it outside.
Don’t snack: Mindless snacking makes it so easy to overeat. Aim for 3-5 meals each containing at least 25g lean protein and a fruit and/or veg at consistent meal times.
Found Moment Exercise: Don’t let the excuse of not having enough time stop you from doing something! A solid session of resistance training is great. But if time is limited a set of push ups or bodyweight squats sprinkled throughout the day really add up!
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.
This lasagna is one of my staple dinners. Using simple ingredients and a few key swaps to cut back on the calorie load of a typical lasagna it is an amazing option that the entire family will enjoy. Made in bulk, it is still delicious when reheated during the week.
Meal planning and meal prep is a huge part of my weight management success. I plan each week what my meals are going to be and their portions. Then I grocery shop and prep ahead of time for those meals.
To keep and maintain my results I continue to set myself up for success on a daily basis. It’s those moments when we feel tired and hungry that we make the easiest and fastest choice. For me, that used to mean carry out or having extra snacks while waiting on my main meal to come together. However, planning and preparing ahead makes the fastest and easiest choice also the best choice for my health and fitness goals.
The recipe for my Macro Friendly Lasagna is from the Bulk Meal Prep section of my e cookbook “The Art of Meal Prep for Sustainable Living Volume 1”.
The recipe pages are taken straight from the cookbook. Free recipe below. Give it a try and see what you think!
I wrote my cookbooks so I could have all my go to recipes in a convenient location to make choosing what to meal prep each week easier. But I am excited to be able to share them with you too. This way you have plenty of easy and delicious recipes to help you reach and maintain your own fitness goals.
If you want over 120 more of my recipes in two convenient E Cookbooks check out my website for details on how to get your own copies. Click below for details.
“Melanie has managed to put together an amazing collection of recipes which are not only macro friendly and easy to make, they are incredibly delicious! This recipe collection is a must have for anyone. Every recipe is easy to make, full of flavour and fits into my lifestyle! Thank you Melanie for sharing all your wonderful creations!” -Wendy D.
Find me on Instagram for more recipes, fitness tips, and meal ideas.
Only a few ingredients and super short prep time means you could easily put this in the crockpot in the morning and it will be ready come dinner time.
Serve over rice with a side of steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
You can also make this into a hearty and tasty soup by adding a serving of this chicken to a serving of cooked rice and some frozen vegetables along with 1 cup of water. Viola, soup!
One quick tip for those of you wanting to shred body fat: Eat more soup! The volume goes a long way to keep hunger at bay.
Serves 6
Per serving
235 calories
24.7g protein
6g carbohydrate
11.5g fat
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
672g frozen boneless skinless chicken breast (about 3 large breasts)
406ml coconut milk (1 can)
200g sliced onion
2 tbsp curry powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp ground pink Himalayan salt
DIRECTIONS
Add all of the ingredients to a crockpot and cook on high for about 4-5 hours or until the chicken is cooked through and can be easily shredded with 2 forks.
Using 2 forks shred the chicken and stir so the chicken can absorb all the tasty coconut curry juices it cooked in. Allow to cool a bit before storing. Keeps for 4-5 days in the refrigerator for fast lunches or dinners all week long. Or freeze portion for future meals.
Need some more fun and delicious recipes to help you reach your goals? My e- cookbooks are available! Click below for details.
This Coconut Curry Crockpot Chicken bulk meal prep recipe is in Volume 1 as well as many more yummy and versatile quick prep, bulk prep, and sweets and snacks prep recipes.
Find me on Instagram for more recipes, fitness tips, and meal ideas.
8 years between these pictures. You want to know the secrets to losing weight and keeping it off for good?
Well… there are no secrets.
No magic diet, or pill you can take to make the body fat melt off.
It takes consistent WORK. It takes changing bad habits for good.
It takes realizing habits you thought were good really aren’t if you are not seeing results.
It takes prioritizing your long term health over your short term wants every single day.
It takes falling in love with the process.
It takes a radical mindset shift, determination, and good information to help you along the way.
3 helpful tips to get you going on your Sustainable Living fitness journey.
Be Patient. Sustainable results are slow going. If the process was quick and easy we would all be walking around in our dream bodies. Losing 2-4 pounds a month is amazing progress!
Be Realistic. Set daily goals that you can actually achieve. If you haven’t exercised in months, don’t expect to hit it hard from the start, training 6 days a week and an hour everyday. This will burn you out. Daily walks and a couple 30 minute full body workouts per week are a great start.
Celebrate your daily wins! Big and small. If you make a mistake or fall off track, that’s okay. Learning how to lose weight and keep it off is a skill. It takes practice. Don’t beat yourself up. Be kind and keep going NOW.
You are only one good habit away from being back on track.
Drink a glass of water, take a 10 minute walk, or enjoy 3 deep slow breaths. Cool. Now you are back on track!! Make those small efforts add up so you can lose weight AND keep it off for good!
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.
Healthy whole foods do not need to be boring and plain. Keep my top 5 everyday sauces and condiments on hand so you can always add flavor, texture and variety to your meals without loads of excess calories.
Yellow Mustard
Monk Fruit Granulated Sweetener
Sugar Free BBQ Sauce
Dill Pickles
Hot Sauce
Looking for ways to make all your healthy and homemade meals flavorful? Click here to learn more about my E Cookbooks. “The Art Of Meal Prep For Sustainable Living Volumes 1 and 2” are dedicated to meal prep and to eating well without sacrificing enjoyment or flavor.
Learn: What circumstances preceded the events that led to it?
Plan: Is there a way to make it easier for you to stick to your goals in the future?
Keep Going: Consistency not perfection. It’s what you do most of the time that matters.
Don’t be discouraged if you fall off track. Everyone does. The only way to discover your potential is if you keep going.
Remember, a fitness journey lasts a lifetime.
Reflect- Learn- Plan- Keep Going
You’ve got this!
Use these steps to help you reach your fitness goals and to help you maintain your hard earned results long term.
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.
