What I Ate Wednesday: Intuitive Eating

Happy Wednesday!  Another week with a peak into what I eat on the daily.  Not always the same but always aiming to eat 4-5 meals each day, lots of nutrient-dense foods, some ‘fun’ foods, and some quality protein to help with those muscle gains.  I do have a certain amount of macronutrients I try to eat each day but am really trying to listen to my body more instead of eating my consistent meals I feel comfortable with.  I do not track calories currently and I haven’t for over 6 months-this was a huge step for me and I would love to show others the light when it comes to NOT counting calories.  However, I am a creature of habit and crave consistency.  I like my meals that I eat so I always think “why should I change them?”.  This may be OK for some but I am realizing this is unhealthy for my body and mind.  I should want to add more variety to my meals than I have been allowing myself.  And it is OK to eat outside of your comfort zone and try new things with your eating patterns.  Let’s see  how this panned out shall we?

breakfast//1/2 cup oats cooked with MTS vanilla whey protein powder, topped with blueberries and cinnamon with about 2 Tbsp coconut butter drizzled on top

I made a version of these oatmeal into pancakes the other weekend….just sayin’.  I wanted to eat my usual breakfast since I knew the rest of the day would be a little inconsistent with food choices.  I swear I am addicted to coconut butter and just can’t shake it…

lunch//kale, carrot, and avocado salad I made for a potluck topped with 4 oz of swai fish (I had broughten this myself to add some protein) and then a paleo pumpkin bar I made earlier this week. Along with bites of cauliflower mashed potatoes and hummus and veggies.

Listening to my body meant eating a kale and avocado salad instead of my usual roasted or steamed vegetables.  Finishing lunch with a pumpkin bar because they are HEALTHY and not because I cared about the macronutrients in it.

4 pm pre-workout work snack// Quest peanut butter and jelly bar, almonds, organic Chocolate O’s cereal

Listening to my body meant eating my usual 4 pm snack because I needed some fuel for my workout. Not skimping on food because I had more than usual at lunch.

dinner//black bean veggie burger with more avocado, Joseph’s high fiber whole grain wrap, and Trader Joe’s cruciferous blend of kale, broccoli slaw, and brussels sprouts with nutritional yeast and Sriracha.

Listening to my body meannt eating more vegetables after dinner because my body was craving greens.  And eating more healthy fat in the form of avocado because I love it.  No other reason needed.

dessert// A protein brownie made with 1 scoop protein powder, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1/4 cup almond milk, and 1 tsp baking powder and microwaved for 20 seconds topped with 1/2 Tbsp Enjoy Life chocolate chips and 2 Tbsp peanut butter.

Dessert to me means something with peanut butter. And if I can add some chocolate, that is fine by me!  I never used to think I could buy chocolate chips and eat them in moderation.  Well, times have changed and I can’t believe I have had a huge bag of Enjoy Life chocolate chips (they are dairy, soy, and gluten free and I found them at Walmart…I usually just buy dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips…doesn’t matter to me) in my freezer for months and don’t even “crave chocolate” anymore because I know I can always add some into my meals and not feel like I am eating a “cheat food”.

You know what surprised me by switching up my meals?  I love what I eat. And that’s OK.  I love trying new foods as well. And that’s OK.

Everyone is going to get to their happy place with their nutrition intake.  I am still working on it!!  But the fact that I feel healthy and happy inside and out should be a good starting place.