I'm really focused right now on leaning out — my focus in eating and at the gym right now is turning muscle to fat. (I've been hovering at right about 21% body fat and my goal has been to get into the teens, for no reason other than just because.) Because of that, you'll notice I tend to lean on the protein side of meals — lots of whey shakes, lots of chicken and veggies. On the other hand, I do a good bit of traveling ... and I don't necessarily have or make the best choices when I'm running through the airport or out to dinner with coworkers. Here's what I ate. (Also, I'm not the only one logging this week — you should read Koren's log and Nikki's log, too!)
Wednesday, January 11
Breakfast
PB&J Smoothie: that's apple juice, banana, strawberries, whey protein, and creamy peanut butter. So good ... like drinking a sandwich!
Starbucks Iced Coffee
Half a cranberry-almond Kind bar
Lunch
Jalapeno wrap with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, and chipotle ranch sauce.
Dinner
Iceberg wedge salad with blue cheese dressing
Hamburger with lettuce & tomato and cheesy grits
Glass of wine (pinot noir, yum)
Activity
Rest day!
Thoughts
I was traveling for a business trip this day, so lunch and dinner — which was out at a restaurant with coworkers — were a little bit more processed and less fresh than I try to have, with fewer snacks spaced throughout the day.
Thursday, January 12
Breakfast
Key lime pie yogurt
Bite-sized frosted mini-wheats (one of those little fun boxes)
Banana
1 cup of coffee
Lunch
Spinach salad with strawberries, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette
Dinner
Small can of Pringles
3 slices of pizza
2 glasses of red wine
Activity
Aside from running through the airport to catch a connecting flight, not a whole lot.
Recap
Ugh, I know that's a terrible dinner, and I didn't even eat it until 11 p.m. at night because of flight delays. I didn't even have time to grab a bottle of water while racing through the Charlotte airport to catch my flight back to D.C. Bad food day.
Friday, January 13
Breakfast
PB&J Smoothie: apple juice, banana, blueberries, creamy peanut butter and whey protein.
Second Breakfast
English muffin
2 slices turkey bacon
OJ
Lunch
Pacific Chicken Salad from Trader Joe's — romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, almonds, rice noodles and dressing.
Dinner
Linguine carbonara (I made this with eggs, pancetta and Parmesan ... sooooo good)
Brussels sprouts (I'm obsessed with Brussels sprouts. Obsessed.)
Activity
20-minute light cardio session and a 60-minute strength training session
Recap
Yup, I had a second breakfast today. One of the dangers of working from home, which I did on Friday, is being tempted by all the goodies in the fridge.
Saturday, January 14
Breakfast
Pomegranate-berry smoothie
English muffin
Banana
Snack
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Clif Bar
Dinner
Chicken Fajitas — homemade with chicken, green peppers, cheddar cheese/sour cream, and refried pinto beans
Snack
Half slice sharp cheddar cheese
3 handfuls of microwave popcorn
Activity
60-minute cardio session and a 60-minute strength training session
Recap
My husband and I had tickets to a concert at 6 p.m., so we made an early dinner, around 4:30 p.m. — and that pretty much filled me up for the rest of the day.
Sunday, January 15
Breakfast
My "Orange & Blonde" Smoothie: orange juice, banana, pineapple, mango, and whey protein. So good!
Trader Joe's cinnamon oatmeal with a few chopped cashews thrown in
Slice of bacon
Lunch
Robeks MuscleMax Smooth: cranberry juice, pineapple, blueberry, raspberry sherbet and whey protein
Half a White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Clif Bar
Snack
2 Trader Joe's ginger snaps
Dinner
Tortilla Pizzas — one veggie (white ricotta sauce with broccoli and orange peppers, topped with arugula and balsamic), one pepperoni (marinara sauce), one bacon (garlic artichoke sauce). All with a bit of mozzarella. My hubby and I are constantly experimenting with this basic recipe from Real Simple
Two glasses red wine
Activity
40-minute cardio session, followed by a 45-minute tabata class
Recap
I logged a pretty strenuous workout today — including tabata! — and I knew I wouldn't be having much protein at dinner ... hence the two whey protein shakes. It was the night of the Golden Globes, and a bit of indulgent party food, plus wine, was in order!
Monday, January 16
Breakfast
PB&J Smoothie: apple juice, strawberries, banana, creamy peanut butter and whey
English Muffin
Lunch (at Season's 52)
Tomato stack salad with arugula, blue cheese, bacon and balsamic vinaigrette
Flatbreak with lamb, plum tomatoes, feta and tzatziki
Dinner
Pappardelle with ground beef, tomatoes, and Honeycrisp apples — a variation of this recipe from Top Chef alum Stephanie Izard
Activity
45-minute boot camp class
Recap
Today was a holiday/day off for me, so I had more time to go out to eat and then also to cook a pretty involved dinner. I also got great news — my body fat percentage is now officially down to 19%. I'm happy, though I can't really tell much difference! Lunch out was to celebrate that.
Tuesday, January 17
Breakfast
Orange & Blonde Smoothie: OJ, banana, pineapple, mango, whey
Snack
Handful of almonds
BluePrint Cleanse Green Juice — Someone at work accidentally ordered too many and shared with me. So yummy!
Lunch
Warm Grain Bowl from Sweetgreen: barley, wheatberries, quinoa, kale, butternut squash, peppers, goat cheese and pesto vinaigrette
Dinner
Chicken breast, quinoa, and Brussels sprouts
Activity
Really light, low-resistance, 40-minute cardio session
Closing Thoughts
I really love having a smoothie for breakfast every morning — I don't like fruit that much, and I find drinking it easier than eating it. But looking at all the repetition here, I wonder if I shouldn't mix it up a bit more? I also got really good news mid-week: My monthly body fat percentage came in at 19%, which has been my goal for a few months. That was Monday ... you can see I celebrated a bit by going out to dinner. After a few days of "cheating", I'm ready to get back on my schedule of high protein, lots of strength training; hopefully there won't be much travel in my future for the next few weeks.
