Amazing Moments of Clarity

I love those hard times, those really tough times when you don't know where to go or what to do or which way is up . . . YEP, you read that right, I love them.

Well, maybe not at the moment they are happening.

But what I love is that right as I feel like I'm going to hit bottom, the hand of God mercifully scoops me up and puts back where HE wants me to be. I love that feeling of clarity of purpose.

I had allowed myself to get bogged down in details and forgotten to stay connected to what feels right. I am very sensitive to my body, it's needs and nurturing the health body God has given me to be a steward of.

I put a lot of pressure on myself this month, that honestly, I did not need to do. Using the Eat Clean Diet as a guideline is a very valuable resource to me. I love the foods. I love the way I feel. I love my energy and the way my body changes when I am eating clean. What I do not like is that in 'leading' the 28 day challenge I tried to make the plan a one size fits all kind of plan. I did that. I tried to micro manage details. In doing so, I lost sight of listening to what was right for my body on any given day. There are days that I workout harder, am under stress, have had enough sleep, etc. and my body needs me to be wise enough and flexible enough to adjust ANY 'plan' to address those needs.

With that in mind, I would love to share with you what MY meal plans look like this week. If during the week by body tells me it needs more or less of something, I will make that adjustment. If you would like to follow a similar plan, please feel free to use it as a guideline. I trust that you know your body better than me or anyone else. I don't know your workout style ....your definition of a tough workout might be totally different than mine. Your idea of a rest day might be totally different from mine.

Oh, before I post the menu plan. On Wednesday, I accidentally over heated my salmon at lunch time. It smelled and tasted like old rubber. bleh! At first I thought, oh, well, just eat the sweet potato and have some tea, you will be fine until snack. Then I remembered that I had overlooked eating my eggs that morning and that afternoon snack was small and I had a moderately tough workout planned that day after work. So, I decided to walk over to the university grille to see what I might be able to find. I was amazed! I put raw spinach in the bottom of the bowl, piled in some chicken breast, hard boiled eggs, shredded red cabbage, red onions and mushrooms. I added a TBPS of fresh guacamole on the top! Yum! Avocados are full of healthy fats. Just what I needed on this day!

I can't find the picture of it right now! Darn! It was yummy and it only cost me $1.87!!!! A very good deal! I will not be so concerned about forgetting my lunch in the future. I am in Illinois this weekend to watch one of my best Spark friend compete in a natural bodybuilding contest. I have my sweet potatoes, grilled chicken breast, raw nuts, fresh fruits, and some protein powder with me. . . just the basics in case I feel hungry.

In the morning breakfast will be very close to plan. I will have oatmeal and eggs from the dinning room in the hotel. I have my 'fixings' to add to it packed. Lunch, I am dressing up in one of my new dresses and going out with my hubby for a special lunch. I plan to enjoy an appetizer with him and to select a sensible lunch that will help me to feel healthy and strong. There are a few 'indulgences' planned for after the show and I'm looking forward to celebrating that with my friend and her family. An occasional indulgence is actually very good for your thyroid and your metabolism.

Here is what my menu looks like this week:

Sunday – Cooler 1 Day 3
Breakfast: Oatmeal, flaxseed, wheat germ, cinnamon, seeds/nuts, scrambled egg whites
Snack: 1 pear, water packed tuna
Lunch: Grilled chicken breast with 1/2 sweet potato; green beans
Snack: Grilled chicken breast, raw sliced radishes, shredded cabbage
Dinner: Grilled bison tenderloin; 1/2 sweet potato; steamed sliced zucchini

Monday – Cooler 2 Day 3
Breakfast: Ezekiel English muffin spread with yogurt cheese and topped with spinach, tomato and scrambled egg white
Snack: Trail mix (almonds, cashews, dried unsweetened cranberries, raisins; 1 apple
Lunch: Spinach topped with grilled chicken, pitted chopped dates, slivered almonds and a dash of both olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Snack: Strawberries and cashews
Dinner: Bison tenderloin, roasted carrots, beets and brussel sprouts; quinoa (farro or brown rice)
Snack: nonfat plain yogurt with berries

Tuesday – Cooler 1 Day 6
Breakfast: Oatmeal, flaxseed, wheat germ, Berries (strawberry, blueberry, blackberry or raspberry)
1 whole egg + 2 egg whites
Snack: Grilled chicken breast, chopped celery, 2 TBSP greek yogurt, walnuts
Lunch: Spinach Salad with water-packed canned tuna, sprouts, squeeze of lemon
Snack: 1 pear; protein shake made with water and 1 scoop protein powder

Dinner Chicken breast; 1/2 sweet potato; steamed broccoli (I will change this to be brussel sprouts); 1 TBSP Olive oil or coconut oil

Wednesday – Stripped Week 1 Sunday
Breakfast – Oatmeal, flaxseed, wheat germ, chia seeds, banana , strawberries, cinnamon, pecans
Snack – Protein shake; 1 scoop protein powder, water; 1 pear
Lunch – Tilapia, steamed spinach, sliced tomatoes
Snack – chopped apple, pear, blueberries topped with chopped walnuts and a squeeze of lemon juice
Dinner – Not Your Mom’s Pot Roast w/Root Vegetable Sauce. (I will make a lean beef roast with carrots, onions, celery, parsnips in my crockpot with a little low sodium beef broth and some rosemary.
Snack: Protein shake powder, water; banana


Thursday – Cooler 1 Day 4
Breakfast:  Oatmeal, wheat germ, flaxseed, chia seed, coconut, cashews, eggs.
Snack - 1/2 pear, protein shake made with water and 1 scoop protein powder.
Lunch - Bison burger, 1/2 sweet potato, broccoli, water.
Snack - Grilled chicken breast, sliced cucumber, radishes, 1/2 pear.
Dinner - Baked tilapia, steamed spinach, steamed broccoli, 1/2 sweet potato


Friday – Stripped Week 1 Wednesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal, chia seeds, wheat germ, mango, unsweetened coconut, almond milk, protein powder, cashews or pecans
Snack: 2 hard-boiled eggs; berries
Lunch: Shrimp Ceviche (cocktail shrimp, avocado, red onion, tomato, cilantro, lime juice)
Snack: 1 pear; water packed canned tuna (I like to dice up my pear into my tuna)
Dinner: Bison tenderloin, roasted carrots, beets, leeks & sweet potato
Snack: Handful of almonds; apple

Saturday - cooler 1 Day 2
Breakfast: Oatmeal, flaxseed, wheat germ, chia, cinnamon
Morning Snack: 3 TBSP Fage, 1/2 apple, chicken breast
Lunch – 1/2 sweet potato; spinach topped with grilled chicken breast, radishes, cucumber, dash of balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil
Afternoon Snack - Water packed tuna, chopped cherry tomatoes, Tuscan or Italian spices, 1 TBSP Olive Oil
Dinner – Chicken breast, 1//2 sweet potato, steamed asparagus

Sunday – Cooler 1 Day 5
Breakfast: Oatmeal, flaxseed, chia, wheat germ, cinnamon, Nuts or seeds (I will add pumpkin and sunflower seeds
Morning Snack: Fage greek yogurt, ½ apple, water packed tuna
Lunch: Tilapi,1/2 sweet potato; bok choy, steamed tomatoes
Afternoon Snack: Fage greek yogurt (3 tbsp) water packed tuna, celery sticks, 1/2 apple
Dinner: Pot roast, sweet potato, steamed asparagus, steamed green beans


This is the dress I plan to wear to lunch with my hubby tomorrow! He loves they way brown looks on me. When we were dating I had a brown tweed dress that he would request me to wear when we went out.

What's you plan this week?