A Day in the life of Coach Nancy (Meals, recipes, and portion sizes)
Someone recently asked me for what my meals typically look like each day. Here it is the good, the bad, and what I am working on. Is there a magic pill to eating? If there is it must have something to do with vegetables. "The answer is almost always vegetables."
Tuesday's May 15th
2 cups of coffee and 2 cups of hot tea from 6am-8am
10:30 2 eggs scrambled, 1 slice sourdough bread toasted, and a handful of microgreens. Coach Dean makes a great sourdough bread and he's behind Papa Dean's Microgreens.
more tea and water
3:30 Applesnack - Graham Cracker protein pudding ( I usually have leftovers from the night before, you can imagine the dinner below for lunch the next day)
more tea and water
7:30pm Refried Rice with Spaghetti Squash (the recipe below divided into fourths is a serving)
That is very typical for meals during the week. My meals have a heavy focus on veggies combined with protein and healthy fats. On the weekend, my Saturdays consist of 2 meals with the last meal including something like pizza, subs, hamburger with chips. My schedule on Saturdays dictate my meal times. Dean and I are kept quite busy working on Saturdays.
Our family's calendar includes quite a few social events at church or with friends. As with most get togethers there is food of some kind. Often that food is snack type foods or desserts. I tend to have sweets then and not at home. Having sweets outside of the house helps me with portion sizes and self control. At the same time I do not feel deprived or guilty. Holidays and birthdays are also times I don't put the emphasis on my typical meal plan.
I will let you in on a secret. I struggle with snacking. I work at my kitchen table. It's too easy for me to do something in the house and on my way back to my desk, I take a peek in the fridge or I look in the cupboards. I am not worried that someone snuck in and rearranged all the foods in the fridge so I wouldn't know what shelf they are on. It's a bad habit. Once I 'see' something I like, its quite easy to grab a spoon or cut myself a slice. I am not even hungry. Today was a very purposeful day where I kept a close eye on my bad habit. It takes work and it is not easy. I could say my snacks are healthy. That is not the point. If there is no reason to eat besides 'its there', or 'I felt like it'; I am eating to satisfy an emotion not a bodily need. Recognizing the difference between the two is hard sometimes. Eating can be complicated. It really shouldn't be. We should eat to aid our body in thriving. Overeating on healthy foods isn't over- thriving.
I think we often think the other person in a different situation has it easier. For example I shifted blame from myself to others when I said I work in my kitchen. I imagine that if I worked in an office there wouldn't be any temptations and all would be well. That is a false assumption. It is not the location but the fact I am there that makes it challenging. I have arrived at the conclusion that I will work on my health in the way of food and nutrition my whole life. Just like I will work on my physical body my whole life. Both of those areas will constantly need adjustments as I age. I have built a very good base but I know there is more I could do to improve my health. My health is more than my weight. It includes inflammation, allergies, dry skin, bone health, heart health, brain health, body fat and muscle mass. Being motivated by health is a far bigger picture for me than just weight.
My meal plans are often written on a sheet of paper for the week. Since my breakfasts are always the same, and lunch is typically leftovers; I plan for my dinner meals. Its not fancy but it works for me. Having a plan reduces my stress and also dictates a healthy course of action.
Having a focus on weight loss is wonderful. We all need that. It is such an important part of our health. What is your end goal? As with all goals, knowing the end and working backward will aide you in creating daily goals.
To your best health,
Nancy
Pork Fried Rice with Spaghetti Squash
- spaghetti squash- cooked and dethreaded
- 1 pound pork shoulder, - dice, sautéed/fried up quickly in a frying pan with a few pinches sea salt, OR diced ham
- 1 bunch green onions' greens sliced;
- 2 egg, scrambled (set aside) them ahead time, with a little sea salt, in sesame oil, breaking them into small pieces as they cook
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- 2 Tablespoons coconut amino acids
- 1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated
- 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Take the squash's "noodles". Cut the strands close together so you "rice" the squash, having lots of short pieces. Continue until the entire squash is "riced."
Heat 2 Tablespoons sesame oil in large skillet. Add the pork, green onions and ginger and sauté over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Top with spaghetti squash, sea salt (sprinkle it evenly over the squash) and garlic. Reduce heat to medium. Fry the squash without stirring for 5 minutes.
Add remaining oil near the center of the pan and flip sections of the squash, using an offset metal spatula. Fry again for 5 minutes.
Flip the squash again, if needed, to evenly brown. Fold in scrambled egg that was set aside. Turn off heat.
Garnish with coconut amino acids, sprinkling and stirring slightly. Serve. Optional: garnish with green onions and siracha sauce
I added sliced carrots and saute’d them with the pork. I also used a red onion and saute’d them along with the pork.