My Weekday Go To Meals

Now that the festivities are well and truly over and January is seriously upon us, I am sure you are joining me on getting back to normality.  I think unless you are an athlete or super disciplined Christmas basically means over indulging for all of us.  And so it should!  I was ill over Christmas so I didn't actually indulge as much as I probably would have otherwise, but I certainly wasn't eating chicken and veg for lunch I can tell you that much!

At the moment I am carrying a little extra weigh and fluff and know what I need to do to get rid of it, so I am being slightly stricter at the moment.

I don't buy into the new year new me thing but I do like a little reset at this time of year.  It gives me a new focus and keeps me motivated.  If that doesn't work for you that's totally fine - we are all different, so do what makes you happy and not what you see on Instagram, other social media platforms, or even this blog if you're not into it.

All that being said, I've had a lot of questions on what I tend to eat on a daily basis and how I've avoided gaining all the weight I lost back.  Especially since I stopped weighing myself all the time and following specific diet plans, so it seemed an appropriate time to write this post.

Breakfast - Granola, Berries, Yogurt or Overnight Oats

There was a time when I didn't really believe in breakfast and the thought of eating first thing in the morning would make me feel a little queasy.

Those days are however long gone and I hate to start the day without filling my tummy.  On the rare occasion I miss breakfast, I usually end up paying for it with a cracking headache.

I'm not going to lie, if I think my breakfast looks pretty, I often get more enjoyment out of it.  This is why I will usually have berries and different textures.

With it being winter, cold breakfasts don't always cut it and if I want a bit of warmth I will have oats, almond milk and berries.  I usually flavour the oats with honey or Jordans Low Carb Sugar Free Syrups.  These sell really cheaply at TK Maxx and I always have about 5 in the cupboard for baking, coffee and oats.

Lunch - Chicken and Veg

Over the years I have found that preparation is key when it comes to lunches for me.  Fail to prepare then prepare to fail and all that.

It's so hard to find food that is prepared the way you would prepare it if you are having to buy lunch everyday.  It's also way more expensive to buy lunch than to buy the ingredients and make it yourself.  Typically I eat chicken, greens (broccoli, green beans) and mashed butternut squash or sweet potato every weekday.  At the moment I add Tabasco sauce and chicken seasoning to it.  At the moment, I am loving this for lunch but every now and then I get sick of it and have to switch it up.

Whilst this probably looks boring, it has worked wonders in getting my body fat down and keeps me full, satisfied and doesn't bloat me in the way other meals do.  I love a good stew and sometimes swap the chicken out for this in winter, but they usually include onions which cause me awful bloating and sometimes severe tummy pain.

Dinner - Various

As I go to the gym most evenings in the week, I don't usually get in until at least 8.00 - 8.30pm.  By the time I have had a shower and got changed it's even later so gone are the days of cooking up a storm in the evening.  I eat late every night in the working week, but I do vary this depending on what I have in and what I am willing to make.

Generally I stick to a lot of the same meals for ease, which is why my food posts on Instagram are so few and far between these days.  I used to spend a lot more time planning and preparing meals when I didn't exercise and focused on food only.

Anything that involves eggs, spinach and a bagel works for me.  They don't have to all be together.  I also love a good open wrap.  If I am feeling organised, or know I have a busy week I will make an adaptation of the Slimming World Bolognaise because it's good every time and I can get 4-6 portions out of it for microwaving later.

So there you have it - my current go to meals.  Not that exciting I realise but these are the meals that I work for me and my lifestyle.  I also snack throughout the day and can really tell if I haven't had enough food.  I like to make sure I eat as much as I can of good food and without ending up piling the old fat back on.

At this time of year I just love getting back into what feels like a healthy routine for me.  It improves my energy and mood.  I'd love to know what everyone else is eating at the moment and whether you are trying anything new or sticking to what you already know.