Deva by Definition

Menu Planning and Grocery Shopping

I've been sitting down to write this post for a while. It's about meal planning, which is something I do every week. It's a hard one to write because I only know my method of meal planning, which may not work for everyone, but I have a few friends who have asked me how I do it: go shopping once a week, get everything we need, and make it last until the next grocery day. To me, it's become second nature, so this post has been edited and re-edited in hopes of making sense. Hopefully you'll find it helpful!

When I sit down to write my grocery list, it's often with an inventory of what we already have in our fridge and pantry. Our pantry staples are simple but helpful: pasta, flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and frozen chicken. I don't use these weekly, but I like to have them on hand to make meal preparation easier. This week we have a surplus of frozen chicken, as well as some leftovers, so I know those are going to be key players in my week's menu.

The next thing I look at while writing my grocery list and planning my menu is what we are doing throughout the week. For example, when we have tickets to a baseball game, I may want to ensure I plan for either a packed dinner of sandwiches or dinner out, instead of buying ingredients to fill gaps and make a full meal that night. I also flip through my Everyday Food magazines and cookbooks to see if anything stands out as something I would like to make. I don't factor leftovers into my grocery list unless I know for sure that a recipe is going to make enough food for two complete dinners. Otherwise, I run the risk of not buying enough.

Once I have all of that information available, I start planning my menu. This week it's easy: I have a package of bacon in my fridge that needs to be used up, along with frozen chicken and rice. The Boy asked me last week why I haven't made enchiladas in a while, so I know that will be on the menu, and I bought a package of ground beef over the weekend so we could have tacos or meatloaf. I know the leftovers we have will be perfect for dinner one night and if I am lucky, I'll get a packed lunch out of those, and after looking at the store circular, I have a good idea what our lunches are going to look like this week, too.

Then, I start writing, and this is what my menu (at least for this week), looks like:

Dinners:

-Leftover pulled pork
-Tacos with chips
-Barbeque baked chicken with mashed potatoes
-Turkey pepperoni rolls
-Grilled cheese sandwiches (with or without bacon) along with fruit or salad
-Enchiladas
-Turkey with gravy and corn

Lunches:

-Turkey sandwiches with fruit and salad
-Almond butter sandwiches with fruit
-Soup
-Leftovers (pepperoni rolls and enchiladas).

Once the meals are planned out, I write the grocery list, double checking to ensure I have all the ingredients I need on the list and then checking to make sure that any ingredients i have written down are not already in the house. I add in an assortment of fruits, vegetables, snacks, and hot lunches for the weekends, which tend to be quick and simple. Once that is done, we go shopping! the meal plan is kept either on the fridge or in my notebook until the next week, when I start over. After doing this for five years, we've gotten it down to a pretty quick science, and our menu and grocery list typically come together in about fifteen minutes.

What about you - do you menu plan?

Top 5: Foods While Half Marathon Training

All of the running involved in my half marathon training is making me hungry. On days I run, I often find myself looking to eat the contents of my refrigerator, and this has meant some higher grocery bills in an effort to satisfy my hungry runner's appetite. If you looked in my refrigerator and pantry right now, you would see a variety of foods intended to keep us both happy and full. Some of my favorite snacky foods are ones that are high protein, but I'm enjoying my cookies, granola bars and chocolate as well. That being said, here are my top five foods (and drinks) for keeping post-run hunger at bay.

1. Greek yogurt. I love Greek yogurt, especially Fage 2%. It's creamy, thick, and high in protein, and is delicious mixed with some cacao nibs, honey, and shredded wheat. I like to keep this on hand for breakfast, snacks, or as part of lunch. The combination of fat and protein definitely help keep me full and it's versatility (I love using it like sour cream), keeps me from getting bored!

2. Cottage Cheese. I tend to be hit-or-miss on cottage cheese. When I want it, I really want it, and when I don't, I really don't. Lately, I've been on a big cottage cheese, especially as a snack. I buy the lowfat kind and enjoy some whenever I feel like some cottage cheese. I like it plain, but I've also used it combined with or in place of ricotta in lasagna and stuffed shells!

3. Almonds. I used to keep almonds or walnuts on hand all the time, and stopped. I don't know why I did, because almonds are one of my favorite snacks whether I am training or not. One ounce is really portable, and a small handful holds me over when I get hungry between breakfast and lunch.

4. Mini Pretzels. I love pretzels. They're salty, crunchy, and fun to dip into melted cheese, peanut butter, and hummus. On days that I want something salty, pretzels are my first choice. Tortilla chips are my second. I love them!

5. Gatorade. I know it's not necessary, but as someone who sweats a lot while running, I find that having regular Gatorade or G2 available - especially while training - is essential. It helps to keep me hydrated, and I can definitely tell a difference after runs when I don't have some Gatorade, compared to when I do. My beverage of choice is water, but after a long or a particularly grueling run, I reach for Gatorade.

While I know the list is a little dairy-heavy, that's what I've been reaching for most since starting to train. Greek yogurt and cottage cheese help keep me satisfied after a run, without making me feel weighed down or sluggish. I reach for the others less often, but still frequently enough to include them on our weekly grocery list, where they weren't before.

What are some of your favorite snacks to help with post-workout hunger?

Motivation to Run In the Cold

At the end of December, it looked like winter was finally here to stay. The nights and days were getting colder, and I even had snow accumulate on my car one night while I was at work! At that time, between holiday commitments and everything else going on, I was struggling to find motivation to go running - or just to get to the gym and workout. The cold was almost too much, and the occasional rainy day was throwing off my mojo - I just was having trouble convincing myself that running in the cold was a good idea. I put a call out on Twitter for suggestions to motivate myself to get up, get out, and workout in the cold.

Then, the day before Christmas Eve, our internet died. This post has been in the works since then, and even though it was in the mid-fifties today, cold weather is returning, and I am going to need every ounce of motivation I can get to go and workout. I'm training for a race and I need to give it my all - even if it means training in <20 degree temperatures.

The answers I got on Twitter were great, and included these awesome responses:

@deva_defined Cute outfit, tweet about my workout (accountability), eat a light (non-sugary) breakfast 2 hours before & rock out on the way!

— Jessica Zirbes(@HealthNut_Blog) December 23, 2011

 

@deva_defined The reward of finishing my workout before work and freeing up my evening is often motivation enough for me to wake up EARLY.

— laurenpeters (@laurenpeters) December 23, 2011

 

@deva_defined Wear my sports bra to bed!!Helps with motivation!

— Lindsay Wright (@lindsays_list) December 23, 2011

 

@deva_defined for winter rain Nike storm fit jacket long sleeve or core gear. Shorts 40*+ tights/capris otherwise. Thin wool socks!

— We Run This (@WeRunThisDotOrg) December 22, 2011

I loved the idea of tweeting for accountability, as well as getting a warm but lightweight jacket and some thin wool socks, along with using the workout as the reward! While I am not one to wear my sports bra to bed (though I have done it in the past), I do have other ways of keeping my workout gear nearby so that I can get out of bed and go workout on a cold winter morning, as well as other motivators. Rachel recently wrote a post about motivating yourself to go workout and it has a lot of really good ideas.

My biggest motivator is The Boy and the alarm clock. When The Boy is trying to get me up to go running, I often remind me that even if it is set for me, the clock more often than not wakes The Boy up before I hear it. I don't want him to be up for no reason if he doesn't have to. I keep my workout gear in a pile on my nightstand, and in the morning, grab it, pull it all on, and curl up under the covers for a few minutes to warm it all up. We keep our house at 65 degrees overnight and when we are not home, and the vents on our second floor are kept closed to conserve energy - it can get CHILLY in our room overnight, and I like to be warm(er) before heading out to run. That helps ease the transition from our warmish house to the cold outdoors.

Knowing that I'll quickly warm back up once I get moving helps keep me running - instead of taking walking breaks. The routes I like to run have a lot of nice scenery along them, and there has been more than one day I have watched the sun rise while running home - it's a lovely picture, and one that helps keep me moving as well.

Of course, there are days when I don't want to go outside at all - where it's in the single digits outside, or in the teens with a single-digit wind chill. There are days when it is too icy to run outdoors, and it would be unsafe for me to go, and days where snow blankets the sidewalks, creating slick spots. Those days, I hop on my treadmill with some good music, or I head to the gym to run on one of their treadmills while watching a movie. I might do Yoga in the living room, or lift weights at the gym those days as well. Granted, when I need more sleep? I reschedule my workout. I would rather be well-rested than over-tired and crabby!

What are your biggest cold-weather workout motivators?

What’s in my Lunchbox

Because I work full-time, I find myself – more often than not – packing my lunch. I’ve learned that many people prep their lunches the night before – to have them ready to grab and go in the morning. While I do this as well, I am also frequently found scrounging up a lunch to pack first thing in the morning. Regardless of whether I prepare my lunch in the morning or evening, I want it to be balanced, quick to pack, and easy to enjoy in the middle of a busy workday.

With all of this in mind, I have gotten brown-bagging it down – at least for me. I have just a few requirements for my lunch, all of which I’ve learned through trial-and-error. I need something that will keep me full, but not weigh me down, and I need to ensure that I pack adequate snacks, as well. That being said, here are my requirements:

Protein. I want my lunch to have protein because in my experience, it helps to keep me fuller, longer. This can be chicken in an enchilada, milk and cheese in potato soup, a yogurt (Greek or regular), cottage cheese, or many other protein sources.

Fat. I include fat in my lunch for the same reason as protein: it keeps me satisfied! Sometimes I get my fat from peanut or almond butter, other times it is cheese or full-fat yogurt. Regardless of the source, I want something in my lunch (or snacks), to hold me over until dinner time.

Produce. I love fresh fruits and veggies, and I aim to get five servings a day. Including some form of fruit and vegetable in my lunch helps me to reach that goal.

Other stuff. I like to round out my meal with other sides or snacks. My preferred snacks are pretzel sticks with hummus, cheese and crackers, granola bars, or yogurt. Sometimes I throw in some chocolate or candy, or stop for a latte on my way into the office.

All of the things I include in my lunch is to help keep me full and alert throughout the work day. By including protein, fat, produce, and extras, I ensure that I am satisfied, and not (always) rummaging through the vending machine for a snack.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that I don’t go out every once in a while, enjoy some McDonald’s, Taco Bell, or Burger King  - I just prefer to pack, and this is just one method of many that I have found works for me.

What about you – do you pack lunch or do you buy? What do you include in your lunchbag?

Moderation in Indulgence

With Christmas just around the corner (tomorrow, which is so crazy!), I thought that I would share with you some of my tricks for not going too overboard during holidays. I think we all love the baked goods and snacks that seem to be everywhere, and it is okay to indulge a bit - remember that it's only once a year, and some of these foods only are available during this time of year. So, here are my secrets for indulging without worry, enjoying the holiday goodies.

1. Take what looks good to you and use a plate. When I don't use a plate to contain all of the sweets, appetizers, and sides when I'm at a gathering, I eat way more than I was hungry for. Using a plate helps me out with portion control, and if I want more of something - I can always go back for seconds.

2. If it's something you can have year-round, eat less of it. Recently I was faced with a bucket full of hard candy and chocolates - including mini peanut butter cups wrapped in festive-colored foil. I love peanut butter cups and don’t often buy them - but I know that I could go and get them any time I want. Instead of avoiding them, I took just a couple to enjoy. Rather than fill up on the everyday snacks, I opt for the ones that aren’t always available, savoring each bite. Which brings me to my third tip:

3. If it's something you only get once a year - enjoy it. I really only get to have things like peppermint bark, toffee bark or pecan pie during the holiday season. Rather than worry about how it will affect my waistline, I enjoy every bite that I can. Peppermint bark isn't the same in July, and neither is the pecan pie, but at Christmas, it's delicious, rich, warm, and full of well, holiday flavor. If you know you love the macaroni salad that is only made for the holidays, have some and enjoy it without worry. Do the same for those desserts and other dishes that you love to eat during this time of year.

4. If you're really worried, remember that it's only one day, and one day of indulging a bit is just that - one day. I like to take time out to enjoy the turkey and potatoes, pie, egg nog, and all of the other dishes on the table during Christmas dinner. Once the holiday is over, I go back to my normal habits, and don't let a couple days of indulgence bring me down. Remember: tomorrow is another day, and while I’m not sure who said it first: everything is good in moderation, even moderation (emphasis is my own).

 Happy Christmas Eve everyone!