Meal Plan using Fix Containers ...Week 1

So my nutrition has definitely been off for the past few weeks. I completed the 3 Day Refresh to kick me off a few weeks ago and while my results were great, I still fell back to not planning and meal prepping. I really feel like this is KEY to stay on track.

And I know it's not about being perfect, it's about showing up, giving it your best and forgetting the rest. Well I haven't been giving my NUTRITION the best lately. I have showed up and I have worked out, but I also have ate like CRAP.

So I'm going to do better this week. I've got my meal plan made out and about to head to the grocery store to plan for the week. I will not be stopped this week because of bad nutrition.

FITNESS is a journey that is a lifestyle, not a destination that you arrive at and then STOP!

I'm also in this exercise dilemma right now and for the past few weeks have mixed up some workouts. This week I'm going to try Hammer and Chisel again and then make a decision about my next commitment! Follow my journey here:   https://www.facebook.com/toneupfitnessandnutrition/?pnref=lhcand also on SNAPCHAT at dwatson05.

Let's make this a great week! I have a big trip coming up at the end of April that I need to get ready for. I know I can do it with the proper meal planning and prepping and of course being in the right MINDSET!!!

15 Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Need some healthy BREAKFAST ides???

f you’re looking for a healthy breakfast, you’ve come to the right place. Because, as tempting as croissants and donuts and bagels are… let’s face it, most of the time it would be awfully tough to call them “healthy.”

But, that doesn’t mean you should be stuck eating plain oatmeal or egg whites every morning for breakfast either. There’s a happy middle ground filled with quick, easy breakfast ideas that will make your stomach and your taste buds happy.

What Is a Healthy Breakfast?

A healthy breakfast is a balanced breakfast. According to Beachbody’s Senior Director of Nutrition, Denis Faye, M.S., a balanced breakfast is “one that has a mix of carbs, protein, and fat.” That mix can vary a little depending on your needs and goals. “If your goal is to stay satiated, you may benefit by upping the protein and leaning more toward eggs, Greek yogurt, or a protein drink like Shakeology as a part of your breakfast,” says Faye. “On the other hand, if you’re working out within an hour or so or you’re super active and burn through a lot of calories every day, you might try a breakfast higher in carbs. Waffles, anyone?”

Protein-based breakfast foods include: Eggs, Shakeology, meat, tofu, and yogurt.
Carb-based breakfast foods include: Oatmeal and other grain-based foods such as whole-grain pancakes, muffins, and waffles.

15 Healthy Breakfasts

Carb-Based Breakfast Options

1. Slow Cooker Banana Bread Oatmeal
Set and forget this slow cooker breakfast made with steel-cut oats, bananas, flaxseed and spices, and in the morning you’ll wake up to a fiber-rich meal. Portion Fix containers: 1 Purple, 2 Yellows, ½ Blue, ½ Orange

2. Whole Wheat Waffles
Just because you’re eating healthy doesn’t mean you can’t have waffles. Because a world without waffles… just no. This recipe is a pretty classic waffle recipe with whole wheat flour swapped for standard all-purpose flour, but the addition of flax seed takes its healthy factor up that extra notch. Make them ahead, freeze, and pop one in the toaster when the waffle craving strikes. Portion Fix containers: 2 Yellows, 1½ tsp.

3. Baked Oatmeal Cups with Raisins and Walnuts
Oatmeal cups are a great grab and go breakfast and the carb-forward cousin of the egg bites below. Like with those, make a dozen ahead of time and heat up in the morning before going to work. Portion Fix containers: ½ Purple, 1 Yellow, ½ Blue

4. Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancakes
With 13 grams of protein per serving, these could technically fall into the high-protein breakfast selections below. Either way, they’re light and delicious. Portion Fix containers: ½ Purple, ½ Red, ½ Yellow

5. Slow Cooker Steel-Cut Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon
One of my favorite oatmeal recipes is apples and cinnamon, but this slow cooker recipe takes it to the next level with steel-cut oats and a touch of maple syrup. It’s worth the wait. Portion Fix containers: ½ Purple, 2½ Yellow

6. Multi-Grain Banana Pancakes
Warm, fluffy pancakes. Yes please. If you don’t tell anyone these pancakes are healthy, I won’t. At 280 calories and 10 grams of protein, these could easily become a weekend staple. Did someone say brunch? Portion Fix containers: 3 Yellows

7. Blueberry Banana Blender Muffins
It might sound bananas to make muffins in a blender, but it works! For these, we added a little Greek yogurt to the recipe to up the protein content of this healthy breakfast. Portion Fix containers: ½ Purple, 1 Yellow, ½ Blue

High-Protein Breakfast Options

1. Mozzarella and Egg White Breakfast Sandwich
Raise your hand if you want the best cheesy, eggy, healthy breakfast sandwich! For even more melty cheesy goodness, pop it in the toaster oven or microwave. Portion Fix containers: ½ Red, 2 Yellow, ½ Blue

2. Cinnamon Roll Shakeology
A freshly baked cinnamon roll from a bakery will set you back around 500 calories. Mostly of fat and sugar. Avoid the sugar high and get the taste of a cinnamon roll in this healthy Shakeology smoothie that has 17 grams of protein. Portion Fix containers: ½ Yellow, 1 Red

3. Goat Cheese, Tomato, and Parsley Scramble
If you want to load up on protein but not calories, this egg white scramble will do the trick. Can’t stand goat cheese? Swap it out for any of the other Portion Fix or 21 Day Fix-approved cheeses. Portion Fix containers: ½ Green, 1 Red, ½ Blue, 1 tsp.

4. Yogurt Berry Parfait
You could get one of this quick breakfasts at the drive-thru, but it’s actually faster (and healthier) to make it yourself at home. Also, do you really want to deal with traffic while waiting for breakfast? I think not. Portion Fix containers: ½ Purple, 1 Red, ½ Yellow

5. Egg White Breakfast Burrito
For an easy, healthy breakfast on the go, make these egg white breakfast burritos ahead of time and store them in the freezer. Then in the morning, heat one up, add salsa if desired, wrap in foil, and go. Portion Fix containers: ½ Green, 1½ Yellow, ½ Red, 3 Tbsp.

6. Double Berry Shakeology
Blend ice, raspberries, and almond milk together for a healthy, simple Shakeology smoothie that adds 18 grams of protein to your breakfast. Portion Fix containers: 1 Purple, 1 Red, ½ Yellow

7. Super Green Egg Cups
Whether you call these egg bites or egg cups, these portable healthy breakfasts are easy to make ahead of time — bake 12 at once in a muffin pan — and grab in the morning on your way out the door. Portion Fix containers: ½ Green, 1 Red

8. Mexican Tofu Breakfast Scramble
Last, but definitely not least this is one of the best breakfast scrambles you have yet to try. Made with onion, bell peppers, beans, and turmeric, it’s a great weekend breakfast. Or, chop the ingredients ahead of time and stir fry it together in the AM. Portion Fix containers: 1 Green, 1 Yellow, ½ Red, 1 Blue

Zucchini, Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Frittata!

Have I mentioned how I love sweet potatoes lately????

Frittatas are healthy, easy, and packed with protein. Our zucchini, red pepper, sweet potato frittata recipe is loaded with fresh veggies and tastes delicious.

Total Time: 41 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 26 min.
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 tsp. olive oil
3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
1 cooked medium sweet potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
¼ tsp. sea salt
6 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.
2. Add zucchini, bell pepper, and onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
3. Add sweet potato, basil, and salt. Increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring frequently, for about 30 to 60 seconds, or until the moisture has evaporated. Reduce heat to medium-low.
4. Add eggs to vegetable mixture. Mix until combined; cook, without stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom is light golden. As it cooks, lift the edges and tilt skillet so uncooked eggs flow to the edges.
5. Reduce heat to low; continue cooking, covered, for 15 to 18 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Garnish with reserved basil; serve immediately.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 131
Total Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 186 mg
Sodium: 241 mg
Carbohydrates: 10 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 5 g
Protein: 8 g

P90X/P90X2 Portions
½ Vegetable
½ Protein
½ Fat

P90X3 Portions
½ Protein
½ Carb
1 Fat

Body Beast Portions
1 Vegetable
1 Protein
½ Starch
1 Fat

Containers
1 Green
½ Red
1 tsp.

If you have questions about the portions, please click here to post a question in our forums so our experts can help. Please include a link to the recipe you’re asking about.

10 Tips to Make Meal Prep Easier!

Meal Preppers sometimes use this quote, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” But, be honest. How many times have you finished work and thought, “I’m too tired to cook and there’s nothing in the fridge. I just I’ll hit the drive-thru”? By planning and prepping, you can help prevent that from happening. And, once you get the hang of it, you’ll be amazed how much time and money you might save. You might even start to see faster results because you’re not getting fries with that.

Use these 10 tips to make meal prep easier and faster:

1. Make a Plan
Make a list of your favorite healthy foods, choose simple recipes that can be made quickly or in bulk, and decide what you’ll eat for every snack and meal. This step will get easier and faster with practice. If you’re following the 21 Day Fix or want to use its simple approach, you can download its meal planning tools here.
Pro Tip: Save your plan for a future week. Once you have a few meal prep menus in your arsenal, you can rotate them to keep things interesting.

2. Stick to Your Grocery List
Don’t let junk food sneak into your shopping cart. Not having it in the house means not having to use your willpower to avoid it. Want to make an impulse purchase? If you can find a way to fit it into your eating plan for the week, go for it. Just keep these to a minimum so nothing goes to waste. By sticking to your list and by minimizing the impulse buys, you’ll help yourself save money.

3. Don’t Forget About Shakeology
Especially if you feel like you’re short on fruits and veggies, this is one healthy snack taken care of!

4. Keep Snacks Simple
When you’re cooking everything for the week at once, it’s important to keep things simple. Save time by choosing snacks that don’t require a lot of time to put together. Fresh fruit, hard-boiled eggs, and pre-cut veggies with prepared hummus are great choices. Here are 55 snacks under 150 calories.

5. Cook Foods All At Once
Roasting vegetables, sweet potatoes, and even chicken breasts all at once will save you time, and cut down on your utility bill. Imagine…all of your side dishes for the week…ready in about 30 minutes!

6. Look for Shortcuts
Buy pre-cut veggies and fruits, cooked lentils, or rotisserie chicken. Tuna is an an easy no-cook protein to add to salads or snacks. Already have your oven on to roast veggies? Why not try this tip for cooking a dozen eggs at once from @choose_you_fitness? Preheat your oven to 325°, then put your eggs in a muffin tin and bake them for 30 minutes. Then carefully remove them and plunge the eggs into a bowl of ice water until cool. Prefer the standard method? Here’s our approach to perfect hard-boiled eggs.

7. Get on the Mason Jar Salad Bandwagon
Mason jar salads are the darlings of Pinterest and Instagram because they’re pretty, but they’re also very practical. They cost about a dollar a piece, are microwave safe (just remember to remove the lid), and can be used for so many different types of meals. Their vertical shape makes them especially nice for storing salads. Since the dressing is at the bottom of the jar, and the greens are at the top, nothing gets soggy! Here are some simple Mason jar salad recipes to get you started.

8. Mix Things Up
It can be tempting to just eat the same meals every day, but you’ll eventually get bored. Meal prep master Amanda Meixner recommends at least two lunch options and two dinner options. This can be as simple as choosing different proteins for your salads each day, or eating chicken with vegetables three nights of the week, and fish or tofu with vegetables the other two. Once you get the hang of it you can get more creative with your recipes.

9. Invest in Food Storage Containers
A small investment in food containers of various sizes to suit your needs will make a world of difference. It’s a good idea to choose one container type and buy several that stack and store neatly. If you choose plastic containers, make sure they are BPA-free and that they won’t melt in the microwave or dishwasher. Sturdy Pyrex dishes with lids are also great as are Mason jars. If you decide to go all-in on the meal prep lifestyle, you might want to think about getting an insulated bag to carry your meals everywhere you go.

10. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

All of this meal prep is for a purpose…to help you reach your health and fitness goals. When clean eating is as simple as reaching into the fridge for your lunch or dinner, you’ll be less tempted to stop for fast food or order takeout. Whether you do your meal prep for the week all ahead of time or just a few days at a time, doing so will help you stick to your meal plan and give you even more time to Push Play!

Beef and Sweet Potato Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
2 cups chopped onion
1 medium serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup Beef Bone Broth
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks (2 cups_
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Sliced green onions (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, onion, serrano chile, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned, about 5 minutes

Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, broth, sweet potato, bell pepper, chili powder, chipotle and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer stirring occasionally until the sweet potato is tender., 20-25 minutes. If desired, season with additional salt. Serve the chili topped with cilantro and green onions if desired.

Sausage, Potato, and Kale Soup

This soup is amazing and my whole family LOVES it! It's the perfect soup for warming up on any evening. Leftovers hold really well and are wonderful for lunch--or even breakfast--the next day!


Ingredients:

1 pound ground pork/sausage

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups Chicken Bone Broth
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch chunks
4 cups chopped fresh kale
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, Italian seasoning, salt, paprika, fennel seeds, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, mix well.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the pork mixture, the onion, and the garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until the meat is browned.

Stir in the broth, tomatoes with their juices and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just tender, 15-20 minutes. Add the kale and thyme and cook, uncovered until the kale is tender, 5 minutes or more. Season with additional salt and black pepper and more.

Give it a try! You'll love it! And it's a great way to eat Kale.

3 Day Refresh Results....best YET!

So I just finished the 3 day refresh on Thursday. I have did this multiple times over the past three and half years. This time a few weeks of stress got to me and I needed a clean start to get back on track with healthy eating. 3 Day Refresh it was then!

I started in on Monday of this week. I prepped my food on Sunday because I travel a lot for work. I made the same meals for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and snacks for all three days.

AND GUESS WHAT???? I lost 8.2 lbs and 4.5 inches!! That's right, you heard me??? Just goes to show you eating CRAP adds the weight quickly!

So if you are looking for a clean break from bad habits, and want results in just 3 days, then you need to try the 3 Day Refresh. It is a scientifically designed program that helps you fast-track your weight loss, kick-start healthy eating and break away from those bad habits. 3-Day Refresh is a simple, straightforward program that will help cleanse your body and improve the way you feel---without starving yourself!!!


Check out my RESULTS here:

And to see the foods and shakes I had during this time, check out my SnapChat @ dwatson05