So about a week ago my cute friend Charee from high school called me to pick my brain about nutrition and fitness advice/ how to lose weight effectively etc... She asked me if I would write up a meal plan for her of examples of what I eat everyday so she could get some new ideas. Since I took the time to do it I thought I would post it here on my blog too. I have always been really into healthy eating and working out so over the years I believe I have gained a lot of knowledge on the subject. So if you have had it with dieting and still want to lose some weight and most importantly be happy with your body OR maby just get some new healthy meal ideas then read on......

First off let me say that I DO NOT BELIEVE IN DIETING. I have learned this the hard way, but now I'm so glad I have seen the light. I'm not into deprivation or torture. Nothing is worse then going to dinner with friends and everyone is enjoying themselves eating burgers, pasta and cheese fries and and your eating chicken breast and broccoli. I don't think its worth depriving yourself of everything you want to eat just to be leaner for a time. I want to be happy in ALL areas of my life. I want to eat whatever I want and also be happy with my body and guess what I am, I really really am. Below the meal plan options I'll tell you how.

Breakfast:

Option 1: ½ cup oatmeal (dry) then I put in rice milk, little bit of agave nectar to sweeten it, a dash of cinnamon and a teaspoon full of flax meal for some healthy omega 3 fats. I also have a small handful of walnuts with it for protein.

Option 2: 1 cup Kashi go lean crunch cereal with rice milk and cut up banana on top (this cereal has a lot of protein so you don’t need a extra protein source

Option 3: Protein shake ( 1 cup soy milk, 1 scoop Jillian Michaels chocolate protein powder, ½ a banana, 1 TBS natural peanut butter, ice) its SOOOOOO yummy

Option 4: 1 egg plus 2 additional egg whites scrambled, 1 slice whole grain bread toasted topped with natural peanut or almond butter and natural jelly or honey/agave nectar, 1 cup skim milk (or lowfat milk)

Lunch:

Option 1: Tuna sandwich on 100% whole grain bread, I use veginaise instead of mayo to mix into the tuna and also some sweet midget pickles, then I put more veginaise on the bread too. I like it moist, I can’t gag down a dry tuna sandwich, top with lettuce. 6 whole grain crackers ( I love the blue star farms ones from Costco) with 1 laughing cow cheese wedge

Option 2 : Veggie burger sandwich on 100% whole grain bread. I love the garden burger brand original ones, I get them at Costco. I cook it in a small pan on the stove top (takes 10 min) I put veginaise and mustard on the bread, top with lettuce. Handful of Kettle potato chips and maby a handful of grapes

Option 3: Big salad, bed of spinach or romaine lettuce, 3-4 oz lean meat or fish ( I use salmon a lot or shrimp) all the veggies you want, sunflower seeds, I love blue cheese dressing or ranch so I’ll use that but only put it on about 1/3 of the salad (about 1 TBS) then I put balsamic vinegar on the rest. Add ¾ cup brown rice or a half a sweet potato on the side

Option 4: Big salad, bed of spinach or romaine lettuce, ½ cup or so of kidney beans, raisens, sunflower seeds, all the veggies you want, same dressings as above. ½ cup of low fat cottage cheese on side topped with manderin oranges OR 6 oz cup Yoplait greek yogert ( I love the strawberry)

Option 5: Protein shake (same as breakfast one)

Snacks:

Option 1: 1 Lara bar (I get the big pack at Costco)

Option 2: 1 Kashi go lean crunch bar (Costco)

Option 3: ½ a banana with 1 TBS peanut butter or half a apple with 1 TBS pb

Option 4: 1 piece muffin bread, I LOVE this stuff. This is one of those weight loss gems. Super healthy, high protein and low carb. Top it with some PB and natural jelly. This is also as good as a protein bar and its much cheaper, those protein bars can get expensive. You could have a