I have a lot of people ask me about diets (by diet I mean lifestyle, not a calorie deficiency), and meal prepping, so I thought I’d share a little about both! I am not expert and I don’t have a degree in this, but this is just what worked for us! Jake and I used to follow a strict Paleo diet. I LOVED it and felt really great, but it was hard for both of us to sustain that while being endurance athletes. I am definitely not saying it can’t be done, there are plenty of people out there crushing it on a Paleo diet, but it was just hard for us. I’d like to try it again, but right now, I’m enjoying lots of carbs. Paleo is often called “The Caveman Diet” because people who follow it eat foods that were around during the Paleolithic era. A Paleo diet typically includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds — foods that in the past could be obtained by hunting and gathering. A Paleo diet limits foods that became common when farming emerged about 10,000 years ago. These foods include dairy products, legumes and grains (some of this info is from the Mayo Clinic – I didn’t make it up). For us, the hardest part of being strict Paleo were the first two to three weeks. Once I figured out how to properly meal plan and prep our food, it didn’t take any more time than I spend now!
My biggest tip if thinking about going Paleo or just cleaning up your diet, spend a few hours one day (for me, it’s Sunday), to chop veggies. If you don’t have time to cook that day, no biggie, but if you can prep ingredients for your meals so that you’re just grabbing them and cooking, you will save a ton of time in the evenings. And you will be less likely to grab fast food or stray from your original plan since you already have your food prepped and ready. That is a go-to for me every week – I always chop veggies, no matter what. I also try to prep breakfasts and Jake’s lunches on Sundays. I will sometimes prep my own, but since I’m working from home, I can easily throw my food into the oven Monday morning. Just find something that works for you and stick to it! : )
I wanted to share some of my favorite go-to recipes with you. Here are 5!
Oven Fajitas. Recipe HERE. (Leave out the sugar in this recipe to make it Paleo compliant). These are super easy to make and they’re a one pan meal, so there’s less to clean up. Win-Win. You can sub any protein that you’d like – we have done both chicken and steak and liked both!
These were a staple in our home. SO good, and so easy! We would top these with the fajita mixture from above. We LOVE tacos of any kind, so I would make these about once a week.
Coconut Tortillas. Recipe HERE. (I never used Gelatin when I made these).
These are one of my favorites. You can literally put anything in the squash. They are so delicious. I love topping these with balsamic glaze. Not Paleo (the balsamic glaze), but still super yummy.
Stuffed Acorn Squash. Recipe HERE.
One of Jake’s favorite foods is chicken salad. I love making him this healthier version. Plus, add bacon, and I’m in!
Paleo Chicken Salad. Recipe HERE.
One of my biggest cravings when we were strict Paleo was pancakes. I would wake up on the weekends NEEDING pancakes. So, I found a recipe that was perfect. I think it’s kind of cheating to make these a lot, buuuuut it was worth it. Jake loves them, too! We still make these.
Blueberry Pancakes. Recipe HERE.
I’d love to hear if you try any of those! They’re all pretty dang good!
Yesterday morning, I met my girlfriend, Adrienne, for coffee Dancing Mule Coffee Company. Their coffee is SO good. Adrienne and I have known each other forever – since we were 5/6, I think? I always love when she comes to visit. I failed to get a picture of us, but here’s my beautiful coffee. I had a honey latte with soy milk. YUM.
After coffee, I ran a few errand, then had breakfast. Burritos are on deck this week – we are pretty excited.
The best snack: chocolate protein shake and a banana with almond butter. Can you tell I had that banana in my bag in case of a snack emergency?
This memory popped up on Instagram. This was our
Bentonville trip two years ago. I want to go back!! We love it down there. We stayed in a tiny home – you can read about it at that link above!
I can’t stop eating this kettle corn. Like, can’t stop. I don’t think I can buy this again for awhile…
Dinner was quick and delicious! Zucchini, salmon, and sourdough toast. This whole thing took me 10 minutes to cook – that’s it!
Floor cuddles before bed. I forgot where to look for a selfie…
I started not feeling great last night. I was hoping it was just allergies, but this morning, I woke up feeling worse. I think I’m getting what Jake has. I haven’t been sick in FOREVER. I guess I’m glad I’m getting it now and not next month. My marathon is April 28th, so I’ll get this out of my system before then. Also, another bummer, I was planning to run trail later today, so I didn’t set my alarm until 7, thinking I’d sleep in. No such luck. I was wide awake at 4. My body is used to getting up then to run. So, I got up and got started on some work. Maybe I can squeeze in a nap later. Sleep always helps me recover quicker when I’m sick. I might still go try to get some time on trail. I’m going to take some medicine and see how I feel.
Happy Tuesday, friends!
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