Talk about your diet strategy.
I started a whole new routine when I returned to Milestone after quarantine, with a few unwanted pounds. I tried Whole 30 a couple of years ago, and it was incredibly successful. I had good results and lost weight. This time I went with a sensible clean eating approach. I invested in a Vitamix blender for healthy smoothies, and pureed soups. We only buy organic foods, and no processed foods. I eat a lot of superfoods, meaning dark colors – greens, reds, oranges, etc. I usually food-prep once a week. I bake sweet potatoes, steam broccoli, make turkey meatballs, chicken burgers, etc. I also make organic pork sausage patties for breakfast, knowing there will be no preservatives. We roast vegetables often which makes it easy to add vegetables to my meals throughout the week. My husband also grills an assortment once a week for our menus. I always have grilled chicken on hand. I’ve also cut way back on red meat. It’s important to change things up from time to time. No one wants to get bored eating at home.
What’s an example of a regular food day for you?
Breakfast examples:
Smoothie (almond milk, frozen or fresh fruits, protein powder, collagen powder, chia seeds, flaxseed, etc.)
Or sauteed baby spinach, 2 slices of sweet potato, and an egg.
Or 12 grain toast with mashed avocado
Lunch examples:
A hard boiled egg, a little tuna, and some broccoli
Or a salad with sugar free dressing
Or homemade soup – I go through a lot of cabbage, fresh tomatoes, carrots, celery and onions.
Dinner:
Anything clean –
A chicken breast with 2 fresh vegetables, from the farmer’s market during the summer months.
A big salad, which always includes baby spinach, microgreens, and a good variety of fresh vegetables.
Grilled pork roast – sliced thin, with veggies
Organic chicken patties with tzatziki sauce, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers.
I’m very fortunate that my husband loves to grill. Last year we bought a Food Saver. When we buy a large quantity of meat, he grills it all, and then we freeze it in dinner sized portions for the 2 of us. We also enjoy canning our favorite vegetables from the farmer’s market. Last year we had fresh corn and tomatoes all winter long.
What do you do to help your mind/spirit/emotional health? Any “exercise” routines or practices?
I make sure to allow a little quiet time in the afternoon, before making dinner. I enjoy relaxing music and some reading, or a good movie. I also enjoy using my Kindle for word puzzles, visual puzzles, and brain teasers to help keep my mind sharp.
By Karen Dunn | Photo by Melissa Donald
P.S. See more of Karen’s great fitness tips here.
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