Your Healthiest Year Ever, Day 22: Prepare for the Week Ahead

Hey guys – happy Sunday! I’ve enjoyed a great weekend with family and friends, and even was able to sneak out with my pal Emma (@egrrrl) for a fantastic 10 mile training run in the snow and cold. Having a friend to train with sure helps to make the miles go by faster.

Tomorrow we’re back to the grind (work, school, etc…) which means if we don’t prepare ahead we could end up being enticed to stray from our healthy living by the crap in the cafeteria etc… This is why it’s crucial for us all to prepare a few things on a Sunday to help us to stay on track during the week….

Today our 31 days to a healthier you challenge is to prepare for the week ahead. My good pal Julie who is an awesome healthy lifestyle coach and writes about healthy lifestyles, parenting challenges and inspiration on her site inspiredbyjuliecaroline.com, has shared with us a few suggestions to help us keep a healthy diet all week long:

• Slice raw veggies, such as colourful peppers, broccoli, mushrooms (or buy them pre-sliced), celery and carrots (or buy baby carrots) and store in clear plastic or glass containers. They will be handy for a snack (dip in hummus!) or a stir fry
• Bake or poach 3-4 chicken breasts (above what you need for dinner), let them cool and store in a container in the fridge
• Combine 1 cup of quinoa with 1 cup of vegetable or chicken broth and one cup of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 min. Let cool and either store as is, or make it into a salad with feta cheese, cilantro and grape tomatoes. Add a bit of balsamic vinaigrette when serving.
• Hard-boil 4-6 eggs, great to add to salads, wraps or just as a great snack with some raw veggies.
• Wash, cut and prep fruit such as cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries and grapes. Mix in small containers for ready-made fruit salad to be added to yogurt.
• Prepare a bean salad for a great side dish with lunch or dinner. My favorite is adapted from the Low GI Diet Cookbook – I’ll share it at the end.

Now when you look at your fridge on a Monday morning, there will be lots of options for healthy lunches and dinners to start your week. Usually by Wednesday evening I am doing some of the set-up again to get through the week, as we have often already eaten all that was prepared.

Julie also has shared an adaptation of the Mixed Bean Salsa from the Low GI Diet Cookbook.

• 1 can mixed beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil), chopped
• 1/2 cup of green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
• a few dashes of hot pepper flakes (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and lightly toss. Refrigerate unused portions. Makes approx. 6 side servings.

Happy Healthy Eating this week!

For a list of all of the Challenges, see the 31 Days to a Healthier You page.

PS – you can join the 31 Days to a Healthier You challenge anytime by leaving a comment below indicating your interest & ticking the “Notify me of new posts by email” box so that you’ll be emailed the daily challenge.