What I Eat in a Week

I was thinking about doing a post like this, and I was kind of on the fence about it. I inquired on social if this was something you guys were interested in reading it and the response was an overwhelming “yes!”

A few disclaimers though:

– I’m not a foodie. I’m not creating elaborate meals on my own every night, and I don’t have a ton of cooking skills. So everything on here is pretty simple.

– I’m also not a health nut. Not that I’m against someone’s personal food choices, but I’m just a regular person over here. I try to keep things in moderation, but I have no food allergies (besides oysters) and no food sensitivities. I don’t follow specific diets, and I definitely don’t follow any health “trends.” Again, you do you, but personally, I feel like these things cause people to obsess over their food and it never ends up being as healthy (at the very least mentally).

– I think this looks boring. There is absolutely nothing groundbreaking here. Again, I’m not a nutritionist, and I’m not claiming to be an expert here. Just a regular person sharing what she eats during the week. (Aka, please don’t crucify me over this.)

My personal food philosophies:

– Not sure if there’s a specific term for it or whatever, but I try to follow my gut (… literally) when picking foods. I know what makes me feel good. Not just the sugar rush of cookies, but what actually makes me feel energized and healthy. I think that’s different for everyone so figuring out what foods make you feel the best is important. For example, one thing that I know I have to eat a lot of is salt. While salt may be something other people need to limit, I can almost not get enough of it. My blood pressure is so low that salt helps and I can feel a major difference when I don’t consume enough.

– I do everything in moderation. I eat when I’m hungry. And I stop when I’m full. I think those three things are pretty key to any balanced diet. I do indulge in sweets, but I typically only eat as much as I need and nothing more. Sometimes that’s one bite, and sometimes that’s a whole slice of cake. Just depends on the day.

– Avoiding food obsessions is also pretty important, especially for young women. This runs the whole spectrum– focusing too much on eating healthy, worrying about eating “bad” foods, not having a “stop” button for eating junk food, and maybe a combination of it all. I don’t think any of us are perfect; even I have weird food thoughts that I try to keep in check, and every single one of my girlfriends has at least one weird food thing. I think we all have to do ourselves the favor of making sure we’re keeping a good balance in our lives with food, both mentally and physically.

(Okay I already sound crazy. I just want to be super clear that I understand that food can be a sensitive topic for a lot of people.)

Groceries: I’m a terrible grocery shopper. It stresses me out, but I’ve been working on it. I have a pretty good rhythm now, and it’s sort of easier. (Still, get overwhelmed, but at least I come out with what I need! Just ask my dad about the time I brought two dozen bananas home.) Right now, I just make sure I’m stocking up on good vegetables I can roast and steam throughout the week, eggs, bread, boneless chicken breast, and salmon. You can see from my meals that I keep it pretty simple. Instead of following a recipe (stress!), I just pick a few vegetables I’m in the mood for and a protein. SO EASY.

Snacks: I try to limit snacking, but I probably have one throughout the day and then some kind of “dessert” at night. My favorites right now: popcorn, Girl Scout Cookies (can’t resist), almond croissant if I’m taking a train, pieces of dark chocolate and chips. I didn’t include the daily snacks, but you can assume that I had two of what I just listed a day. (Example, a bowl of popcorn in the afternoon and a few Thin Mints at night.) Oh and if I’m working out, I generally have a handful of trail mix beforehand.

Sunday:

B: Avocado toast, poached egg, 1/2 grapefruit

L: Oatmeal and strawberries

D: Salmon, roasted Brussels sprouts, salad

Monday:

B: 1/2 Grapefruit

L: Avocado toast, poached egg, tomatoes

D: Sweet Ginger chicken, rice, snap peas

Tuesday:

B: Oatmeal and strawberries

L: (I skipped lunch, Whoops!)

D: Roasted vegetable, rice, and chicken bowl

Wednesday:

B: Whole grapefruit

L: Avocado toast and poached egg

D: Salmon, kale, asparagus, and carrots

Thursday:

B: Oatmeal and strawberries

L: Avocado toast, tomatoes, and poached egg

D: Roasted vegetable and rice bowl

Friday:

B: Oatmeal and strawberries

L: Avocado toast, poached egg, tomatoes

D: Sausage and mozzarella rigatoni

Saturday:

B: Poached eggs, bacon, mushrooms, and sauteed kale

L: (I skipped lunch, whoops!)

D: Bacon cheeseburgers and sweet potatoes