A Week Of My Workouts & Updates on Life!

Hey loves! I'm finally back to blogging after about a month off. Now, I feel like I owe you guys an explanation about why I've been absent for a bit before we get into the purpose of this post.

As you may or may not know (I've talked about it on my Instagram @gabriella.autumn) I've been struggling a bit for the past few months or so. In a nutshell, I gained about twenty-five pounds over the course of about seven months due to taking antidepressants/anxiety medication. Obviously no one likes to see that they've gained weight, but what really messed with my mind is that it all happened in such a short amount of time and especially because I was working out even harder than I was before and watching my diet with a microscope (not actually, just a figure of speech). On top of that, I was (and still am) dealing with a million and one symptoms resembling a condition where my thyroid is not working properly. Nevertheless, I've finally learned that my life doesn't have to come to a halt just because I'm not feeling too hot, which is why I am happy to be back. Now, lets get on with the content you really came here for!

I am a fitness freak; a gym rat if you will. If I could have it my way, I would find a job that pays me to work out. I know, crazy right? 

I decided that as my first post back from my short break, I would share with you all a week of my workouts in hopes to motivate and inspire at least ONE person to make a change for their mind, body, and confidence. Keep in mind that I try to mix up my workouts every few weeks or so because like my dad always says, you're body will become accustomed to the workouts if you continue doing them for too long. If you would like me to post a video showing you what each exercise is on my Instagram, be sure to let me know in the comments so I can do that! Without further adieu, let's get into it!

Monday

Monday is the first 'real' day of the week, which is why it is so important to start off your workouts strong so that you stay motivated for the rest of the week. Typically, Monday's workout looks a little something like this:

- Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide: Legs and Cardio: The Bikini Body Guides (a.k.a BBG) are a workout program that follows a circuit type of routine in which you perform four different exercises however many times you can in seven minutes. There are two circuits, and you repeat the entire thing again totaling to a 28 minute workout. (So you'll do Circuit One for seven minutes, then Circuit Two for seven minutes, and then repeat the whole thing one more time.)

-Hamstrings, Glutes and Shoulders: Being the BBG workout includes plenty of exercises that work the quadricep muscle, I'll move onto the other two major leg muscles: your hamstrings and glutes. Do not be afraid to lift weights ladies. I PROMISE that they will NOT make you look like a man or be too bulky. If you are really concerned, keep your reps between 12-15 for about three to four sets. 

For hamstrings, I like to do: single leg RDL's, stiff leg deadlifts, and the hamstring curl machine. Glutes usually consists of glue kickbacks and split squats. For shoulders, I usually either do sitting shoulder presses with dumbbells or standing shoulder presses using a barbell, lateral raises and upright rows.

Tuesday

- 45 minutes on any form of cardio machine (incline walk on the treadmill, Stairmaster, or elliptical depending on how sore I am)

-Back, Biceps and Ab workout: This workout typically consists of assisted pull ups (still working on being able to do these unassisted!), lat pull downs, wide grip rows, cross cable reverse flys, back extensions, bicep curls, hanging ab raises, and lots and lots of planks!

Wednesday

- Bikini Body Guide (BBG) Arms and Abs

-Chest and Triceps: bench press using dumbbells or smith machine, chest flys, incline chest press, tricep extensions, and tricep pushdowns

Thursday

- 45 minutes of intervals on any cardio machine (i.e. 30sec sprint/ 1 min walking on treadmill or Level 10 for 1 min/ Level 5 for 30 sec on Stairmaster, etc.)

-Leg day including quadriceps exercises such as squats

Friday

-BBG Full Body

- Shoulders and Abs

Saturday

- 45 minutes low intensity cardio

-Back and Biceps

Sunday

REST DAY WOO!

Note: It is so important that you take at LEAST one rest day a week to give your body and muscles a chance to recover. 

I hope you enjoyed my first post back and please please leave any blog post suggestions down in the comments! Thanks for reading!

Much love,

Gabriella xx

*Disclaimer: I am not a certified personal trainer and am not claiming that this is the only way to workout. I am just sharing what I do in hopes to give people who do not know what to do some inspiration. You do NOT have to do my exact workout because this is what works for ME. Find what works best for you and don't worry about what everyone else is doing. As long as you are doing what makes you feel good and what works for you, than that's all that matters.

How To Break Through a Weight Loss Plateau

Most of us have been here before. You start eating really well, you've been getting your butt into the gym, and you're actually seeing results! But as time goes by, you start to notice that the scale isn't budging anymore, despite your hard efforts.

I know exactly how this feels. If you follow me on Instagram, you would have read a post about my experience with a 20lb weight gain in 7 months. Yikes. But the worst part of it all? The weight gain wasn't even my fault...

And no, I promise I'm not making excuses. I was put on antidepressants back in October to help with my anxiety and depression due to all the crazy things that have been going on in my life (i.e. moving, having no friends, etc). At first, I thought being on medication was really going to help me. But flash forward seven months and it finally clicks in my head that my jeans haven't shrunk in the dryer, but I've actually put on a solid 20 lbs. I can't express to you how confused and frustrated I am. How can I be working out harder in the gym and watching explicitly what I put into my mouth, but still be gaining weight? After doing so assessing, I realized that the weight gain all boiled down to one thing...that damn medication.

Now, I'm not saying that being on medication is a bad thing, because it totally helps people have a better quality of life. However, I think doctors are too quick to put you on medication without assessing the real, underlying issue and especially without telling you the drastic side effects that go along with it. Okay, I'm starting to ramble on here. But I just wanted to show you that you're not alone if you are in a weight loss journey. We are all in this together!  Now, let's get to what this post is really about.

Before I get to my main tips, I first want you to find a mirror. Look at yourself and tell yourself (out loud!) five things you like about yourself. This can be anything; your eyes, lips, teeth, humor, eyebrows...the list goes on. The reason why I want you to do this first is because we have to remember (myself included!) that we are not defined by the number on the scale or how far we have to go to squeeze our thighs into those skinny jeans. We are so much more than that. Got your five things? Write them down on a piece on paper and tape that shit onto your mirror so that every time you look at yourself to criticize what you hate about yourself, you can remember all the things you love about who you are. Got that? Alright, let's move on to the tips!

1. Assess Your Eating Patterns

Do you find yourself mindlessly heading to the pantry after dinner time? Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having a night snack. But if you are hit with cravings as soon as you cleaned your dinner plate, something isn't right. Be sure you are filling up with a nutrient dense dinner including healthy carbs, proteins, and most importantly, fats. Healthy fats will keep you satiated a heck of a lot longer than any other macronutrient because they take a longer time for the body to break down. If you truly cannot rid yourself of those post-dinner cravings, make yourself a cup of green tea with a squeeze of honey to satisfy your sweet tooth.

2. Change Up Your Workouts

My father tells me this like it is his job. I am a culprit of sticking to the same workout routine for months and months on end. It's no wonder I am no longer seeing any progress! When you stick to the same workouts, whether that'd be strength training, running, or circuits, your body will eventually get used to it. It will no longer be put into shock and have to adapt to the stress you are putting your body under. Instead, it will say, "Been here, done that. I know exactly how much I should be expending to get through this workout. Easy peasy." And you do not want this to happen. When your body gets used to a certain workout, it no longer has to adapt to the workout because you are using the same muscles and burning the same amount of calories every time. Instead of doing a steady-paced 3 mile run, switch it up by doing intervals. Sprint all out for 30 seconds and walk for 1 minute. This type of training is called High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT. By doing this type of interval training, it'll give your metabolism a boost and your body will keep burning calories even after you've completed your workout!

3. Don't Just Eat for Calories, Eat for Nutrients

While counting calories can be helpful for some, I do not recommend it. As someone who has counted calories for two years now (yikes!), it eventually becomes very tedious and can even become obsessive. You become so fixated on the number of calories that you forget to feed your body what it truly needs; food that is nutrients dense and is as processed as little as possible. Think about it like this, your body would much rather be fed 100 calories worth of sweet potato than it would being fed a 100 calorie cookie snack pack. That snack pack has close to zero nutrients for your body while the sweet potato has quality carbohydrates, vitamin A, fiber, and vitamin B-6. When your body is lacking certain nutrients, it can cause you to crave unhealthy foods in order to get those nutrients it needs. A common example is if you crave chocolate, your body is really craving magnesium, which can be found in raw nuts, seeds, and some fruits. 

4. Just Because You Exercised, Doesn't Mean You Can Pig Out

This mentality is very common among most people. They feel that because they went for a run that it is an excuse to pig out on pizza and ice cream. There are a few things wrong with this type of mentality. Firstly, pizza and ice cream are not a quality post-workout meal/snack. After a workout, you should be refueling with quality protein, carbs, and healthy fats. Notice the words "quality" and "healthy". Secondly, keep in the back of your mind the basic premise of weight loss: burning more calories than you take in. While I hate to put such an emphasis on calories (because its potential to become obsessive), if you only burn 300 calories in your workout and you consume 600 calories after your workout, you could potentially be going over your daily calorie allowance (also referred to as you Total Daily Energy Expenditure or TDEE). The most effective way to ensure that you are not going over your TDEE without relying on calorie counting apps or recording everything you eat on paper, is to simply move your body, listen to your body's hunger and fullness cues, and practice portion control. 

I hope these tips help you assess what could be causing your weight loss plateau! However, I just want you to remember that you are so much more than the number on the scale. Rather than tracking your progress by stepping on the scale, track your progress through pictures, the way you feel, and how you fit into your clothes. Take progress pictures on an empty stomach, in the same position with as close to the same lighting and timing as possible. This will give you the most accurate comparison. Obviously your stomach may look a tad bigger after you've eaten a whole day's worth of food compared to as soon as you wake up in the morning! Keep in mind that other more important factors for weight loss other than looking physically better such as feeling more confident in yourself and having more energy to live your life!

Thanks for reading and be sure to let me know if you want me to continue with these health and fitness posts!

Much love,

Gabriella xx

Polar A360 Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can't say enough good things about my new Polar A360 fitness tracker. This little gadget can do so many amazing things for a compact and simple design. I mean, look at my face above! That's how happy I was when I got it in the mail...yeah, I was excited.

 

 

The Polar A360 comes with so many different features. For one, you can change the type of workout you are doing. The options are: running, walking, biking, group classes, strength training other indoor, and other outdoor. The purpose of these different features is so that the tracker can better calculate your heart rate and calories burned.

When you first hit the button on the side of the watch, the main screen is the time and date. You can change the date and time display to anything you'd like. Analog, horizontal, or the way shown above, there are so many options! Swipe up once, and you'll get to the "My Day" option, in which if you tap on it, you'll be able to see all the details of your day so far. This includes how many steps you've taken, the distance you've walked, the calories you've burned and all your workout details for the day. Additionally, you can see how close you are to meeting your daily fitness goal. Once you've reached your goal, the watch will buzz and congratulate you on reaching your fitness goal! How motivating is that?!

 

 

Now this hasn't happened to me since I've gotten the watch just a few days ago, but supposedly if you've been sitting around for too long, the watch will buzz to tell you to get your butt moving. I think this is both hilarious and smart. It's the perfect way to remind you to stop watching Netflix and get some blood flowing!

Swipe up again and the watch takes you to the training/activity screen. Here, you can choose which workout you'll be doing. Tap on one of the seven exercise options, and the clock will start going. The little green light on the opposite side of the screen will light up (you can only see this if you lift the watch slightly up from your arm), and this means that the watch is calculating the calories you are burning and your heart rate. Once on this screen, you can swipe up or down to see the different stats on how you are performing. You can see your heart rate, which heart rate zone you are in, time elapsed, the current time, and how many calories you have burned. To stop the workout or change the workout you are performing, simply hold the side button until the watch counts down from three. Tip: Make sure during your workouts that the watch is firmly tightened against your wrist. This will ensure that the watch is getting an accurate heart rate reading!

 

 

 

Swipe up again and you'll get to the "My Heart Rate" screen. This screen simply calculates your heart rate at that exact moment.

The battery life on this little guy is amazing. I've had the watch for five days and have worn it all day, every single day and the battery is only at half way! Polar claims that the watch lasts 12 days when fully charged and I think they are pretty spot on with this one!

Tip: Make sure after your workout that you let the watch air out. Before charging the watch, it is extremely important that the charger jack is completely dry. The warranty does not cover any damaged for this!

 

 

The accuracy of this watch is impeccable. I decided to give it a little test to see if the heart rate reading was accurate. I did this by calculating my heart rate the old fashioned way with a stopwatch and my fingers. I calculated my heart rate as 56 bpm. Lo and behold, the Polar A360 calculated my heart rate as...56 bpm!

 

As for the design of this watch, I don't think they could make it any better. Sleek and compact, the watch looks good for a sweat session at the gym and on a walk into town. It's not bulky like some other fitness trackers and I've actually been asked if it was an Apple Watch! This just goes to show that it truly is a attractive and sophisticated design!

 

 

Overall, I couldn't be happier with this purchase. I love everything about this watch and have yet to find something I dislike about it. I haven't tried out the sleep tracker feature yet, but with the way this watch has been delivering so far, I can only imagine it is awesome.

If your on-the-fence about purchasing this watch, I recommend it 100%. Accurate readings, amazing features, quality battery, and a sleek design, this watch is perfect for any fitness-lover like myself. I have actually even found myself more motivated than ever in the gym because I love the feeling of that watch buzzing telling me that I've reached my goal. Plus, seeing that my heart rate has gotten to the maximum area is pretty dang rewarding!

 

Thanks for reading and I hope you've found this helpful!

Much love,

Gabriella xx

Summer Wishlist

 

Summer is just a few months away, which automatically skyrockets my motivation and happiness! Except for the fact that it is currently snowing here in Pennsylvania...WHAT? C'mon Mother Nature; it's April now. Where's spring at?

 

Rather than dwelling on the fact that Mother Nature seems to think that it is still winter, I thought it would be the perfect time to post my Summer Wishlist! (Plus, it will help me forget about the current weather situation.)  I asked you all in my last blog post if you wanted me to do a Summer Wishlist blog post and everyone was up for it! You ask, and I deliver..so here we go!

Alright, first up on the list are these absolute beauties. I've been researching different brands and types of workout sneakers for a while now, but I think I've finally come to a decision. These gems are called the Nike Free RN Distance and they are an absolute dream. Comfortable and stylish, they will be perfect for both sweaty gym sessions and trips to the coffee shop. My current workout sneakers are black, and I honestly don't know what I was thinking when I chose that color. Because the majority of my clothes are already black, I was lacking some serious color. And to me, color equals energy, confidence, and happiness! That's why I'm choosing this stunning ocean blue color with the hot lava pink accents. With these shoes, I can guarantee I'll strut my stuff with confidence!

 

Now, this blog post is called a "wishlist" for a reason. I've seen these stunning leggings floating around some of my favorite fitness girlies on Instagram and I finally just found out where they are from! These are called the Knockout leggings in the "All Over Digi Cubes Reflective" print from Victoria's Secret. However, they are very pricey at a whopping $72.50! Quite insane for a pair of workout leggings if you ask me. Nevertheless, I've heard from may people that the quality of these leggings are out-of-this-world good. To be quite honest, I don't see myself making a purchase like this anytime soon, but I wanted to include these in this post for some inspiration! Like I said before, my clothes are typically all black, so hopefully this will motivate me to add some color into my wardrobe!

 

 

If you've never heard of the brand Tiger Mist, are you hiding under a rock?! Haha, just kidding. But seriously, Tiger Mist is an Australian clothing brand with the most insanely stunning clothes. Have you ever gone onto a website and started adding items to your bag, but then you realize that the total is like, $1000? Yeah, this is exactly what I do with Tiger Mist. When I saw this romper, I was an actual representation of the heart eyes emoji. This is called the "Palm Springs" playsuit and I'm in love. When I finally get a job after school ends, this will 100% be one of my first purchases.

 

 

I'm not quite finished with Tiger Mist.  I've been loving the trend of tops with ties that go around the neck. This "Casey Crop" top not only would look amazing with a pair of high-waisted shorts, but it would pair perfectly with a pair of boyfriend jeans and heels for a laid back, yet stylish look!

 

 

As I start incorporated more color into my active wear wardrobe, a neon-green sports bra is an absolute necessity. I am in love with bright colored sports bras that peek through tank tops, and this is the perfect color to do that. Plus, this little number is only $13 from Forever 21!

 

 

 

I told you that I was obsessed with the neck-tie trend! As I really only have one swimsuit, I cannot wait to pick up this Crisscross Halter Bikini from Forever 21. For both the top and bottoms, it totals to only about $25... a bargain you just cannot beat!

 

 

When I'm not wearing workout sneakers or flip-flops in the summer, I love a nice pair of chunky-heel sandals. I cannot wait to rock these Perforated Faux Leather Booties with a romper, little white dress, or high-waisted denim shorts; the possibilities are simply endless!

 

You know I could go on forever with wish lists, so I think I'll stop myself here before I get too carried away! For you lovelies who wanted to see a Summer Wishlist, I hope I delivered well! When these purchases finally make their way into my possession, I will 100% be doing some type of lookbook including everything I purchase, so keep an eye out for that!

Once Mother Nature gets her bum into gear and brings us some warmer weather, expect to see more content on the blog including more recipes and a heck of a lot more fitness posts! With the school year beginning to come to and end, I can't wait to finally be able to get a job (which means more money for new clothes...not going to lie haha!) plus have more time to dedicate to my blog.

Thanks for reading!

 

Much love,

Gabriella xx

 

Beginners Guide to Yoga: Guest Post

Have you ever wondered about the hidden magical properties of yoga? Why people indulge in this activity, what is so enjoyable about it, do you need some special abilities in order to practice it? All sorts of questions emerge, and luckily you can find all the answers right here. There is a lot to tell about this ancient discipline, so for anyone who is interested in why they should try yoga, who would actually enjoy it and where to start actually, this is the right place. Here is a basic guide that will help you understand more thoroughly about this practice:

Why You Should Give It A Try?

When someone mentions yoga, many people assume that it is only a low-impact exercise that provides no concrete results. This is far from the truth, as yoga guarantees long lasting results in many different areas of the human body and mind. Yoga actually represents a physical, mental and spiritual practice with a meditative and spiritual core designed to heal and nourish every aspect of a person. Practicing yoga can help relieve stress, calm your mind but also build muscle, increase flexibility, agility and prevent workout injuries.

Who Can Indulge In This Activity?

If you have thought that only middle aged women practice yoga, you have never been so wrong in your life. There is no age, gender or physical limit when it comes to yoga. Anyone who wishes to improve their abilities, become stronger both physically and mentally can indulge in yoga. The whole goal of yoga is to become one with yourself and learn to grow more every day. Every pose is designed to accommodate your personal needs, ailments or even injuries and disabilities. It is not about competing with others, rather it is a discipline that allows you to compete with your previous self. So basically, yoga is for anyone who wishes to become a better and improved version of themselves.

Where to Start?



Like any other activity, yoga requires some practice as well. But after a short period of time, those who really dedicate themselves to this discipline will be able to get the most out of it. But before that happens, there are few guidelines you should follow. For instance, if you plan on visiting a yoga class, it is a good idea to stay in the back, at least for the first few visits. This will allow you to get a better and clearer understanding of the poses and aid you in your development. Also, another important thing to keep in mind is to stay calm. Do not push yourself or get agitated if you cannot perform a certain pose – it takes time. And in the end, always remember to focus on your breathing. Deep breathing is one of the essential parts of yoga and can greatly contribute to your nervous system and cortisol levels.

What Do You Need?




One of the best things about yoga is that it does not require many things in order to conduct it properly. The most important thing you should have is your will and motivation. But besides that, there are a few things that could make this experience more enjoyable. A yoga mat and props like blocks or straps can aid you in performing certain exercises and poses. What is also very important for men and ladies alike is to invest in some quality and more importantly comfortable sportswear.

There are many benefits of practising yoga and hopefully after reading this article you will have a better understanding of what this discipline actually represents. So why not give it a try? Grab your mat and start practising.

About the author

Amy Mia Goldsmith is a personal trainer and an editor at Ripped.me fitness blog. She has a degree in nutrition and her goal is to teach people to live a healthy, happy life. You can contact Amy on her Facebook page.

 

I hope you all enjoyed this different type of post on my blog! This is my first featured guest post here on gababoutlife.com and it was so lovely connecting with Amy! Thanks for reading!

Much love,

Gabriella xx

 



Getting Back on Track: Meal Prep Edition

Spring has sprung and for all of my fellow fit friends out there, you all know what that means. It's time to buckle down on our diets and push hard in the gym to whip our bodies back into shape for the summer time to come. After far too long of having a sort of "YOLO" diet, I think it's time I start getting back on track with what I'm putting in my body. After all, it doesn't matter how hard you train. You cannot out-exercise a bad diet. For optimal results and just overall health, you need to be fueling your body with the best foods possible.

For this post, I thought I'd share with you all another one of my meal preps. This week, I was really determined to make sure I had all of my meals prepped. We all know what happens when we are tired, hungry, and just don't feel like cooking up a healthy meal. We opt for the unhealthy, quick foods with little nutritional value. I am a total culprit of doing this and that it the exact reason why I am now an avid meal prepper. Meal prepping is honestly one of the best things you can do if you find yourself short on time or simply too lazy to cook a meal. It truly makes reaching your fitness goals much more attainable and a heck of a lot easier!

 

On the menu for this week is...

Lunch for school: Grilled chicken with roasted butternut squash, zucchini, and steamed broccoli

Dinner (2 different meals): Homemade healthy burrito bowl and (because I'm a repeat offender...oops) the same meal I prepped for my lunch

 

Ingredients:

- Chicken breasts (can also use fish or if you're vegan, tofu would work great!)

- Butternut squash (or sweet potato)

-Broccoli

-Zucchini

-Corn

-Salsa

-Brown rice (or quinoa)

-Taco seasoning

-Seasonings of choice

I've mentioned my recipe for Healthy Butternut Squash 'Fries' multiple times on my blog so I'll spare you the reading. This recipe can be found in this post on my blog! Same instructions, same ingredients! Being I was prepping more meals this week, I actually used two big butternut squashes and one little one. I told you I was obsessed with these!

While these were roasting in the oven, I began the (absolute vile) process of cutting up my chicken breasts. Before grilling, I seasoned the chicken with the taco seasoning for the homemade burrito bowls and the rest with sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 

 

 

Ninety second rice is the best time saving hack ever created, so just pop it right in the microwave and watch the magic happen. Don't forget to keep an eye on your butternut squash and flip the pieces from time to time!

After my rice finished up, I chucked a big bowl of frozen broccoli into the microwave to let it defrost. Frozen vegetables are a huge time saver being you don't have to chop them up yourself and the vegetables just need to be defrosted.

 

 

In the meantime, I portioned out all of my toppings for my burrito bowl. Once the chicken is all grilled and the butternut squash is done roasting, it's time to start assembling all of your foods into the proper portion sizes for each meal. For each meal, I typically have 4oz of my protein of choice and I follow the serving size for everything else. As for the butternut squash, I get about 150g for each meal. As always, you can always make more if needed!

 

 

In total, this week's meal prep took about 2 hours to complete and I made 12 meals! Now, I can simply pop my meals in the microwave and they are ready to be eaten. No more opting for quick, nutritionally lacking foods that won't keep you satisfied! It may seem overwhelming the first time you meal prep, but once you get the hang of it, you'll actually look forward to it (as least I do)!

I hope you enjoyed this meal prep post and let me know if you try out any of my recipes! Also, be sure to let me know if you would like to see more fitness related posts such as more recipes, what I eat in a day, and workouts!

 

Much love,

Gabriella xx

A Week of Meals in Less than 2 Hours

You wake up way past your alarm in the morning and don't have time to whip something up for lunch later.  Or, maybe you've had along day at work or school.  You're tired, hungry, and the last thing you want to do is cook dinner. You have to eat something; and Domino's is just a phone call away.  A whole pizza pie later and you feel even more sluggish than before and you know you shouldn't have ate that pizza...especially after the Chinese food last night. Yikes. 

 

But what if I told you that you can avoid that entire situation by dedicating just 2 hours (or less!) of your time to cook a week's of lunches and dinners.  Yeah, you heard me right.  Put on some music, put on your apron, and get cooking.

 

In this post, I will be sharing with you my top tips for meal prepping as well as what I cook for my typical week of lunch and dinner.  These recipes are very simple and you can literally just pop them in the microwave and you've got yourself lunch and dinner in minutes.  Keep in mind that you don't have to follow my recipes exactly, especially because I know most people don't enjoy eating the same meals every day.  But I'm weird and I actually don't mind.  I usually meal prep on Sunday nights and it takes me between 1 to 2 hours depending on what's on the menu for that week in particular. 

 

Before diving into these recipes, I wanted to share with you my top tips for a successful and quick meal prep.

 

1. Buy Pre-Cut Vegetables

    If you've ever cut up a week's worth of vegetables (especially bigger ones like butternut squash or spaghetti squash) it can take up a huge chunk of time.  When I make roasted butternut squash for the week, the cutting process takes more time than the cooking itself! If you're tight on time, spend the few extra cents and buy pre-cut vegetables.  However, if you're frugal like me, go ahead and cut them yourself.

 

2. Frozen Pre-Cooked Meat is a Time Saver

     Again, cutting up and cooking meats like chicken or pork take extremely long.  Plus, raw chicken really grosses me out.  That's why I typically buy pre-cooked chicken that is frozen from places like Costco, BJ's, or Sam's Club.  All you have to do is defrost the meat for a few hours and heat it up in the microwave.  This tip is a huge time saver (and I don't have to cringe when cutting up the meat!).

 

3. 90 Second Rice is Your Best Friend

    Those 90 second packets of rice are probably one of the best time-saving inventions ever created.  Just pop them in the microwave and you've got cooked rice in a fraction of the time.

 

4. Skip the Washing and Chopping and Buy Bagged Lettuce

    At my grocery store, there is almost always a sale on bagged lettuce.  They are either two for $5 or if I'm lucky; buy one get one free.  Don't waste your time on washing and chopping your salad leaves; go for the more efficient bagged option.

 

On the menu for this week is:

-Lunch: Grilled Chicken, Butternut Squash, and Feta Cheese salad with Poppyseed dressing

-Dinner: Spaghetti Squash, Butternut Squash, Grilled Chicken and Sauteed Zucchini

 

Ingredients for 5 Lunches and 5 Dinners:

• Butternut Squash (2)
• Spaghetti Squash (1)
• Chicken Breast (1 pound)
• Zucchini
• Salad Bags (2 bags)
• Salad toppings of choice
• Dressing of choice
• Seasonings of choice
• Cooking Spray/Cooking Oil
• An Hour+ of Your Time and a bit of patience

Before anything, pre-heat your oven to 400 Degrees Fahrenheit. This way, the oven will be ready when it's time to cook your butternut and spaghetti squash. Go ahead and chop up your zucchini.

Onto the spaghetti squash, use those muscles to cut this tough vegetable long-ways and scoop out the seeds in the center.  Place the squash center down on an oven tray and chuck it in the oven to cook for 45 minutes. 

 I have an in-depth post on my roasted butternut squash recipe, so head on over there for detailed instructions on how to make these healthy French fry alternatives!  Once you've got the squash peeled, chopped, and seasoned to your liking, go ahead and pop them in the oven as well for 1 hour.

I debated whether or not to photograph the process of cutting the raw chicken breast, and I'm happy with my decision to skip out on that one.  However, it's pretty straightforward so go ahead and cut up your chicken or protein of choice. 

By the time you've cut your chicken and began grilling it, the spaghetti squash should be all done.  To mimic the spaghetti look, take a fork and gently scrape the squash until you've got yourself a huge bowl of thin, spaghetti-like strands.

Next, you'll want to sautée the zucchini and season it to your liking.  I used pepper and a garlic and herb seasoning.  Don't forge to check on your butternut squash and move them around so that they can cook evenly!

 

Once the hour is up for the butternut squash and your protein of choice is fully cooked, it's time to start portioning out your meals. I use a combination of Tupperware and old Chinese food containers for my meals as they are both microwave safe.  Go ahead and portion out the spaghetti squash, butternut squash, chicken, and zucchini into five of the containers for dinner.  Use the remaining chicken and butternut squash for the salads.  I recommend keeping the lettuce in their bags until you assemble your salad with the toppings and dressing to maintain freshness.

 

Congratulations, you now have a full work week's worth of lunches and dinners in less than 2 hours.  No longer will you settle for unhealthy fast food when you are tired and hungry after work and the donuts in the office won't seem so tempting when you've got yourself a healthy and satisfying salad for lunch.  "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."  Dedicate just over an hour of your time to whip up a week's worth of meals so that you can just pop them in the microwave when your stomach gives you the heads up.  I guarantee you will not regret jumping on the meal prep bandwagon. If you do decide to try meal prepping, do be sure to tag me on Instagram or tweet me a picture so I can see what you whip up for the week!  I hope this post will inspire and help you all to create nutritious and healthy meals that will be ready in minutes.  Thanks for reading!

Much love,

Gabriella xx