Whenever I have a big event or a vacation coming up, I always have the best intentions to eat extra clean and stick to an awesome workout routine. But somehow, without fail, it is less than week before by best friend’s wedding and I ate a massive sandwich and chips for dinner last night (insert eye roll). So, during weeks like this, I have my go-to crunch time meal plan. I am not the type of person than can fast or restrict my calories, I faint really easily (not to mention how unhealthy that can be if you do not fast properly) and can be prone to low blood sugar. So my crunch time meal plan is simply extra clean + lean but still provides tons of calories and nutrients. The whole point is to FEEL really good.

Some things I try to cut or limit when I am eating extra clean: sugar, carbs (excluding fruits), processed foods.

I should also mention that is is IMPOSSIBLE for me to feel my best unless I make time to workout. I could eat as clean as I ever have, and I still will not feel my best without working out. So that is going to be a priority this week, even if I have to wake up at the crack of dawn to do it. Anyone else HATE morning workouts?! I wish I didn’t, but I do.

BREAKFAST

every morning I will start with my go-to smoothie

frozen berries + kale (LOTS OF IT!) + 1/2 almond milk/1/2 green juice (I buy one of the pre-made green juices at whole foods and add a little to my smoothie every morning) + flax seed + squeeze of lemon

LUNCH

salads

leftovers

DINNER

taco salad – 90% grass fed beef + lettuce + onion + tomato + guac

lettuce wraps -> THIS is the recipe I am going to do! I’ve made these before and they are delish!

ground turkey meatballs + onion + cucumber + tomato + tzatziki full recipe -> HERE

If you follow along with my meal plans, you know I stick to the same rotation of recipes that I know my family loves and that are easy to eat as leftovers all week long. I love this recipe because you can eat the leftover meatballs on a greek salad! This week, as we are ditching the carbs, I am going to have them without the pita with EXTRA onion + tomato + cucumber

SNACKS

orange + walnuts

veggies (going to stock up this week with fresh veggies that are clean and ready to be eaten in the fridge, so I don’t reach for the unhealthier options in my pantry!)

WATER

I am a big water drinker, I always try to have at least 100 oz a day. This week I will throw some lemon and slices of cucumber in my water to give me that extra encouragement to get those ozs in.

GROCERY LIST

cucumbers LOTS!

lemon

lettuce

onion

garlic

ginger

scallions

water chestnuts

fresh dill

kale

spinach

tomatoes

red onion

carrots

cauliflower

watermelon radish

avocados

lime

ground turkey

ground beef

almond milk

green juice

greek yogurt