“Your food choices each day affect your health — how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the future. Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical activity, your diet can help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases (like heart disease and cancer), and promote your overall health.” -Fitness.Gov
I decided to try a cleanse for my ‘eating’ portion of this plan. I followed the guidelines of “The Green Smoothie Cleanse” book, written by JJ Smith (Thank You Silvienne for the recommendation!.) After 3 days of the cleanse my body began to reject the smoothies, it was awful. However, this new diet changed my life for the better. I have less cravings for sweets and fried food. Also, I am able to eat smaller portions and stop when I feel satisfied! 
Along with the cleanse I decided to cut out all soda beverages as well as juice. I got 1 box of ‘Yogi’ Blueberry slim green tea and three boxes of Lipton’s green tea. I planned to drink 7-8 cups of water a day and 2-3 cups of tea daily. I knew that it would be difficult to maintain this eating schedule and time management would be very important but I was determined to change. Usually, I drink tea without added flavor but for sweetness, sometimes I would add honey, stevia or condensed milk.
The last part of my meal plan consisted of fruits, daily. My goal was to eat an apple a day. This plan was the first time I tried meal prepping. I bought 1 bag of Tilapia, 1 bag of sweet potatoes and 2 bags of frozen veggies. I gave myself 1 cheat day each week where I could have chocolate and eat cereal!
It’s important to have fun with your meals. Eat things you enjoy and don’t starve yourself. It is healthy to eat 5-6 small meals a day. Count your calories if needed and keep your eyes focused on the finish line. Hard work pays off and The Lord sees your disciple and motivation to #FeedYourSoul
Meal Suggestions
- Breakfast:
- Greek Yogurt + Granola
- Oatmeal
- Hard boiled eggs (2)
- Fruit
- Lunch:
- Tuna on wheat
- Kale Salad with goat cheese, cranberries and walnuts
- Broccoli cheddar soup with crackers
- Grilled cheese and tomato soup
- Dinner:
- Fish + Veggies
- Baked Chicken and brown rice
- Grilled Salmon with honey garlic asparagus
- Sirloin steak with peppers and mashed potatoes
- Snack:
- nuts (almonts, cashews, walnuts etc.)
- Fruit
- Detox/Green Tea with honey
- trail mix
- Chia seeds + Coconut Water + Cocoa powder
- Humus (my favorite is Roasted Pine nut)
Questions to Ask Yourself:
- What are some foods that I eat, that can be considered toxic?
- What are some foods I will not eat?
- When will I have time to go grocery shopping?
- What are some recipes I can meal prep?
- What is my favorite fruit?
- How will I stop myself if I am faced with a bad food choice?
- How will I act if I am around others who don’t understand my healthier eating choices?
- What are some things I can pray for to help get me through my new diet plan?