Meal Plan

I am not as on the ball as I used to be with a monthly meal plan but I have gotten better at doing a weekly meal plan and sticking to it.  This summer we were a HOT MESS in this department but I swear the school year structures us so much better.  And plus since I am not the main chef during the week and we eat later  now that we ever have I've gotten to find the quickest and easiest week day meals.

Monday - Parmesan Pork Chops , Macaroni & Cheese and a Salad

This has become a family favorite and is so yummy.  We actually have never made them with lemon because we forgot to buy it the first time and it's so good without it we don't need it.  We've also discussed making this on chicken.  It is our favorite way to do pork chops for sure!

Tuesday - Tacos and Spanish Rice

Wednesday - Stuffed Broccoli and Cheese Chicken breasts with butter noodles and peaches

Thursday - Homemade Roasted Tomato Soup with Corn Muffins  We made a ton of this soup with tomatoes from our garden and froze it.  So yummy.  Honestly the only tomato soup I've ever liked!

Friday - Leftovers or if we don't have leftovers we are doing breakfast for dinner!

As a weekly meal plan bonus we made Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches on Sunday and they were soooo darn good!

For lunches I am planning on a lean cuisine meal, some salads and maybe soup.  My child will most likely have salami and cheese every day ha.

What's on your menu this week?

Last Week's Workouts

I have really been having a hard time (per usual) maintaining a workout program.  A friend and I were discussing the phrase "it's a lifestyle" and umm what if I don't want it to be a lifestyle but more so a chore that I am consistent with? Such as like how often I clear the counters in my house? That I can get behind.  And like working out, cleaning is also an area where I just don't have a schedule that's consistent, nor a house that is always clean.  So, yeah. 

However, whenever I can make a streak I do like to brag so here I am.  ;)

Monday -  33 minutes on the treadmill and then a mix of strength and core.  I'm most successful when I use the treadmill consistently.  It works for me.  But, I also get bored.  Probably because I also can't run forever and day or fast so it's a chore.  I started with a 3 and a half minute walk, jumped off the treadmill did 10 jumping jacks and then got on for another 3 minutes, hopped off and did squats and so on until I hit around 20 minutes.  I should also say I started super slow and then after I hopped of the treadmill I moved up the speed a tenth each time.  I bottom out at 3.8 and then go down to 3.5 and up again and so.  Also at 20 minutes I hopped off to do weights or calf raises every 2 minutes.  My main goal was to at least hit 10,000 steps on my fitbit and try to beat people that I was in fitbit challenges with.  I like competition ha.

Tuesday - Same story.  Did the time on the treadmill and hopped off to do some strength and core activities.  I had made a list of a bunch of them one other time so I just went down the list as I went.  It definitely kept things moving.  My memory is shot but I may have ran some today too. 

Wednesday -  I did 40 minutes and added some running today as well.  I switched every 2 minutes with increasing speed and then when I got to 20 minutes I walked a minute, ran 30 seconds and did that to 25 minutes.  When I got to 30 minutes I walked a minute, ran a minute and did that up to 35 minutes without hopping off to switch.

Thursday - 25 minutes on the treadmill.  This time I started running at 15 minutes and did 1 minute walk, 30 second run up to 20 minutes.  My legs were feeling the 4th day of working out and were super heavy.  So when I reach the steps I desired I cut short at 25 minutes.

 

Friday - I took a 15 minute walk during my lunch hour.  I found a neighborhood nearby that I can park in that is quiet and easily walkable.  I probably can get up to 30 minutes on a day that I packed a lunch.  Maybe even more just depends on timing!

Saturday - off

Sunday - 30 minute walk , it was beautiful outside so I went for a quick walk

This week I have plans for ore of the same, with increasing my speed and run time.  I made a list of strength/core/leg/butt/lifting moves to do in my hopping off the treadmill time.  But it definitely keeps me entertained.

Did you workout this week? Did you plan ahead or go with the flow?

Five Things Friday!

TGIF!!!!!!!!! I wish I had today off with my kiddo.  She and my dad are hitting up the zoo later today and I am jealous that I am stuck in the office.  Adulting is hard!!!

1.       I am so proud of myself! I’ve worked out 4 days this week!!! 4 days after I my kiddo to sleep I went downstairs and worked out! I did some intervals on the treadmill mixed in with strength and core exercises.  Last week I managed to put ON the workout clothes but THIS week I DID IT!!!! Thank you fitbit for the motivation, and Becky’s ridiculous steps to keep me on the treadmill when I wanted to quit but I also wanted to try to beat her.  Ha.  ;)

 

2.       Devil Food Cake donuts may be the best thing I discovered this week.  See also why I need to work out.  I can’t seem to eat healthy no matter the prepping I do ha.  But OMG these with coffee are the best things right now.

 

 

3.       Kindergarten is hard stuff.  My child is a nightmare.  She is so freaking tired and eats like we never feed her.  I know she is getting good food and snacks and I can’t possibly pack her more of a lunch because she has no extra time to eat more food.  But man.  We have severe emotional events on the daily because of lack of sleep or hunger or because I do not know the words to a dang made up song her teacher taught them about the month of October. I AM NOT A MAGICIAN.  Basically, she gets a nap every day that I can get one in her.  YOU GET A NAP. YOU GET A NAP. YOU GET A NAP.  

at least she's cute???

 

4.       We are planning on going up north to check out M-22’s Tunnel of Trees and I AM SO EXCITED.  We found a groupon for a resort hotel in Bellaire (near Short’s Brewing Company) woot woot and plan on hitting as many wineries as possible.  I am hoping to stop in Fishtown to show Isla the docks and just see the awesome beauty of northern Michigan in autumn! Before I want to curl up and cry for the next who knows how many months that winter will last.

 

5.       I really need to update stuff in my house.  I have been looking at house listings for houses near me and for houses up north where we hope to eventually by a vacation home and my carpet needs gone NOW.  And I need a new couch and a decision to be made on wall colors.  WHY IS THIS SO HARD??? My carpet and walls has been high priority since JANUARY 2015.  I just cannot commit.   I know I want a brown couch.  And brownish carpet.  Not all brown but a mixture.  I see it in pictures what I want but then I go to stores and just no.  Not what I want.  Then I kind of want to have the kitchen painted a dark color and that to extend to the dining area and that opens directly up to the living room so do I want that to be a light tan or what? Then I randomly like blue walls.  But will blue walls go with the furniture? The furniture that we have that is staying are brown shades.  AHHH.  I wish I could make decisions.  Or that my husband could.  For real some first world problems up in here.

What are your plans for the weekend? Reading anything good?