Menu Monday!

I know I say this every week, but this week I mean it. We are going to be healthy! It is so hard planning meals when I don't factor in things like Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, Garth's birthday, and our anniversary. Needless to say, we haven't been doing a great job at eating healthy or even staying on track with the meals I planned. There has been lots of celebrating going on our household. And I don't regret a moment of it. I'll share our five year anniversary weekend tomorrow, but now it is time to get back on track.

It's perfect timing, really. No more birthdays or holidays coming up. I do have my first 5k coming up in five weeks so it's time to buckle down. My goal is to lose 10 pounds by the 5k. I think it is doable. No more alcohol. No more take out. More fruits and veggies. Watch portions.

It sounds so easy, you know? I am a sucker for a good weight loss story and I eagerly read the article, hoping to read the new trick or tip to lose the weight. But it is always the same. Exercise. Eat less processed foods. More fruits and veggies. I was just reading in People magazine how Paula Deen lost 40 pounds. Her response to the question how she did it was a simple, "Oh I just cut my portions in half!" Like it was as easy as laughing. Obviously, I'm sure Mrs. Deen worked her butt off. But it just sounds so simple!

My plan is to incorporate the SHRED Diet along with the South Beach Diet. I have a friend who is doing the SHRED Diet with her husband and he has lost 25 pounds already!! Garth and I did the South Beach Diet to prepare for Myrtle Beach and had great success with it. It's time to start losing these excess pounds once and for all!

I eat healthy all day long - hard boiled egg with whole wheat bagel and Laughing Cow Cheese for breakfast with black coffee. I snack on almonds and an apple or string cheese and clementines. I have vegetable soup for lunch and a Luna bar as an afternoon snack. It is just my dinner portions and my weekend take-out that can get a little out of hand. I just need to nip these bad habits in the bud. Operation 40 is back ON.

Here is what is on the agenda this week:

Monday - Grilled chicken with brussel sprouts
Tuesday - Chicken Stir Fry with brown rice and low sodium soy sauce
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Tomato Bisque Soup (from the SHRED book, but this is a similar recipe)
Friday - Black Bean & Avocado Tacos
Saturday - Cooking Light's Broccoli Cheese and Rice Casserole
Sunday - Spinach, Chicken & Brown Rice Bowl (The recipe calls for tofu, but I used grilled chicken)

I think this is a good balance of healthy, unprocessed and delicious foods so we do not feel deprived yet are feeding our bodies healthy foods to give us energy to run every night after work. Couch to 5k here we come! We are starting this program a bit late, so we are starting at the Week 5 mark but I think we'll be okay since we can both run one mile relatively easily. I'll give you an update on Wednesday on our progress and on Friday with a weigh-in!

What's on your menu? Have you done the Couch to 5k Plan? How did it go for you?