Happy May Day!
I canāt believe it is already May, and summer is right around the corner. With the excitement of summer also comes the stress of summer. Hotter weather can mean less clothes, and more body image concerns.
When we feel uncomfortable in our bodies, showing them in a swimsuit, shorts, or tank top can feel overwhelming. There are a lot of emotions you canāt control, and I find that one of the first instincts is to restrict food. But if weight loss, or body composition changes are your goal restricting food is the opposite of what you should do.
Eating enough food and fueling your body appropriately is so important when you are looking to improve your health. I did a post on Instagram this week that talks in depth about how under-eating can result in unintentional weight gain, low energy, poor hormone and brain function, and muscle loss.
Now when I say āyou need to be eating enough foodā that doesnāt mean have a free-for-all. There needs to be some structure, and adherance to the basic principles of nutrition. The way I think about this is thinkingā¦
Am I getting what I need (protein, starch, and produce) and what I want from this meal?
or
What can I add to my meals to make them more nutritious? (the answer is vegetables.)
When thinking about nutrition from a structured (this meals planning to have 3 meals and one snack per day) and additive (what can I add to this meal to make it healthier vs what foods am I restricting) mindset, the results you have been chasing often come to you.
True health and confidence come from caring for your body, not hating it into submission. Thatās where these meal plans come into play. Everyone is busy, so when you know exactly what youāre making, your time is spent efficiently and productively moving you forward toward your goals.
During May (the second busiest month of the year) it is more important than ever to be fueling your body so you can show up for the onslaught of āfunā activities all month long with energy, endurance, and regulated emotions.
This is a guide, not a rulebook. Itās here to help you build balanced meals, not lock you into anything rigid. Swap ingredients, make changes, take what you need, and leave the rest. ā„ļø
This plan follows my OKP Signature Method, designed to reduce decision fatigue and make the healthy choice the easy choice.
Hereās the structure:
ā¢ One breakfast you prep once and eat through the week
ā¢ One lunch you prep once and eat through the week
ā¢ One snack or dessert
ā¢ Three balanced, satisfying dinners that actually taste good (make enough for leftovers if you can!)
Youāll see ingredients repeat, thatās intentional. These are foods that consistently deliver lean protein, fiber, whole grains, nutrients, and flavor.
These recipes are designed to be meal-prep friendly. No soggy lunches by Wednesday, and no four-serving recipes for a five-day workweek (unless we change to a 4-day workweek, which I fully support š).
The goal is simple: get you through the week well-fed and happy.
These are the kinds of meals I eat week to week as a dietitian who focuses on feeling good. Thereās enough variety to keep things interesting, but not so much that you need a brand-new grocery list every week. If you like something, bookmark it and make it again. Building a roster of go-to recipes is how you start cooking from memory, riff on your favorites, and make healthy eating sustainable long-term.
Eat well. Feel good. Repeat next week.
Breakfast: Red Lentil Sheet Pan Pancakes
Eating beans for breakfast means you are slaying in life. I donāt make the rules, Iām just telling you. š«
Full disclosure- I am still eating my Dubai Chocolate Chia + Oat Bran Pudding, I have been riffing on the toppings and this is officially my new breakfast obsession, see ya later protein pancakes (they had a good run, almost 4 years of being my go-to.) That being said, I know not everyone is a mono-eater like me, so I am giving you a new breakfast to try! Do you guys like the chia pudding? I am happy to share more versions, I just donāt want you getting sick of them!
You do not need to have a new recipe each week, a million fancy ingredients, or a crazy difficult item to execute to be successful. In fact, eating the same things over and over and making it over and over is how you get really efficient at making it, stop needing to plan as much, and stay steady with your healthy habits. I will be making my chia pudding for the foreseeable future, and I am thrilled about it. I know what I need to keep on hand to make them, they keep me full, and I feel great. Once that changes, Iāll change my tune. If you havenāt found your 2-3 āgo-toā breakfasts, keep searching.
Now all that being said, these pancakes are fantastic. They are loaded with plant-based protein and fiber, are super filling, and I even tricked my kids into eating them. My dad took some from me (because I tested them out about 5 times to make them perfectly) and said they were great with some greek yogurt and berries.
Ingredients:
1.5 cup split red lentils
1 cup rolled oats (get these for more protein from the oats!) blended to make oat flour
1 ripe banana
3 eggs
2 cups Fairlife Skim Milk (or soy milk)
2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 medjool dates (or 4 tbsp maple syrup)
3 tbsp hemp seeds
2ish cups frozen or fresh raspberries for topping!
