Simple answer here… whole foods!
Foods like rice, beans, potatoes…
Fruits, vegetables, grains…
All of these natural foods contain vitamins and minerals that our bodies love and need.
Keep on reading:
Category: Nutrition
This category is all about food – the what, when, and how. What to eat to get healthy, long lasting results. When to eat to get your desired results faster. How eating certain foods can leave you feeling full longer, with less aches, pains, and sickness – and how specific ingredients can heal your body from the inside out. Plant power!
Hungry? Eat fruit first
The concept fruit first comes from the idea that our bodies digest fruit better when our stomachs are empty.
Fruit is water based so we digest it very quickly on an empty stomach…
And awesomely enough, the fruit’s vitamins and minerals are distributed throughout our bodies fast without using much energy at all…
Boosting our energy in the process!
When we eat fruit first, we are giving our bodies the chance digest foods quicker.
Let’s throw a piece of bread in as an example…
- Fruit is water based
- Bread is grain / seed based
Your body will naturally require more energy to digest bread than it does fruit.
If your stomach is full of bread and you eat fruit on top of that, your body will be digesting the bread first and the fruit second.
The fruit then sits in your stomach until it’s digested and may cause you some burping or gas pains in the meantime.
Let’s set our digestive system & belly up for success and eat fruit first 🙂
Plant-Based Meal Guide
If you’re new to plant-based eating or are looking for a little inspiration for your next meal – I got you with a Plant-Based Meal Guide on how to build a yummy and nutritious plant-based meal:
1. Choose Your Fillers
These foods are higher in calorie and can be considered the foods that get you feeling full.
You can do a large portion of 1, or mix it up however you’re feeling.
- Rice: jasmine, basmati, brown, or white
- Beans: so much variety here!
- Potato: sweet, regular, and so on (in Peru you have over 4,000 kinds to choose from. They come in every shape and color, including blue, yellow, red, pink, and purple!)
- Tofu: this typically comes packaged, so make sure to read the label to minimize the ingredients. I always go for the option with the most whole ingredients, with the least amount of additives.
- Pasta: same thing here, keep the ingredients clean – better yet, make your own pasta at home (date night idea?!)
- Quinoa: red, black, or white
- Couscous: sooooo good and so underrated. Make sure it’s just whole wheat flour, no other ingredients!
2. Choose Your Veggies
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Corn
- Beets
- Asparagus
- Cauliflower
- Onion
- Peppers
- Cucumber
3. Add in Herbs
- Sweet basil
- Oregano
- Cilantro
- Green onion
- Parsley
- Thyme
4. Add in Basic Spices
- Black pepper
- Sea salt / pink salt
- Paprika
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Cumin
5. Add Your Greens – ALWAYS.
You’ll barely taste them with all of the other flavor going on, and they will add so much goodness to your dish. People who started adding greens to their diet noticed a difference in energy levels almost immediately!
- Spinach
- Beet greens
- Kale
- Romaine
- Swiss chard
- Watercress
- Left lettuce
6. Extra Yummy Add-ins
- Soup
- Guac
- Hummus
- Tahini
Burn More, Lose Weight
If you are trying to lose weight, burn more calories than you are consuming!
1 pound of fat = 3500 calories which means in order to lose weight, we have to burn more than we are consuming on a daily basis.
How? It’s simple… exercise / move more often and consume less calories (note that it’s less calories, not less food)
Easy math:
Say you burn 2,500 calories for the day, and you consume 2,000 calories. That’s 500 calories down. To get to 1 pound of fat burned off, we are looking to get 3,500 calories down. 7 days at 500 calories down = 3,500 calories down = 1 pound of fat burned off.
I’m sure you can see how the day to day really does matter whether you are looking to gain, lose, or maintain your weight.
It’s important to stay active and eat well – we all know this. Taking the first step is the hardest, but once you start and get in a rhythm, you won’t have to push yourself as hard to get it done – you will start to form the habit of doing —> less thinking and wishing, more doing and improving.
CHALLENGE! For the next 30 days, commit to moving more and eating cleaner, healthier (low-cal) foods. A little bit everyday absolutely goes a long way and the change you’re seeking to make can start today if you decide to follow through on your commitment.
Here’s a free movement guide for ya to get started…
Along with a food shop checklist and some easy healthy recipes.
Regardless if you walk, run, lift weights, etc —> burning more than you consume will ultimately drop the extra pounds you’re trying to lose.
Keep on stepping!
x Corie
Healthy Kitchen 101
Out with the old! Now’s the time to go through your kitchen cabinets and fridge. We’re looking to get rid of anything old or unhealthy. Check your expiration dates and labels. Throw away anything expired and donate anything you won’t use or has whack ingredients that you shouldn’t be eating.
We prefer our labels to include ingredients that are natural. If you can’t pronounce it or don’t know what a certain ingredient is, ya probably shouldn’t be eating it – that’s our point of view! The fewer ingredients the better if you’re going to opt for something with not-so-natural ingredients.
Remember that whole-foods are the way to go!!! So keep those fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts on hand always.
Easy Healthy Recipes
Quick vegan bowl recipe:
rice, beans, chopped veg, peanuts, spinach (whole-foods) with hummus and tahini (labeled)
Pasta primavera:
1 ingredient pasta noodles with pasta sauce (homemade with whole-foods or labeled), chopped vegetables and spinach (whole-foods), with nutritional yeast (labeled)
Cupcakes:
Bananas and oats (whole-foods) with 1-2 ingredient peanut butter and 1 ingredient maple syrup (labeled)
As you can see, the bulk of these recipes are whole-foods with labeled ingredients assisting with added flavor, texture, and nutrients.
Wrapping Up
If you are looking to be healthy and fit – a huge component of the transformation is your eating lifestyle. What types of food are you eating and are they compounding your results upward or downward?
It’s simple. Purge your space and give your cabinets and fridge a good wipe down. Get prepped to bring in new types of food into your space. Check out Pinterest if you need inspiration.
Here’s a Food Shopping List we made for ya!
And some Easy Recipes to keep on hand for when you need it.
x Corie
When is the best time to have breakfast?
Did you know that the word ‘breakfast’ is really just short for ‘break fast’ – breaking your fast, get it?
If you sleep, you fast. Whether it’s a 4 hour, or 14 hour night sleep, you’re fasting!
The first thing you decide to eat after a fast is such an important decision and will literally make or break your energy levels for the day…
It’s not so important as to what time you eat your first meal of the day…
Rather WHAT you eat as your first meal of the day.
When I learned this, I decided to commit to “fruit first” – this shift has been a game changer for my energy levels!
It can be a piece of fruit, a fruit smoothie (fruit & water only), or a freshly squeezed fruit juice shot / drink.
Fruit first = instant energy + a positive ripple for the rest of my day.
So if you have to choose between a healthy snack and junk food like sugary cereal, breads, bagels…
Go with the healthy choice! Even if it pains you at first to do so.
You’ll thank yourself later on when you are feeling more upbeat, energized and don’t crash mid day.
This little switch will make a world of a difference!
CHALLENGE: Tomorrow morning, eat fruit first!
Keep crushing your goals, you got this🤙
x Cor
How to (healthy) Food Shop
1. Set a budget
This can be a weekly or monthly budget. Sticking to it is key.
You can utilize a calculator during your visit to ensure you are within budget.
Anything left over from your budget can be used for the night you want to order in or go out to eat!
This concept also helps to keep expenses low, compared to freely spending money on food with no structure or awareness.
2. Prepare an “Eat to Live” shopping list
Working off of a list takes the guess work out of your shopping. This saves time and calories!
Set yourself up for success by cutting out the junk food, candy, cookies and anything else that isn’t considered clean before you even step in the store.
Remind yourself why you are deciding not to buy these items, so when you are tempted to get them in store, you’ll have better chances of turning toward more healthier options.
Once you get that habit going, you won’t be able to stop!
3. Head to the store during slow hours
This way you can avoid both street traffic and store traffic, saving you some time and energy.
If you’re tight on time or have the money to invest, there are plenty of home delivery services that will drop fresh groceries off right to your door step!
4. Eat before you go or bring a light snack
Please learn from my mistakes and fuel up & hydrate before your food shop run! If you go hungry or thirsty, you’ll be much more likely to make impulse purchases, or buy way more than you need.
5. Organize your fridge utilizing a system
Last week’s food: top shelf. New food: middle shelf. Fruits: back of fridge/bottom shelf.
This will save you time during the week when you are looking for something – you won’t have to search around for long.
Feel free, of course, to personalize the system to work best for you!
6. Meal prep
Whether you need to bake potatoes, cut your veggies, or prep your salads – doing it in the beginning of your food week (right after food shopping) will save you a ton of time! It’s essential.
Food shopping and meal prep usually happen within a day of each other, most likely the same day. I carve out three hours total for food shopping and meal prep.
Save this post and share it with a friend if you found these tips helpful!
What are some questions you may have about health and fitness?
How has your journey been going?
x Corie
CC’s Plant-Based Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Fruit (pieces or smoothie)
Meal #1
- Jasmine rice
- Bell pepper
- Tomato
- Cucumber
- Cumin seasoning
- Black pepper
- Spinach
Meal #2
- Tomato basil soup
- beans and jasmine rice
- Habanero pepper
- Onion
- Zucchini
- Chili powder
- Black pepper
- Spinach
Meal #3
- Oats (pancakes or oatmeal)
- Peanut butter (peanuts & salt only)
- Pure maple syrup
- Peanuts or cashews
- Almond or soy milk
Meal #4
- Pasta
- Pasta sauce
- Onion
- Mushroom
- Habanero pepper
- Garlic powder
- Oregano
- Spinach
Meal #5
- Tofu + seasoning of choice
- Beans
- Onion
- Bell pepper
- Tomato
- Spinach
Meal #6 (salad)
- Spinach
- Bell pepper
- Cucumber
- Tomato
- Peanuts
Optional add-ons
- Salsa/pico de gallo
- Hummus
- Avocado
- Guacamole
It’s important to note here to check the ingredients on the packaging of any processed goods you purchase. I try to stick to making homemade add-ons to keep the dish as natural as possible.
Goal
- Fruit first
- 3 meals a day
- Follow intermittent fasting schedule
If you haven’t noticed yet, this meal plan is 100% whole-food plant-based! It’s a super clean and simple diet that will for sure increase your energy levels and overall health if you stay consistent!
For more on a plant-based diet, read > here <
I created this little meal plan as a guide for my personal reference. To keep things fun, I simply swap different ingredients in & out and prep the dish differently depending on what I’m feeling for: fried, baked, raw, blended, etc. I’m alwaysss on Pinterest pining new recipes to try!
Also getting gorgeous dishware is a major plus and motivator if you snap food pics like me any chance you get (phone eats first naaa mean).
Side note: to get the most nutrients, eat your fruits and vegetables raw and buy from farmers markets who sell local produce!
Happy eating!
x Corie
What you eat adds up
Remember to bring awareness to what you decide to fuel your body with…
What you eat today will have a lasting impact on your health.
Think long-term.
You won’t see the results immediately, but overtime.
Meaning, your eating habits will expose you, either positively or negatively, as time goes on.
Good health begins with choosing better alternatives in the moment.
However, the key is choosing the better alternative time and time again until it’s habit.
If you need a place to start, I always recommend working on healthy snacking…
Start small, and start now! (-:
x Corie
What is a basic plan for intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is an effective way to achieve your fitness goals while improving your overall health.
The 16/8 Method
The most popular form of intermittent fasting is known as the 16/8 method and is basic enough for anyone to try and succeed at!
Here is the 16/8 method: Establish an 8 hour window in your day to eat.
In other words, you are technically fasting for 16 hours every day, and restricting your eating to an 8-hour eating window (16/8).
No food is allowed during the fasting period, but you can drink water, coffee, tea and other non-caloric beverages.
Some forms of intermittent fasting allow small amounts of low-calorie food during the fasting period.
I typically eat fruit / drink fruit smoothies in the morning before my eating window begins for more morning energy and to help with any hunger pains.
(coming soon!) The benefits of fruit until noon
Rated ‘easy’ on the difficulty scale
Despite what some may think, intermittent fasting is actually fairly easy to do.
Hunger is usually not that big of an issue during the 16/8 method, although it can be an adjustment in the beginning, while your body is getting used to not eating for extended periods of time.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
The benefits of intermittent fasting include: weight loss, weight gain, protection against chronic disease, improved brain function, and increased longevity.
And majority of people report feeling better and having more energy during a fast – so it’s all good news!
What I’ve learned through experience…
This is my current intermittment fasting schedule…
It’s based on my own experience / what works for me after trial and error.
- 10am – 8pm : put on weight
- 12pm – 8pm : maintain current weight
- 2pm – 8pm : loose weight
When I am trying to get my weight up…
My eating window is 10am – 8pm.
10 hour eating window
When I’m looking to maintain my weight…
My eating window is 12pm – 8pm.
8 hour eating window
When my goal is to cut and burn some fat…
My go-to is a 2pm – 8pm eating window.
6 hour eating window
Simple as that!
Happy eating ♡
x Corie
PS. – remember to eat your fruits and vegetables! A healthy diet is key to feeling better. Intermittent fasting simply supports you in meeting your goals.
I personally follow a plant-based diet with the intention of keeping the food I eat minimally processed with as few ingredients as possible.
Of course with an occasional dairy-free ice cream pint (-:
core by corie 