Back in college, my philosophy on eating was essentially “eat when I’m hungry, and eat what’s around.” Well, when you’re surrounded by fast food, California Burritos (YUM…clearly still a VERY guilty indulgence), and bar food, that philosophy doesn’t exactly translate into healthy, balanced living. In those days, “clean eating” to me meant eating on clean dishes (a greater luxury than one might think when your boyfriend lives in a frat house), and cleaning my produce before consuming.

Luckily, things have changed, and I have learned the art of meal planning. With a job that requires that I am driving to and from clients’ homes, stopping for something to eat “whenever I’m hungry,” will only create the most irregular, unhealthy eating patterns. I have found that when I plan my meals for the next day the night before, I eat much more healthfully, feel energized throughout the day, save money, AND, one bonus benefit: I know my body better. Meal planning like this has helped me become more attuned to when my body is running low on energy, when I am really hungry (versus thirsty, bored, etc.), and what foods work best for my body. So I created this meal plan based off of the meals that keep me going best throughout the day. That usually consists of carbs early in the day (most carbs take fruit form), and some form of protein every time I eat. I also try to include some kind of “itsy bitsy indulgence” in every meal, so that I don’t feel deprived! For example, the gooeyness of the almond butter at snack time, the feta cheese and ranch flavors during lunch, and so on. Bon appetite!