Another Episode of "What Did Morgan Eat Today?"

A few weeks ago, I posted a "diary" of everything I had eaten throughout the day as a way to give my viewers healthy meal and snack ideas and to show that it IS possible to eat healthy, no matter how busy you may be! I got some great feedback, so I thought I would make this a more frequent habit. I am such a firm believer that eating well and exercising can make a person feel 100% better, inside and out, compared to eating gross, greasy foods and laying on the couch 24/7. It isn't an easy transition to make, so if you are trying to adapt to a more nutritious lifestyle, take it one step at a time. Drastic changes will only cause you to "hate" your new "diet" unless you ease into your new lifestyle. Being healthy requires lifestyle changes!!! Exercising once a month or eating healthy only half of the time will not lead to true body changes. Health is a LIFESTYLE, not a HABIT! I know you can do it :)

With that in mind, here are some ideas of (mostly) nutritious snacks and meals. In fact, this is everything I ate on

Friday May 4th!

Yum in my tum. I start every morning with a cup of coffee, complete with one teaspoon of sugar, a dash of skim milk, and a tablespoon of Fat-Free Hazelnut Coffee Creamer!

Breakfast always includes a banana :) Only one of course!

Finished breakfast with my favorite Chobani! Perfect before the gym!

Muscle Milk after my workout! Fav treat :)

a late lunch included 6 T. egg whites, spinach, salsa, sante fe turkey, and 1/2 c. grapes!

snack time! carrots & hummus!

after my Target shopping trip, I indulged in my favorite Luna bar!

time to prepare dinner! pasta night before my race in the morning :)

gotta add a chicken breast for protein and spinach for a veggie!

the finished product! whole grain pasta, 1/2c. sauce, spinach, 1 thin chicken breast, and 1 T. parmesan cheese!

I was craving something sweet, so pineapple was my dessert!

my totals for the day!

I would consider this a great day of eating! I eat small but frequent meals to keep my metabolism going throughout the day. My workout consisted of running 2 miles, stretching, rehearsing my dance routine, and an ab workout. Pasta for dinner was great "race fuel" before my 5k the following day, and fruit is a great alternative to a dessert. You can still get "sweet" without all of the fat and calories.... although sweets are my favorite! Moderation is key :) My stomach was satisfied throughout the day, I was very energized, and didn't even need a nap (for those of you who know me, that is a big deal!)

Totals for the day:

Calories: 1492

Fat: 33 grams (13 Saturated)

Carbs: 198 grams

Sugars: 102 grams (I still need to work on this, but I'm sure it could be worse!)

Protein: 109 grams! WOHOO! Finally almost reaching my goal of 120 grams/day!

To cut back on sugar, I could have eaten less fruits, or been more "choosey" between the yogurt and the granola bar. Unfortunately, I require sugar in my coffee, and I'm 100% okay with having that be my "added sugar" for the day. Coffee is too delicious :) It looks like I "overdosed" on vitamins, which again, I'm okay with! In case you didn't read my "My Fitness Pal" blog posting, the last picture is of the iPhone app i use to log my eating habits once in a while!

Hope you have some new ideas! Get creative and enjoy the food you put in your body!

Morgan