One Day Food & Exercise Journal

1/5/2021

One Day Food & Exercise Journal

​This post is in partnership with ALDI. All content, opinions, and words are my own, and I only promote companies that I truly love. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that support Weeknight Bite!

I can't believe we're officially into the first week of 2021. 2020 was... quite a year and I know I can't just be speaking for myself when I say it will be nice to push the reset button and make the most of the brand new year. Maybe that means something different for each of us. It could mean resetting and and prioritizing our exercise, or making healthier eating choices, or getting to bed earlier, or taking care of our mental health. While I love the idea of setting resolutions for our health, sometimes they start really strong but get tossed out the window by February, so I prefer to focus on small goals and habits that I can realistically check off each day that will add up and really make me feel my best.

For me, that's eating well, getting some exercise in (even if that's only 20 min!), staying hydrated, putting my phone away at least an hour before bed, and getting enough sleep. When it feels like there's too much on the to-do list to get it all done, rather than ordering takeout all the time, I like to get my healthy groceries delivered right to my front door - so happy this option exists from ALDI, where I've been stocking up on organic, high-quality groceries at super affordable prices. Curious what a healthy day looks like around here? I thought it would be fun to share my one-day food & exercise journal to help inspire your healthy habits this year! 

7:30 wake up & hydrate

Every day is a little different since Noah is my alarm clock, but on average, I'm up by 7:30. Before I go in to get him, I grab the water bottle that I put on my nightstand the night before and drink at least 8 oz. Staying hydrated throughout the day makes such a difference in how I feel so I always make sure to keep that water bottle with me and refill it a couple times throughout the day! 
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8:30 almond milk matcha latte

I've been on a big iced matcha latte kick lately. I put 1 tsp matcha in a glass and whisk it well with water. Then I pour it over ice & unsweetened almond milk and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Easy and delicious and gives me the perfect amount of caffeine to tackle the morning! More matcha latte details can be found in this post - choose your favorite matcha brand and snag the rest of the simple ingredients at ALDI and you're good to go!
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9:30 podcast walk with Noah & Penny + 5-min core workout

Every morning before Noah starts to get antsy before his naps, I try to take him and Penny out for a neighborhood stroll. Getting some fresh air and listening to a podcast is so great for my mental health, especially during this time when we're really not going anywhere and we're spending so much time in our homes. We have some great hills in the neighborhood which help to get my heart rate up (plus pushing a 28-pound baby in the stroller gets me huffing and puffing too!). Walking is one of my favorite forms of exercise because it's not too hard on the body, and even though I'm with my baby and my pup, it feels like some good *me time* because I can catch up on my podcasts and disconnect from my to-do list. I try to get around 5,000 steps on our walks.

When we get back from our walk, I let Noah crawl around while I do a 5-10 minute strength workout on the Peloton app. I've been loving Ally Love's 5 minute core workouts lately!

If I don't make it out for a walk, I'll squeeze in a 20 or 30-minute Peloton spin during Noah's nap. Getting that workout in makes all the difference in my mood throughout the day!
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11:30 brunch - Banana Chia Pudding (recipe below!) + 2 hard boiled eggs & avocado

One of my favorite breakfasts (which is also a great snack to have stocked in the fridge) is this Banana Chia Pudding. I bought all of the ingredients for this recipe from ALDI and was so happy to see that they have so many healthy, organic options at such affordable prices. It's also really nice that they have the option for curbside pickup or online order & delivery if shoppers feel more comfortable not going into a store. I ordered the organic chia seeds, nuts, berries, and peanut butter online and it came right to my door so I could get straight to whipping up this chia pudding! Now for the recipe:

Ingredients
1/2 cup Simply Nature organic chia seeds
2 cups milk of choice (I like using an unsweetened nut milk with simple ingredients. Another great option if you prefer dairy is Simply Nature Organic Grass-Fed Milk)
1 banana
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

Toppings: 
Simply Nature raw cashew, walnut, & macadamia mix
ALDI organic berries & sliced banana
Drizzle of Simply Nature organic peanut butter

Yields 3 servings.
Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes

1. In a blender, blend 1 banana with nut milk or milk of choice until smooth.
2. Pour banana / milk mixture into a bowl or jar and add chia seeds, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Stir well and place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Remove chia pudding from fridge and give it a stir. If you would prefer it thicker, place back into the fridge for another 15 minutes or so. (You can also let it sit in the fridge overnight.) If it's ready to go, pour it into a bowl and add the toppings of your choice. 
4. ​Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy! 

Aside from the chia pudding, I'll also have 2 eggs with some avocado. Since breakfast is always later for me (because... #momlife), it's kind of breakfast & lunch in one so I always make sure it's a nice filling meal. The eggs and avocado give me extra protein and healthy fats to keep me full until the next meal.

I used to have breakfast earlier in the day, but it's just easier for me to eat once Noah's napping, and I've realized that I actually feel better having a longer fast between my last bite of the day and breakfast the next day. I really prefer having a bigger brunch than breakfast + a snack a couple hours later. Obviously every body is different but this is what works for me and makes me feel my best! 
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3:00 late lunch - Everyday Salad + salmon

This salad is always on repeat for me during the week. I love all the crunch and fresh veggies and I'll typically add a protein like chicken or salmon to it. I stock up on plenty of organic greens and veggies from ALDI so I can make this throughout the week and then I always keep frozen wild salmon on hand since it thaws super quickly in warm water and only takes 10 minutes to cook in the oven. Easy! 
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5:30 snack while prepping dinner - veggies & Romesco sauce

This is usually around the time when I start getting hungry but it's not quite dinnertime yet. It's also when Mitch comes out from the office and starts scavenging through the fridge LOL, so I try to put out some healthy snacks that we can graze on while I get Noah's dinner together. This romesco sauce is a favorite in our house - I love blending up a big batch of it and serving it with cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, and whatever other veggies we have on hand. 
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6:30 dinner - Sheet-Pan Shrimp Fajitas

This is one of my favorite quick & easy dinners. It's only a few ingredients, very little prep and clean up (you only need one pan!), and it's done within 15 minutes. Plus it's super delicious and satisfying while also being super healthy!

After dinner, it's bath time for Noah and then bedtime. Once he's down, we clean up from the day, have a little treat, and finally lounge and relax on the couch for a bit! 
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8:00 a sweet treat - 2 no-bake cookie dough balls + herbal tea

These cookie dough balls don't last long around here - they're so yummy and the perfect, healthy way to satisfy a sweet tooth. They're also great for an afternoon snack which is usually when I start craving something sweet, so they're great thing to have ready to go in the fridge! I have a treat pretty much every day, so I just do my best to make it something that's lower in sugar but still satisfying.

​Having a cup of herbal tea is a nice way for me to end the night and having that each night helps me from going back into the kitchen for more snacks! 
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Netflix & chill & disconnect

Once Noah's asleep, Mitch and I finally get to catch up and spend some time together, watch our shows, and relax. Sometimes it's tempting for me to start working at this time, and there are definitely days when I do need to, but I'm trying to be more mindful about using this time to connect with each other and disconnect from our emails, to-do lists, and the mindless scrolling on our phones. We try to put our phones away by 9:30 and then get to bed by 10:30 or 11 for a solid night's sleep. Sleep is such an important part of our health and makes me such a better version of myself, so I really try to make sure I get 8 hours a night. 
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One more tip - plug your phone in in a different room overnight for healthier phone use!

Do you feel like you scroll scroll scroll until it's time for bed and then when you wake up, the first thing you do is open up your phone and look through your emails or instagram? Same. I used to do this every day and realized I wasn't sleeping as well when I was using my phone right before bed and I also felt more anxious whenever my day started by looking at my phone again. I started charging my phone in the bathroom overnight and that's been such a gamechanger! Try it! :) 

Ok there ya have it! I hope you try out this new Banana Chia Pudding recipe and that this food journal gives you some ideas when it comes to structuring your healthy days this year! And remember to check out ALDI for high-quality, organic, and affordable ingredients that you can work into each of these recipes.