Hello everyone! I can’t believe it’s What I Ate Wednesday Week Four already! A whole month!
I am really enjoying this series and I’m not sure whether to keep it going or to stop here after a month’s worth. I’ll have to make up my mind about that in the next few days!
For now, here are the links to the previous weeks for your viewing pleasure:
Week One where I go to a ball game and eat a gross pretzel
I made killer pulled pork and show you my awkward workout faces in Week Two
Check out the best darn burger ever in Week Three (and we went to a Sugar Shack!)
Okay, let’s get into the goods.
What I Ate Wednesday: Breakfast
Tomato and cheese sandwiches are an old childhood stand by that I love. It’s easier than a BLT because you don’t have to cook bacon and you get cheese!
Since I was craving one, I decided to add protein with an egg on top. Runny yolk of course. I also used smoked cheddar to bring a smokey flavour without bacon. It was so good.
After breakfast and getting some work done, I did a meditation practice. Lately, I’ve been using an app called Pacifica (no affiliation) to track my moods and prompt me to meditate and maintain specific habits for my mental health.
Yesterday was a day where I woke up feeling very low and defeated. It was rough. My sister and partner really helped me through it (support people are SO important!).
This morning I woke up feeling much better! The meditation prompt for today was “Quieting the Inner Critic” which was exactly what I needed.
(Check out this comprehensive post on self care — types of self care, why it’s so important, and actionable steps to help you improve your self care game: Self Care: Practices to Reduce Stress, Accomplish Goals, and Benefit Mind & Body)
Lunch
Lunch for What I Ate Wednesday Week Four was a lemony Greek inspired white fish with roasted rosemary garlic potatoes and green beans. I topped it with grape tomatoes for freshness and flavour.
The fish is basa lions which is a very affordable and meaty white fish. It doesn’t shrink down during cooking like some other white fish does.
Snacks
Today was a busy day! I did my workout and I walked almost 13,000 steps. Hunger was a real issue this time around in What I Ate Wednesday Week Four!
When I was about to start making dinner, I had the yogurt and walnuts with apricots. These apricots are so good, like candy! The yogurt was a nice protein boost and the walnuts provided healthy fats to keep me feeling full.
After supper, I was hungry later at night while watching hockey (Go Leafs!) and had some whole grain toast with natural peanut butter and “more fruit” mixed berry jam.
Exercise and Activity
I’ve been starting to let my girls play at the park after school because the weather is finally nice enough to do so. Instead of plunking myself on a bench, I took my headphones and listened to music as I walked circles on the paved pathway around the park!
After 50 minutes, I’d gotten a fantastic walk in. This will definitely become a habit on days the weather cooperates!
Walking is so beneficial for stress reduction and is an excellent health and weight loss activity. People often think they need to run or jog for efficient cardio and fat loss but this is not true!
Walking allows you to exercise without stimulating hunger, and instead of being a stressor on the body, it actually lowers cortisol levels!
(See also: Are You Too Stressed To Lose Weight? Why You Could Be and How to Fix It)
I highly recommend walking as a traditional cardio replacement, especially to anyone who lifts or exercises often. Too much of a “good” thing can have detrimental effects and get in the way of proper recovery of your muscle tissue.
Check out my textbook post on how to begin a new workout routine for our lifestyle and goals here: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a New Workout Routine
Yesterday was my full body workout day so today is a shorter session focusing on hamstrings and glutes.
On non-full body days, I either focus on core work or glute/hamstrings. (Check out this week’s core circuit plus a lot of great info below! It’s killer!)
(See also: Core Strength Exercises that Actually Work)
What I Ate Wednesday: Supper
Pork tenderloin cooked in a peanut butter, soy, ginger, garlic sauce with noodles, snow peas, and topped with shredded carrot and bell pepper.
This is a family favourite! Normally, I’d have more veggies and some peanuts on top but we are due for a grocery run!
Thank You For Joining Me For What I Ate Wednesday Week Four
Thanks for sticking with me for What I Ate Wednesday Week Four! Hope you all have a fantastic week!
Please feel free to ask me any questions, get in touch, or make suggestions! I love to chat. Aside from email, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram (I post meal prep recipes and ideas every day), and Pinterest.
I also coach online through email for a small number of clients. If you’d be interested in working with me, shoot me a message!
That lunch with the fish looks so good! Thanks for reminding me about the value of walking- I often think of it as a rest day activity but need to remember it is good exercise too.
Honestly, the biggest change I saw in my body composition was when I realized that overall movement (NEAT) in my day was the biggest determiner of whether I was getting leaner or not. I was lifting a LOT but not seeing much change, even when calorie and macro counting (something I no longer recommend).
I’ll have to give the first two a try with my vegetarian boyfriend. He’s always looking for healthier meals so he can have more energy throughout the day. And I think he might actually give these a try lol!
Awesome! I hope he likes them 🙂
These all look delicious! It’s so good to know that we can find GOOD healthy food. For so long it was a misconception that healthy meant gross haha but healthy food is actually better!!
It so is! Just maybe not always the way our parent’s made it haha. There’s so much choice nowadays.
It is always good to keep track of what we eat. The good and the bad.
I love cheese and tomato sandwiches! Adding the egg sounds delicious. Now that the weather’s getting nicer, we’ve been taking more walks as a family. I notice it’s really making a difference in moods!
That’s fantastic! Doesn’t it help so much?