About my diet

"Get fit in the gym, Lose weight in the kitchen"  That's the saying.
Here's another: "You go to the gym 1 hour a day, but what counts is what you do with the other 23."  They have a very valid point.

I can do all the cardio/zumba/training I want, but nobody's going to see these muscles unless I get rid of what's on top of them.

Food trends come and go all the time, but the one that's stuck around for a while now and is gaining some more mainstream attention is the "feed your body to feed your muscle, fuel your fat burn." What this essentially means is that you should be eating 6 meals a day of whole, healthy foods.  For me, because I'm trying to build muscle along with burning fat, I try to spend a lot of my calories on protein, about 30% of my entire diet.  I eat about 1600 calories a day minimum, even more if I have a hard workout, or I'm extra hungry.  The important thing to focus on is making the most right choices, so that you feel full and satisfied throughout the day.  You aren't going to eat perfect every minute of every day, but strive to eat the most whole, healthy foods you can.

For the curiosity of others who have asked, here would be a very typical day for me.

Breakfast: At least a cup of veggies, probably more, sauteed in a tsp of olive oil , mixed with 2 eggs, and 3 egg whites.

Snack 1: Either a protein shake with a serving of fruit (a banana, or a cup of cherries) OR a lara bar (which is a fruit and nut bar, basically, but a little carbfilled.  These are good for when I'm doing my 'mom on the go' thing.

Lunch:  Possible choices; Leftovers. A Tilapia filet with a half a cup of quinoa, and some steamed asparagus with olive oil.  Chicken with oven roasted green beans with olive oil.

Snack 2: Possibly something carby, like a serving of a baked chip with some salsa paired with a cheese stick.

Dinner: Turkey meatloaf with veggies and sweet potato tots or a Chicken bake with broccoli.  I do try to get a sensible, lean meat, a carb, and a veggie on the table for my family.  Tonight I'm doing a potroast!

Snack 3: Greek Yogurt or maybe some veggie sticks with hummus (or both if I'm hungry).  If I'm still hungry, I go for a bag of popcorn.

As for cheats, I have something once in a while.  Saturday night my husband and I split a bacon cheeseburger with fries and had a few beers. It was divine and delicious, but I stopped there.  The next day I was right back on track, feeling happy and not deprived.  But that was even a change, splitting a burger with my husband? That's a first of hopefully many wise portion choices.