Winter Shape Up: Week 2 Meal Plan

Welcome to week 2 of the Winter Shape Up! (Looking for the home base Winter Shape Up page? Click here – it has the answers to any questions you might have about the challenge and links to all the weekly content, too!) I’ve been loving your comments/updates on the week 1 meal plan page and so excited to hear how you like this week’s meals!

As you know, my friend Gina and I have partnered up to bring you this fun healthy living 4 week challenge to inspire you to kick off the year on the right foot in terms of fitness and nutrition. Gina is a personal trainer, so on her site, you’ll find the weekly workouts for the challenge, including videos. Here on mine, I’ll be sharing the weekly nutrition-focused content, which will feature quick and easy recipe ideas for your meals and snacks.

We’d love to hear how you guys are doing with this challenge! If you share updates or photos on social media, please include #WinterShapeUp and, if you have space, tag both myself (@fANNEtasticfood – follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!) and Gina (@fitnessista) so we can see! 🙂 You are also welcome to snag this graphic to put in your posts or on your blog sidebar, if you want!

Before I get into the plan, please remember that everyone’s nutrition needs are different and will vary based on activity level, age, gender, height/weight, and more. I am a Registered Dietitian, but this meal plan is not meant to be a substitute for personalized nutrition plans or nutrition counseling (like I provide in my AnneTheRD private practice). Above all, use this as a guide, not a concrete plan, and change it as you see fit based on your own hunger levels, preferences, and dietary needs. I’m not including specific quantities/portion sizes because of this – try to eat intuitively and listen to your body. This guide may be too much food for some of you and too little for others. If you’re getting full, save the rest for later. If the meal or snack wasn’t enough, don’t second guess yourself – listen to your body and have something else. If you’re really hungry and try to deny it, it will only lead to overdoing it later or feeling like crap. Honor your hunger, my friends. And same with the other end of the spectrum – stay mindful during your meals, and stop as soon as you start to get full. If you’re distracted, it’s a lot easier to overeat. Your body knows what to do if you just listen to it! Sound good?

A note on drinks: I didn’t include drinks in this guide, but aim to limit sugar-sweetened beverages. If you’re currently having a lot of sugar-sweetened beverages (soda, sweet tea, sweet flavored water, etc.), try to cut back by 1 or 2 drinks per week until it becomes an occasional treat vs. a daily habit. Focus on drinking lots of water, some unsweetened tea/coffee (if you’re into it), and the occasional wine or beer, if you like. 🙂 Regarding dessert, I didn’t include it in the plan for simplicity’s sake, but indulgence in moderation is certainly part of a healthy relationship with food. The key is to view dessert as an occasional treat vs. letting it become an everyday habit. If you really want something, by all means allow yourself to have it and really savor it. There’s no point in feeling guilty – eating perfectly 100% of the time isn’t realistic or healthy. Just make sure that when you do indulge, it’s worth it. Choose the real thing, not a diet imitation; stay mindful and stop when you are satisfied. And lastly: for snack ideas – see the end of this page!

WEEK 2

Monday, Feb 3 – Sunday, Feb 9

First things first – here are the grocery shopping lists:

Week 2 Standard Shopping List
Week 2 Gluten Free Shopping List
Week 2 Vegan Shopping List

The snack list PDF can be found at the bottom of this post. (It’s the same as last week, but I’ve included some new make-ahead snack recipe suggestion links.) Everyone go say a big thank you to my dietetic intern Jackie for putting the grocery lists together for us!

Day 1

Breakfast:

Perfect Microwave Banana Oatmeal 

• Gluten free option: use gf certified oats
• Vegan option: use a dairy-free alternative (soy, almond, coconut milk, etc.)
• Add toppings as desired (be sure to incorporate some healthy fat like ground flaxseed, chia seeds, nuts, or other seeds!)

Lunch:

Quinoa Taco Salad (gluten free; vegan if omit cheese). Sides (fruit, veg, etc.) as desired!

Dinner:

Homemade Minestrone Soup (vegan)

• Gluten free option: use gf pasta (I like quinoa pasta!)

Day 2

Breakfast:

Chocolate Cherry Espresso Smoothie (gluten free & vegan)

• Consider adding protein powder, or enjoying with a piece of toast with nut butter

Lunch:

Leftover Homemade Minestrone Soup. Enjoy with sides (fruit, etc.) as desired.

Dinner:

Saucy Tomato & Artichoke Chicken (gluten free)

• Vegan option: Use beans (cannellini or kidney beans would be good here) or tofu instead of chicken.

Day 3

Breakfast:

High Protein Oatmeal

• Gluten free option: use gf certified oats
• Vegan option: use a dairy-free alternative (soy, almond, coconut milk, etc.) and leave out the egg.
• Add toppings as desired (be sure to incorporate some healthy fat like ground flaxseed, chia seeds, nuts, or other seeds!)

Lunch:

Leftover Quinoa Taco Salad (gluten free; vegan if omit cheese). Sides (fruit, veg, etc.) as desired!

Dinner:

Tempeh tacos (vegan, gf if you use gf tempeh)

• Enjoy this taco mixture in a taco shell or atop greens. Don’t forget the guac & salsa!

Day 4

Breakfast:

Banana & Spinach Smoothie (gluten free) + toast with nut butter

• Vegan option: use non-dairy milk (may want to add protein powder)

Lunch:

Tuna salad with a healthy twist, served in a wrap or whole wheat pita, or atop salad with some leftover cooked grains. Enjoy with some fruit or veggies on the side, or some chips, if you’re feeling those instead. Remember – this is not a diet, so don’t deny yourself something you love if you really want it as a special treat.

• • Tip: add all sorts of veggies to your sandwiches/wraps to increase satiety. I love broccoli slaw and/or shredded carrots to add crunch, plus baby spinach!
  • Gluten free option: use a gf wrap or pita, or have atop salad and add some avocado in to make sure you’re getting enough calories.
  • Vegan option: use cannelini beans in place of the tuna, and mash together with the other ingredients. Throw some avocado in there too if you want.
  • For wraps and bread, I love the Ezekiel brand – their stuff is made from sprouted grains and legumes and it’s higher in protein/way less processed than most other products. Store frozen – they don’t last long if you leave them out since there are no preservatives.

Dinner:

Mexican stuffed sweet potatoes (gluten free)

• Vegan option: use tempeh instead of chicken and omit goat cheese. Add avocado instead for some healthy fat!

Day 5

Breakfast:

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

• Quick tip: make in the microwave instead – 2 minutes on high, then stir in the pumpkin at the end.
• Gluten free option: use gf certified oats
• Vegan option: use a dairy-free alternative (soy, almond, coconut milk, etc.)
• Add toppings as desired (be sure to incorporate some healthy fat like ground flaxseed, chia seeds, nuts, or other seeds!)

Lunch:

Meal out on the town! Enjoy, and remember to eat intuitively and stop when you are feeling full. 🙂

• Tip: pick something with a good mix of fiber (whole grains or fruit) + healthy fat (things like avocado, seeds, nuts, etc.) + protein (meat, beans, etc.).

Dinner:

“Cheesy” Coconut Sautéed Chickpeas and Kale (gluten free & vegan)

• Serve atop a grain, if desired, or with a side of meat – up to you! 

Day 6 (Weekend!)

Note: for weekend days, I’ve just included brunch and dinner since I know many people tend to eat a late, larger breakfast/brunch and then just have some snacks between then and dinnertime. If you’re not a fan of this approach, feel free to repeat your favorite of the previous breakfast/lunch ideas instead!

Brunch:

Spiced Pumpkin Pancake (gluten free)

• Vegan option: Vegan Blueberry Pancakes

Dinner:

Butternut Squash & Turkey Chili (gluten free).

• Vegan option: omit the turkey. The beans in the chili will provide enough protein, but if you want, you can use crumbled tempeh in place of the turkey for a similar texture.

Day 7 (Weekend!)

Brunch:

Meal out on the town! Enjoy, and remember to eat intuitively and stop when you are feeling full. 🙂 Not in the mood to go out? This is your chance to get creative, or you can enjoy your egg casserole leftovers. 

Dinner:

Leftover Butternut Squash & Turkey Chili. Freeze the rest for later in an airtight container, if applicable!

Daily Snack Ideas

Choose a variety of these each day based on hunger levels. Some days you might need a snack or even two or three, while other days you might not need one at all. Focus on how you feel. Hunger levels change daily based on activity and a host of other factors, so don’t expect to feel the same every day. For snacks, just like meals, focus on a good mix of carbs, protein, and healthy fat to keep you satisfied.

Here’s the downloadable PDF with some easy snack ideas/things to pick up at the grocery store (these are not necessarily included in the overall grocery list in most cases): Winter Shape Up Snack Ideas.

Make-ahead snack recipes:

• Almond Butter Banana Bars (vegan)
• Dark Chocolate Quinoa Bars (gluten free)
• Carrot Cake Muffins (vegan)
• Spiced Butternut Squash Muffins
• Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread (vegan)
• Paleo Bread (gluten free) – this is great with PB&J
• Coconut nut balls (gluten free, vegan if you use maple syrup instead of honey)

Looking for the main Winter Shape Up page where you can find the introduction information and links to each week’s meal plans and workouts? Click here.

Sponsors:

Sponsors: White Plum | Sabra | Reebok | Cabot | Sizzlefish | Stonyfield | FitFluential

This week’s featured sponsor is Cabot Creamery, maker’s of the World’s Best Cheddar and a personal favorite of mine, too! They are owned & operated by 1,200+ farm families throughout New York and New England, and they are happy to provide 5 lucky Winter Shape Up participants gift boxes of their award winning cheddars. Rich in calcium, Cabot’s Cheddars are a tasty (and lactose-free!) way to add a protein-packed punch to your Shape Up snacking routine. I highly recommend the Seriously Sharp variety, which is my favorite. 🙂 Great with crackers or veggies!

Comment below up to once per day (starting on Monday) with how thing are going for you during the challenge and each comment will count as an entry! I’ll randomly select a winner after the week is over (Sunday night/Monday morning) and notify them directly by email. Good luck!