Ripped In 30: What I Ate
I’ve received quite a few questions about what exactly I ate during Ripped In 30. I have highlighted a few of my favorite meals here that worked for me. Everyone is different, but I just wanted to share what I found to be a good fit for me.
My diet consisted of 1,600 calories a day and I kept a detailed account of everything I ate. Now that I’ve finished the challenge I no longer count calories and have kept the weight and inches off by sticking with (mostly) unprocessed foods, tons of fruit & veggies, eggs, whole grains, beans and nuts.
Pita Pizzas » These are great because you can always have something different just by choosing different veggies. I used Ezekiel brand pita bread and really liked it. All you need to do is take one piece of pita bread and cut along the edge like this so that you end up with two crusts for your pizza.
I made my own sauce by using canned low-sodium tomato sauce and added basil, a bit of salt and oregano. My favorite toppings are mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, asparagus and onion. Just play around with the toppings, find your favorite combo and enjoy!
Baked Potatoes with Greek Yogurt » During Ripped In 30 I found out that greek yogurt makes a wonderful sour cream substitute. It’s packed with a ton of protein and not many calories or fat which is great. I used this brand of yogurt and really liked it.
Veggie Stir-fry » It’s so easy to make these and they make the perfect workday lunch. I would pre-chop veggies and store them in tupperware bowls and make a large batch of quinoa on Sunday so that it would last the entire week. When I woke up in the morning for work I would just heat up the veggies, add some quinoa and sauce and be on my way. Easy!
Remember not to deprive yourself. I think one of the biggest reasons I failed so much in the past is because I viewed getting healthy and in shape as a temporary diet and it shouldn’t be that way. I felt that I couldn’t have anything “bad” and that was just me setting myself up for failure. You begin to tell yourself no so much that you eventually break and think you can’t do it anymore.
It needs to be a lifestyle change in order to work. Watch portion sizes. Eat whole, clean foods. Drink plenty of water. Make smart substitutions and choices throughout the day. Fuel your body properly. Make the change. Get stronger. See the results.
All of your posts about Jillian DVDs make me want to pick some up. Do the moves require a ton of space? Our TV is in the basement and with the drop ceiling I can’t fully extend my arms overhead without punching out the tiles (haha).
Some of the cardio portions have jumping jacks, but you could always do high knees or run in place. There are some strength moves like squat and press so it may be a little tricky :\
btw- I picked up a couple of things at the farmer’s market that were *so* good (I asked for samples to make sure it was the upmost quality :] ) but Greg’s shoe broke so we had to leave before I could finish. Haha. I’m going to go back this Saturday, finish up and mail some goodies to you! :]
Damn being an Amazon!
I packaged everything up. I didn’t get as much as I wanted bc the non-perishables were a little pricier than I anticipated, but I think you’ll like what I picked out (I hope!). I’m going to ship it out today after work if I can get to the post office before 5.
Haha! Do you have a laptop? Maybe you could play the dvd on there.
I’m so excited!!! I’ll have to ship mine out after the market on Saturday and I’ll e-mail you a tracking number as well. Thanks for doing the swap with me!
i’m seriously obsessed with pita pizzas!
They are the best! I love how crispy they get!
All of these look tasty. I agree about everything in moderation. I eat very healthfully but I’m not going to say no when someone offers me a chocolate croissant! Life is too short.
Exactly! You’re still going to lose/maintain your weight you just have to be mindful of portion sizes and such.
Aw, great post, Anastasia. I have been making “pizzas” with a sandwich wrap. I love the stir fry and quinoa idea! I think I have seen it on your blog before, but I forget–what sauce do you use again?
I use a vegetarian hoisin sauce or a bottled szechuan sauce I found at my local grocery store.
Pizza wraps sound incredible!
I just tried the pita pizza and failed miserably! Did you put it on a cooking sheet or directly on the rack?? i couldnt get it crispy on the bottom…just on the edges and when i tried to move it to the rack it seeped through! But i could tell from the pieces i saved that it is delicious…maybe i put too much sauce?? help!
Yeah, it was probably too much sauce. I use a pan specifically for baking pizza.. it looks like this:
I’m not sure if that makes a difference or not. Also maybe try just toasting the pita bread alone for a couple of minutes and then adding the sauce and toppings?
thanks! love your blog!!!
Aw, thank you!
Those pita pizzas look delish! Do you bake them or eat them with the raw vegs on top?
I bake them at 350° until the edges look really dark and crispy. The middle never crisps up like the outside so be careful or all your veggies will fall through!