10 foods to help stay full, satisfied, and fueled in a fat loss phase!
Staying fueled, happy, satisfied, + adherent during fat loss is 🔑
It’s also the key for being a goal crushing machine.
Whe you’re super hungry, every rational thought leaves - your fat loss goals are replaced with “how can I get whatever food is available in my mouth as quickly as possible?!”
This is where volume eating + volume foods come to the rescue!
Volume eating is stretching your macro budget.
Eating a larger quantity of food, while keeping calories low.
Here are my Top Ten Favorites:
1. Cucumbers: Very low in calories and high in water content.
2. Celery: Also low in calories and mostly water, providing a satisfying crunch.
3. Zucchini: Versatile and low in calories, can be spiralized as a pasta substitute.
4. Lettuce: Various types, such as iceberg or romaine, are low in calories and high in volume.
5. Tomatoes: Juicy and low in calories, good for adding bulk to salads and dishes.
6. Bell Peppers: Colorful and low in calories, providing a sweet and crunchy addition to meals.
7. Broccoli: Low in calories and high in fiber, helps with satiety.
8. Cauliflower: Can be used as a rice or potato substitute, low in calories.
9. Watermelon: High water content and low in calories, great for satisfying sweet cravings.
10. Spinach: Nutrient-dense and low in calories, excellent for salads and smoothies.
350 calorie high volume meal ⬇️
Leafy greens, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, 4oz of chicken, dressing of choice.
350 calorie low volume meal ⬇️
Premier protein shake + apple
The high volume meal is going to keep you fuller for much longer.
When you’re full, you’re happy.
When you’re happy you have energy.
When you have energy you can focus on your goals.
When you focus on your goals, you are more adherent.
When you are adherent, you become a goal crushing machine.
So if you’ve always been focused on eating as little as possible to achieve your goals, and it isn’t working, consider adding more volume to your meals.
#over150lbslost #volumeeating #fatlossjourney #macrocounting #nutrition #nutritioncoach #bestlife #nowisthetime #apostolic
5 Ingredient Teriyaki Chicken + Pineapple Tacos
Taaaaaaccccccccooooooooosssssss!!!
Need we say more?
Okay, let us explain.
Teriyaki AND Pineapple Tacos!
You’re welcome :)
Ingredients
Rotisserie Chicken (*can use fresh cooked chicken breast)
Teriyaki Sauce (our favorite is G. Hughes Sugar Free Teriyaki)
Pineapple Chunks (fresh or canned)
Bagged Salad Mix
Tortillas
Let’s Cook!
The BEST part…there are ZERO cooking instructions. All you have to do is ASSEMBLE!!!
Layer tortillas, chicken, pineapples, salad mix, and top with teriyaki sauce. Fold up like a taco and enjoy :)
5 Quick Protein Bowls
The BEST thing about a bowl is that you can have one go-to base and just switch out your proteins/veggies/toppings/etc. Here at The Art of Living Well, EASY is our middle name! We thrive on quick, easy recipes that can be customized.
Right now, we are LOVING jasmine rice as our bowl base. 90-second packs heat up in the microwave in less than 2 minutes and are the perfect base for basically any flavor you can imagine!
Check out these recipes for some quick protein bowl ideas. But these are just that…ideas. You can mix/match/add/delete/whatever you like. Healthy DOESN’T HAVE TO BE HARD!
If you are looking to create your own bowl, here’s some tips:
If you want quick, go with a protein and base that are already cooked. 90-second rice pouches and rotisserie chicken can be assembled with a veg and sauce and come together in under 5 minutes!
Use low-sugar sauces to minimize the calories.
If you want to use these as meal prep, batch cook your protein and then assemble.
ANYTHING can be put into a bowl. Literally anything! Let us know what flavor combinations are your favorites!
Chili Mac and Cheese Prep Bowls
Tastes delicious? Check.
Easy to make? Check.
Budget friendly? Check.
Ready in 30 minutes? Check.
Helps you hit ALL your macro goals? Check.
Lunch or dinner ready for the whole week? Checkity CHECK!
This recipe is suuuuuper easy to customize! Would you rather have kidney beans than black beans? Done. Ground turkey or chicken or beef? Go for it. Chili spices vs taco seasoning? Totally works. Want more of a hamburger-feel? Substitute BBQ seasoning and mix in pickles. I LOVE having the freedom to update a recipe however I want!
Ingredients
10oz Banza Chickpea Pasta
1lb Ground Turkey or Chicken
1 can Black Beans, drained
1 can Hatch Green Chiles
1 can Petite Diced Tomatoes
Taco Seasoning
Fat Free Cream Cheese
Fat Free Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Salt/Pepper/Onion Powder/Garlic Powder (to taste)
Let’s Cook!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Separate the Banza pasta into 5 oven-safe glass bowls. Top each bowl with 1/2 cup of boiling water and let sit.
While the pasta is “cooking” in the boiling water, sauté the ground turkey/chicken, adding your preferred seasonings (salt/pepper/onion powder/garlic powder/etc.).
Once the meat is cooked through, it’s time to assemble the bowls. Mix 1oz green chiles, 1tbls taco seasoning, 2tbls black beans, and 2tbls petite diced tomatoes into bowls and stir. Once combined, stir in 1oz softened cream cheese into each bowl.
Place bowls onto a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes.
When done, stir in 1/4 cup shredded cheddar.
These bowls can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. Your lunches all next week? Done!
We Don’t Workout at 6am Because We’re “Hardcore.”
It’s because we KNOW that we are about to commit 16+ hours to everything and everyone else in our lives. This time is all we’ve got.
Knocking out your workout first thing in the morning is more about making sure you’re taking time for yourself and less about being hardcore.
Waking up early and working out is HARD. But what’s also hard is not having a plan for your workout and then trying it fit in during an already crammed day. Then, you know the feeling…the rain cloud of guilt in your mind nagging you all day long because you’ve not worked out yet. You get to the end of the day, exhausted because you’ve poured all of yourself out and have nothing left. You tell yourself you’ll get to it tomorrow. Before you know it, the days slip by and you’ve gone back to old patterns & missed your workouts for the whole week.
Morning workouts give you a great boost to your day and set you up for success! But are they the ONLY way to succeed? Of course not!
If mornings don’t work for you, then find a time that you can commit to & stick with! “Commit to” is the magic phrase. You do whatever you can for your schedule that makes SENSE for you and your family!
It’s 1,000 times easier to find a routine and stick with it vs winging it and hoping to get them in.
Here’s your daily reminder that you need to show up for yourself so you can be your best for those who need you!
Avocado Cottage Cheese Toast
Step up your Avocado Toast game!
If you haven’t figured it out yet…we LOVE us some cottage cheese at The Art of Living Well! It is sooooo versatile. And one of our favorite ways to use it is topped on bread and toasted in the air fryer. Believe me, you haven’t LIVED until you’ve toasted some bread, then topped it with cottage cheese + practically any other toppings, and then toasted it in the air fryer for 4-6 minutes! The air fryer is MAGIC anyway, and this easy recipe just makes us fall that much more in love with it <3
For this version, we’ve gone on the savory side with avocado + hot sauce. If that’s not your speed, you could easily substitute the avocado and hot sauce for sliced avocado + tomato, hot honey + paprika, honey + granola, raisins + cinnamon, almond butter + blueberries; literally endless possibilities!
All you need is:
Any sliced Bread, toasted (for this recipe we like Sourdough!)
1/4 cup Cottage Cheese
1 Wholly Guacamole cup or 1/2 Avocado, mashed
Seasonings/toppings to taste - for this version we are using hot sauce + salt & pepper
To Make:
Toast one piece of Sourdough bread.
Top with one Wholly Guacamole avocado cup, then cottage cheese.
Pop into air fryer for 4-6 minutes at 360 degrees (the cottage cheese should be just starting to get melty).
Top with salt & pepper and hot sauce.
Enjoy!
Chicken Broccoli Cheese Casserole
I am a sucker for broccoli cheese casserole…a SUCKER. It’s my favorite dish at every family potluck! But I do not love all the fat/calories that usually comes with it.
Instead of busting your entire macro budget for the day, make this recipe instead. Substituting fat-free or low-fat mozzarella/cheddar for the full fat version and cottage cheese instead of mayo, plus adding some chicken for body + protein, you’ve got a healthy, delicious meal that is packed with nutritional goodness.
This recipe is completely customizable too! You can add ANY veggies, seasonings, meats, etc. that you have on hand. Riced cauliflower, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms…the possibilities are endless!
With only 6 ingredients and less than 30 minutes from start to finish, this dish will become a family favorite! Or be stingy and make ahead for your weekly meal prep…either way, you get to enjoy :)
All you need is:
1/2 cup Fat Free Mozzarella or Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Rotisserie Chicken
1 Head of Broccoli
2 cups Cottage Cheese
2 Eggs
Preferred Seasonings (to taste)
To Make:
First, chop and blanch broccoli in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. You want your broccoli bright in color, but still have a good “snap.”
Mix cottage cheese, 1/2 the mozzarella/cheddar, eggs, 1/2 the parmesan, and seasonings together. Add in rotisserie chicken and broccoli; mix to coat.
Pour into either individual oven-safe glass prep dishes or 9x9 greased glass dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until edges are browning and crispy.
Enjoy!
Strawberry Shortcake Protein Pancakes
Great for Meal Prep/make ahead? Check.
Protein? Check.
Easy to make? Check.
Budget friendly? Check.
Delicious? Double Check!
These Strawberry Shortcake Protein Pancakes are amazing for so many reasons, and these are just a few!
Check out our Recipe Cards page to download this recipe (and MANY more!)
Cheeseburger Frittata
When you’re short on time - not to mention DON’T want to do a lot of dishes! - this dish reigns supreme! Or King…or Big Mac…or whatever fast food burger you’re craving. Don’t waste your money on an unhealthy, sodium and fat-laden bomb. Fix this cheeseburger frittata instead - in less than 20 minutes and for about the same amount of money you’d spend at a drive thru on just yourself, you’ll have a macro and budget friendly dish ready for the entire family to gobble up!
This recipe makes 4 servings with 30+ grams of protein and <400 calories per serving. It can easily be scaled up or down in servings + whatever veggies or other toppings you want to add. (Just be warned that reducing or adding ingredients will change the cooking time.)
My favorite additions are mushrooms, baby spinach & sundried tomatoes; served topped with avocado slices. Yumm-o!!!
Ingredients
8oz Lean Ground Beef
6 Large Eggs
1 cup Cheddar Cheese
4oz can of Green Chiles
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Brown the ground beef in a large cast iron skillet until fully cooked.
3. Add green chiles + stir.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 6 eggs. Stir in the cheddar cheese. Add the egg and cheese mixture in the cast iron skillet and mix together with the ground beef.
5. Place skillet in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until eggs are fully cooked through. Cut into 4 servings and serve!
Cheesy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Need a quick and easy side dish? These brussels sprouts come together in a couple of minutes and cook up in the air fryer to crispy, cheesy deliciousness!
Ingredients
1 Bag of Frozen Brussels Sprouts
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder to taste
1/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
Directions
Empty frozen brussels sprouts into a microwave safe dish and microwave for 6 minutes.
Season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Transfer to air fryer and cook for 6 minutes at 400 degrees.
Sprinkle sprouts with parmesan cheese and panko bread crumbs.
Arrange in one layer and continue to air fry for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Creamy Garlic Chicken Pesto Bowl
Low carb? Check. High Protein and Fiber? Check. One pan meal? Check. Less than 20 minutes to prepare? Check. Less than 10 ingredients? Check. Perfect for meal prep? Check.
This recipe hits alllllllll the checks!
Ingredients
1lb of Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Garlic Powder
Basil Paste
1 can of Garbanzo Beans
1 can of Petite Diced Tomatoes
Handful of Baby Spinach (to taste)
2 Laughing Cow Swiss Cheese Wedges
Directions
Cube chicken breast and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Add in one squeeze of basil paste and stir to combine.
Sauté chicken in a pan until no longer pink inside.
Once chicken is no longer pink, add in drained petite diced tomatoes, drained garbanzo beans, a handful of spinach (to taste), and 2 cheese wedges.
Cook on low until all ingredients have combined.
Baked Blueberry Protein Donuts
This recipe comes directly from one of our readers!
“Hey y'all! I am sharing our breakfast from this morning. Y'all it was so good!!!! 😋😋 My hubby and I made these up quick last night literally right before bed because we needed something quick and simple for breakfast. I think it took less than 20 minutes total to throw together AND bake! That's a huge bonus for me! They turned out so good and I will definitely be making more and playing around with the recipe. There's so many possibilities!! You could definitely add some protein powder to increase the protein too…”
She is NOT wrong! We have tested them, and they are DELICIOUS!!! If you are jonesing for a donut but do not want to break your macro/calorie budget, give these a try. I promise, you will not be disappointed!!!
This recipe makes 5 servings, and each serving packs in ~20 grams of protein and less than 7 grams of fat! And if you wanted to punch up the protein, add in a scoop or two of your favorite protein powder…just know that might change the texture a bit, so play around with it a bit to see what you like. You could also add some oats for fiber, chia seeds for fiber + protein, a quick glaze of milk + Splenda, etc. The possibilities are endless!!!
Ingredients
-1 cup Kodiak Pancake mix
-3/4 cup Fairlife milk
-1 egg
-Blueberries (or whatever fruit you like!)
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except blueberries. If the mixture seems too thick, add an extra splash of milk to smooth it out.
3) Spray a donut pan with olive or avocado oil and fill each donut mold about half way.
4) Add blueberries to each donut, then cover with the remaining batter.
5) Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Enjoy!!!
Lunchbox Mexican Rollups
These rollups are PERFECT for weekly meal prep! You can use any protein source for these burritos and bake in a large batch (we’ve used ground beef in our recipe). These will last you the entire week! And this recipe is PERFECT for a sneaky veggie --> swap your rice for cauliflower rice, and nobody will even know! The kids get a veggie, and you get the satisfaction of opening empty lunchboxes every night :).
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Ingredients
1lbs lean ground beef
Taco Seasoning
Package of small soft tortillas
1 frozen bag cauliflower rice
Can of black beans
Can of mexi-corn
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa
Instructions
Brown beef with taco seasoning
Microwave cauliflower rice for 6 minutes.
Rinse & drain corn + black beans. Add in cheese.
Assemble together in a bowl
Cover one casserole dish with 1/2 cup salsa.
Put 1/3 mixture into tortilla, wrap & place in casserole dish
Cover with 1/2 cup salsa. Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Three Simple Tricks to Making Dinner at Home 6 Nights a Week
I’m going to give you a Bonus Tip before I even start. It is: this doesn’t have to be complicated, stressful, or expensive. I was talking to a client a few weeks ago and she said, “The only person taking pictures of my food in my house is me. My kids and husband aren’t asking for a picture perfect meal. Once I understood that, that I didn’t need to showcase my meals, a huge stress was lifted.” Can I get an AMEN!?!?!?
Okay, now on to the actual tips. If you struggle with cooking at home, here are my top three tips for moving your meals into the “home cooked” category vs the “fast food category, I don’t feel like life-ing” category:
ONE
Think of the foods you enjoy eating! There is nothing worse than buying & making food…then not wanting to eat what you bought or made. What do you like? Burgers, tacos, salads, steaks…start here. The more you look forward to your meal, the higher likelihood you’ll bypass the drive thru to come home and eat.
TWO
Make a menu off of these foods & line it up with the events you have going on. Example - make egg sandwiches for dinner the night you’re getting home at 8:00pm. That is NOT a night for steak and baked potatoes.
Again, already planned out meals that you enjoy, higher likelihood you’ll cook dinner at home.
THREE
Ridiculously Easy
I’m gonna repeat that. Ridiculously 👏🏼 Easy 👏🏼
The less complicated the better. You can pull together a ton of meals with less than 5 ingredients. Trust me, I’ve got a website full of them right here at www.LivHillNutrition.net!
Now that you are feeling the home-cooked motivation, here’s one of my weekly GO-TO’s :)
Meatball Subs
1) Take a bag of frozen meatballs and cover with can of tomato sauce and sprinkle on Italian seasoning. Cook on low in the slow cooker for 2 hours.
2) Once done, put on sub bread + top with feta cheese.
3) Balance out with a quality side —> Salad, Veggies Steamer Bag, Carrot Sticks, Air-fried Brussel Sprouts, etc.
Like I said, Ridiculously Easy!!!
Buffalo Smash Burger
This smash burger is OUT OF THIS WORLD! If you’re missing your fave buffalo wing + blue cheese dressing combo, make this instead. Only 5 ingredients + a TON of flavor, this dish will satisfy your cravings and keep your macros intact!!!
All you need are Precooked/frozen beef patties (could also make from scratch), Bagged salad mix, Buffalo sauce, Blue Cheese crumbles, and your favorite Thin sliced bread bun. THAT’S it!
Instructions:
Cook burger(s) on the grill/griddle to desired doneness. (The key in making this burger extra tasty is while it’s cooking, use your spatula to “smash” it into the grill/griddle. This gives your burger a delicious sear on the outside, while locking in those flavorful juices on the inside.)
While cooking, pour 1/3 cup salad mix per burger into a bowl (do not use topping package from the salad bag).
Add 1 tablespoon of buffalo sauce per burger to the salad mix.
Once cooked, top burgers with salad mix, a sprinkle of blue cheese crumbles, and an additional splash of buffalo sauce.
This is a recipe the WHOLE family will love!!!
Tropical Oatmeal Bowl
This recipe will have you California Dreamin’ in no time!
It's almost Summer! The sun, the beach, the FOOD...aaaaahhhh, I can't wait. But if you can't get to a tropical location, use this recipe to bring the tropics to you!
This oatmeal bowl will make you feel like you're one tiny umbrella drink away from paradise :)
Ingredients
1/4 cup quick or rolled oats
1/2 cup cottage cheese or high protein yogurt
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup chopped kiwi
2/3 cup frozen mixed berries
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 Stevia packets
1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Combine oats with 3/4 cup of water, chia seeds, Stevia packets and cinnamon. Microwave for 90 seconds.
Stir in cottage cheese or high protein yogurt.
Top with coconut, kiwi and frozen mixed berries.
Enjoy!
Pizza Night just got a MAJOR Upgrade!
Lavash breads make the best pizza crust. I STAND BY THIS. All day. EVERY day.
Okay, now that that’s out of the way…back to the recipe :). This pizza comes together in 12 minutes, is budget friendly with only 5 ingredients, & is insanely delicious!
Ingredients
2 creamy jalapeño laughing cow cheese wedges
4 oz lean ground beef
1 lavash bread
12 banana peppers
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
Italian seasoning + red pepper flakes
Instructions
Brown beef, adding in Italian season & red pepper flakes
Spread Laughing Cow wedges on lavash bread
Top lavash bread with beef, banana peppers, and mozzarella cheese
Bake in an air fryer for 12 minutes at 400 degrees
Bonus Tip:
With the leftover ingredients you have (beef, banana peppers, and Laughing Cow cheese wedges) you easily make a bowl by adding in rice or tacos using lavash as the “tortillas.”
And just so you know…
YES, yes(!) you can lose fat while eating food like this. If this concept is foreign to you, let’s chat & get food freedom working for YOU!
Hot Honey Cottage Cheese Toast
This snack has it all!
Protein, fiber, and kills it on flavor!!
Did you know that bread has protein? Cool huh?! And it doesn’t even need to be special, high dollar “protein bread.”
This is a typical seeded bread from Aldi with 6g of protein.
Toast it, top with cottage cheese, add some spicy chili crunch sauce, and drizzle with a touch of honey!
Man! It hits the spot! That right balance of spicy + sweet.
Toast is 25g of protein, 5g of fiber, 280ish calories.
Funny enough it’s the same amount of calories as a pack of peanut butter crackers & 2 Oreos…which have 5g of protein + 0 fiber.
Always here to remind you - if you’re looking to lose fat or maintain your current weight you want to look deeper than calories. You need to take into account the macros - especially protein AND how full & satisfied you are after you eat. This cottage cheese toast will keep you more full…which leads to less snacking…which leads to hitting your goals & feeling good.
Try this one out - you won’t be disappointed!
Progress Isn’t Always About the Numbers on the Scale.
Or the inches lost.
Some days, it’s about protecting the progress you’ve already made.
You’ve been putting in the hard work, making solid choices, + feel like you’re on the mountain top, seeing results & feeling results!
But then life throws you a curveball - a stressful day at work, one of those days when everything seems to go wrong, OR Daylight savings time - can I get an AMEN!
It’s easy to feel like all your progress is slipping away.
Here’s the reality - on those tough days, choosing to protect your progress is an act of resilience and strength.
It’s about honoring the effort you’ve put in so far and refusing to let temporary setbacks derail your journey.
So, whether it be finding a healthy way to cope with stress, or simply giving yourself grace on days when things don’t go as planned, remember that every choice you make to protect your progress is a victory in itself.
Progress isn’t always linear, and that’s okay.
What matters is that you keep showing up for yourself, even on the challenging days.
Here’s to celebrating the small victories, to resilience, and to the journey toward a healthier, happier you.
Give yourself a high five for the progress you have made!
It’s. Not. Carbs.
It’s not carbs.
We want to place blame on one food item, like cereal, cakes, cookies, doughnuts…surely it’s the doughnuts, right?!
Or on a group all together like carbs.
“If I cut out carbs all together that’s the ticket!”
In reality, what’s keeping you from fat loss is not carbs, it’s the lack of balance you have.
The addiction you have of bouncing from one extreme diet to another every time you want to drop some weight.
Neglecting the most important part HOW can food work with me - how can this be enjoyable & sustainable?
Let’s break it down!
A day WITHOUT carbs:
<aka carnivore>
Breakfast:
Bacon & eggs
Lunch:
Steak
Dinner:
Burger patty w cheese
128p 2c 120f = 1609 calories
Balanced day WITH carbs:
Breakfast:
Protein shake, English muffin, & peanut butter
Lunch:
Chick-fil-A Cobb Salad & apple
Dinner:
Teriyaki, rice, Asian veggies beef bowl
✨SNACK✨
Lucky charms & milk
121p, 174c, 51f = 1590 calories
The balanced day had LESS calories AND was within 7g of protein than the carnivore/no carb day.
<A calorie deficit drives fat loss>
When you look at these 2 days - which is more sustainable??
Which could you see yourself doing when you’re camping, on a cruise, when your kids are sick, when you’re at a retreat?
Which one sounds like a life with food you could enjoy??
For me & my clients it’s carbs + balance all the way.
We eat our carbs, enjoy our meals, time with friends & family WHILE losing fat.
Ready to lose fat & keep it off the fun way?!?
Let’s connect & get you started!