Let me start off by saying that I am a foodie. Before knowing about proper nutrition and exercise, I ate everything under the sun. I was the girl who would try new restaurants constantly, became Yelp elite, and have a high standard for food. I blame my mom, she’s a caterer!

With the new lifestyle I have after joining Imago, I still love food, but I view it a bit differently.

1) If I am going to choose food that isn’t necessarily “healthy”… It better be damn good. (i.e. Best mac & cheese of my life, Michelin star restaurant fried chicken, etc.) I try to make sure that those calories are worth it!

2) Who says “bad” food has to be bad? There’s always a way to find ways to make it healthy & clean!

When you’re given a set menu or ingredients, you learn to get creative in the kitchen. I’m Filipino and love Asian influences, so you’ll see a little bit of that inspiration in the choices I made for today’s menu. 

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FIRST THING

When I wake up, I usually just have a glass of water. I’m not much of a coffee girl unless truly necessary. Today, I had my first client at 5:45AM, so I opted for a nice tea instead.

POST WORKOUT BREAKFAST

After my morning clients, that’s when I schedule my own workouts. Post-cardio & lifting, I usually fuel my body with a protein shake. I don’t have a sweet tooth, so I like to water down my protein shake (hydration is important!). Optimum Nutrition Protein in Mocha Cappuchino is yummy! It has the flavor of coffee and chocolate, minus the after effects. On warm days, I add ice cubes or blend it to make it a nice clean “frappuccino”. I have this protein shake with a greek yogurt, and my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE cereal – Kashi Simply Maize!

LUNCH

I’ve been dreaming of a Hawaii vacation on the beach, so I try to channel my island girl with good eats. Poke is the newest craze, but instead of adding countless calories from a to-go meal, I decided to prep this myself! If you have a local Japanese supermarket, grab a couple containers of sashimi grade ahi tuna and salmon. Cut it up, add Braggs Amino, a drizzle of sesame oil, chopped green onions, a little masago, and VOILA! Clean poke! I add this onto a bed of salad, with some edamame drizzled with more Braggs Soy Amino on the side, and a little wasabi paste to give it a kick.

SNACK

Quest Bars have always been at the top of my quick list, but I’m trying out OhYeah! One bars… So far Almond Bliss is my favorite – I’ve done a side by side comparison with Girl Scout Cookies Samoas, SO GOOD! 

DINNER

As my day ends, I like to keep my tummy full with dinner so that I don’t have late night cravings. I tend to grill or stir-fry my meats and veggies all in one go. Since I’m at home, I don’t want to make a fuss about eating and I love ease and convenience. Tonight I kept it simple with easy grilled chicken, broccoli, some mushrooms, and a few little tomatoes for color. 

Whatever you decide to eat for the day, make sure that YOU are making those choices! Life is all about balance, so enjoy the food that fuels your body!