hi there,

Welcome to a week’s worth of recipe prep: chicken edition. I like this as

an intro because it sounds like the opening of the nightly news. Imagine
me saying it in a very official voice and possibly wearing a suit! Anyway,
this e-book and video were created because so many of our readers were
asking me about my meal prep. In the last six months of 2015 I started to
revert back to stress eating and because of it I began to gain weight. At the
time we were going through the adoption process and the holidays were
upon us and my usual healthy diet with occasional indulgences turned
into basically all indulgence. I began to pack on more weight than I was
comfortable with and I knew I needed to get strict with myself or I’d keep
making up excuses for why I was choosing bad choices. And let me tell you
something, I am the queen of finding an excuse for why I should eat nine
thousand calories in a single sitting. It’s a special occasion, I should definitely
have two pieces of cake. Or it’s the weekend, everyone drinks extra wine
on the weekend. Or, I love this restaurant and I never get to come here.
Or, the most dangerous, I’ve had a hard day, I deserve this! So at the start
of February I decided to change my eating habits and I decided –for the
first time in my life—to be more strict than I ever had before. I didn’t base
this new diet on anything else, though it’s certainly similar to Whole 30 or
Adkins or Paleo. It’s really just common sense and what worked practically
in my life. Any fresh fruit, any fresh veggie, any meat, any nut, eggs, coffee
(black), tea (unsweetened) sparkling water, and water. No dairy, no alcohol,
no rice, no pasta, no bread, no white potato. But, I did give myself one meal
a week where I ate whatever and however much I wanted. And I also tried
something radical… I committed to staying on this plan. This was radical
for me because I have never, not once in my life stayed on a “diet” for than
a week or so without binging. But I kept wondering, what would happen
if I actually did it for two weeks? Could I go two weeks without breaking
my promise to myself. And because this wasn’t so much a diet as just a
shift to healthier eating, I found it was really easy to stay on. I brought
snacks everywhere. I prepped my meals in advance. Because my kids
like protein it was easy to make dinners everyone would eat. Protein and
veggies for all of us and then pasta or rice to add to their plate. I snacked
constantly so I wasn’t hungry and I saw immediate changes. I had more
energy, I wasn’t coming home at the end of the day dead tired. My skin
cleared up. My stomach got flat and since I started doing this months
ago I’ve lost ten pounds. Now, it’s important to say, I am not a dietitian, I
am not a doctor and you should always consult with a professional before
taking advice from some chick you follow on the internet. But that being
said, the reason this has worked for me is because it’s commons sense
eating. I follow the same rules we’ve all heard a million times. Don’t eat
it if it’s not in its original form. Enjoy your favorites in moderation. And
preparation is half the battle. You want to know why this has been so easy
to follow? It’s not because I’m super human or because I’m particularly
good at diets: it’s because I’m prepared. A couple of weeks ago I showed
how I meal prep on SnapChat and y’all freaked out. You wanted to know
recipes, you wanted to know details you wanted to try it for yourself.
So here we are: a week’s worth of meal ideas based on chicken. If you
like this video be sure to check out the beef prep video. This is a great
option for those of you who want to lose weight. It’s also a great option
for those of you who are perfectly happy with your weight but just want
to prep meals in advance for your lunches and dinner. I hope you find it
as helpful as I have.

xo, rach
 GROCERY
LIST
Produce: Meat Counter:
2 medium summer squash 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders
2 medium zucchini 1 cooked rotisserie chicken
2 large broccoli crowns 2 packages bacon
1 small bunch celery 2 pounds ground chicken
3 small red onions 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 red bell peppers 2 pounds chicken wings
2 green bell peppers 2 pounds chicken legs
2 yellow bell peppers
2 pounds tomatillos
Grocery Aisles:
6 Anaheim peppers
1 small bag dried cranberries
1 jalapeño
1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts
1 head of garlic
3 cups chicken stock
1 lime
1 bottle Zesty Italian dressing
1 avocado
1 bottle BBQ sauce
2 heads romaine lettuce
1 small jar hoisin sauce
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 small jar soy sauce
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 small jar buffalo sauce
1 bunch fresh cilanttro
1 (14-ounce) can garbanzo beans
1 bunch fresh oregano
1 (12 pack) eggs
1 (16-ounce) bag mixed lettuce greens
1 bottle red wine vinegar
1 small cucumber
1 bunch scallions
6 medium carrots
1 small savoy cabbage
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 bunch fresh rosemary
1 lemon
 RACHEL’S TIPS TO STAY ON TRACK
I’ve debated whether or not to include these tips for you guys. Debated it because, well,
most of them seem a little silly to me. These are not the kinds of things I’ve ever read about
in someone else’s guide and so I hesitate to include them. But at the end of the day, these
are truly the things (however silly) that have helped me reach and maintain my goal weight.
Little tricks that have kept me on track and kept me from binge eating cookie dough ice
cream— which is the way a lot of my diets ended before now. Hopefully you’ll find these
ideas helpful, maybe you’ll find them hilarious… either way, feel free to use what works and
ignore the rest. xo, Rach

Start the day with a glass of water - We all know we need to be drinking eight glasses a
day, right? Well, starting your day by downing one full glass does several awesome things.
One, it kick starts your metabolism. Two, you feel accomplished… look at me being all
healthy before 8AM! And three, now you only have seven more to go!

Don’t look at food when you’re not full - I don’t mean turn your head your head away
from food, I mean don’t start scrolling through Pinterest when unless you’ve eaten recently.
Don’t read a food magazine if you’re kind of hungry. Whenever I start looking at pics of
food when I haven’t eaten recently I decide that I’m starving. I also decide that I’m starving
for things covered in melted cheese. So, I don’t go on Pinterest, or watch Food Network, or
read Bon Appetit at eight o’clock at night or I’m going to head to the kitchen for a snack I
don’t need. Be smart about food and don’t engage with it unless you’re strong enough to
withstand the temptation.

Beware of Trigger Friends - My childhood best friend and I were chubby together. And we
loved every single deep fried second of it. We would eat our way through sampler platters
and bowls of dip. We devoted whole weekends to how much chili cheese fries we could fit
down our gullets. The highlight of our high school career was when the local convenience
store started selling snack cakes at four for a dollar. Now that we’re grown up, and much
smarter about eating and exercising, we have to be careful not to fall back into old habits
the second we see one another. We’re trigger friends. As in, we trigger bad behavior in the
other. When you’re teaching yourself to eat healthier you need to be careful of friends who
might trigger the opposite. Look for new activities you can do with each other that don’t
revolve around food or alcohol. And just like with the pictures of food, don’t hang out with
them when you’re hungry. Sounds silly but I can’t tell you how many times I thought my will
power was strong and I somehow ended up at Taco Tuesday with my friends eating two
days worth of calories in a single sitting!
Ignore the Naysayers - Sometimes, when we start to eat healthy or lose weight it
can feel like our friends or our family try to sabotage us. Sometimes they do it lightly,
with teasing. Other times they can be downright rude or mocking. Aint nobody
got time for that noise! Don’t you for one second listen to anyone who’s not being
supportive of your journey to a healthier you. I don’t mean that you need to punch
your cousin in the face because she’s giving you a hard time. I just mean that you
can straight up ignore anything someone says that’s unsupportive— this pretty much
applies to all areas of life.

Always Be Prepared - I mean, that’s the key of this whole dang idea right? You prep
the food in advance so you have something to reach for when you’re hungry. But
it’s more than just meals you need to be prepared for— its snacks too. I have snacks
everywhere. In my car, in my purse, all around the kitchen, in Dave’s car, etc. I never
want to be caught without a healthy snack because when I get really hungry is when I
make mistakes and eat everything in sight! Find healthy, high protein snacks you like
and keep them within grabbing distance.

Eat Before the Party - Celebrations of any kind are my

weakness. Parties are one of my favorite things and so I will
use them as an excuse to eat anything and everything. Oh,
but it’s a birthday I need to pieces of cake. Oh but it’s an
anniversary I should have extra dip! I can seriously excuse
away anything! My trick now? I eat before I go to the party!
Since I do a high protein diet I can always find food to eat
there— or better yet, I plan for the party as my cheat meal
and enjoy myself. But if I eat something healthy before I go
I’m not starving when I arrive and I don’t raid the buffet like
a marauding army!

When in Doubt, Look at Fitness Models - OK, that might

be the weirdest piece of advice I’ve ever offered but it’s
true! When I’m feeling discouraged or like I want to go eat
half a cake, I look up videos of female fitness models doing
really hard workouts. They’re so strong and they’re working
so hard and it’s super inspiring to me. Then I head over to
Instagram and do the same thing there. I feel so inspired
and fired up that I forget the cake. It’s also a great motivator
if you’re trying to push yourself to go workout. If you can’t
see it, you can’t be it. So look for people who’s fitness or
healthy living inspire you and follow their examples.
remember
to keep
hydrated!
 FLAVOR YOUR

WATER
By adding a few simple ingredients to your water, you can easily transform
it from plain and boring, to fun and exciting. It also ensures that you drink
more water throughout the day. Check out this list below on all my favorite
ways to spruce up my water!

Apple and Cinnamon Sicks Orange and Vanilla Bean

Strawberry and Basil Blackberry and Sage
Blueberry and Lemon Peaches with a Hint of Cayenne
Lemon and Cucumber Strawberry Cucumber
Watermelon and Lime Tomato and basil
Honey and Lemon Pineapple, Mint and Ginger
Orange and Mint Orange and Fennel
Raspberry and Pineapple Raspberry and Orange
Blueberry and Rosemary Cantaloupe
Watermelon and Jalapeño Watermelon and Mint
Blueberries, Peaches, Lemon and Mint Grapefruit
Lime Slices and Basil

rach prep CHICKEN 9

 RACH PREPS
MEAL GUIDE
Foods To Avoid
Sugar: Soft drinks, fruit juices, cakes, candy, ice cream, etc.
Grains: Wheat, spelt, rye, barley, rice.
Vegetable Oils: Soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil and a few others.
Trans Fats: Usually found in processed foods with the word “hydrogenated” on the ingredi-
ents list. “Diet” and “Low-Fat” Foods: These are usually very high in sugar.
Dairy: Any dairy based products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese,
ranch etc.

40 Low Carb Snacks

Often times diets, give you a big list of foods you CAN’T eat without much help of things you can
eat.
So here is a list of all the foods that are safe to snack on!

1. Hard Boiled Eggs

2. Peanut Butter and Celery
3. Nuts
4. Carrot Sticks and hummus
6. Pork Rinds
7. Sunflower Seeds
8. Bacon Slices
9. Beef or Turkey Jerky
10. Meatballs
11. Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Cups
12. Tuna and Lettuce Wraps
13. Asparagus and Prosciutto Bundles
14. Fresh Berries
15. Lunch Meats
rach prep CHICKEN 10
16. Dark Chocolate
17. Tuna on Tomato Slices
18. Pepperoni Sticks
19. Avocado Slices
20. Edamame
21. Tuna on Cucumber Slices
22. Veggies and Guacamole
23. Little Smokies
24. Zucchini Chips
25. Green bean Crisps
26. Cucumber Sandwiches
27. Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites
28. Bacon-Wrapped Artichoke Hearts
29. Roasted Cauliflower
30. Deviled Eggs
31. Egg Salad Wrapped in Lettuce
32. Prosciutto Wrapped Melon
33. Air Popped Popcorn
34. Tuna Salad stuffed in Avocado
35. Olives
36. Baked Kale Chips
37. Scrambled Eggs
38. Almond Butter
39. Spaghetti Squash in Marinara
40. Jell-O with Fruit
 FLAVOR YOUR FOOD
SPICES & SEASONINGS
Diet food doesn’t have to be boring or dull. Try jazzing up your daily recipes
with any of the seasonings and spices listed below. Switch them out from
day to day or week to week, so that your food feels new and exciting every
time! I like these in particular because none of them add any more sodium
to your dishes.
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
Granulated Garlic
Onion Powder
Granulated Onion
Paprika
Cayenne Pepper
Chili Powder
Cumin
Dried Oregano
Dried Basil
Dried Parsley
Dried Rosemary
Dried Thyme
Ground Cinnamon
Curry Powder
Crushed Red Chili Flakes
Salt-Free Poultry Seasoning
Salt-Free Steak Seasoning
Salt-Free Lemon Pepper

rach preps CHICKEN 12

 HEALTHY
SNACKS
1 Tablespoon Almond Butter
1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter
Hummus
Almonds
Peanuts
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Deviled Eggs
Fresh Fruit
Dried Fruit
Unsweetened Coconut
Carrots Sticks
Cucumber Slices
Sliced Bell Pepper
½ Baked Sweet Potato