Snapshots from a day of real eats: How I usually eat when I’m ‘off-screen’ and how I balance all the food blogger treats.
Last week I read a post by a local Austin food blogger talking about food/life balance and how being a food blogger often means needing to balance indulgent eats with real food that’s good for our bodies while stepping away from the social media hype, eating something for the ‘gram, and eating real food while off-screen.
I know on my blog and my Instagram feed, there are a lot of photos of indulgent food — especially dessert and wine. And while I do believe a balanced life includes dessert and wine it’s not what I typically eat. Those snaps I share are just a snippet of a day and likely something I only had a bite or two of.
Even my own cakes, scones, cookies…I typically have a few bites or share a piece with <3M.
And for some foods, which I make often and know what they taste like, I simply don’t have any at all. Not because I’m avoiding it but because I learned to listen to my body and what I’m really craving. I also often pause and ask myself
- If I wanted to, can I have this again tomorrow?
- Am I eating this for the photo?
- Am I really hungry?
What about alcohol? Yep, I do love my wine. But I’ve also learned that I love a nice glass of red wine, usually enjoyed with <3M or a small group of friends in the evenings when I can sit, enjoy the wine, and chat with the people around me.
In large social situations like parties or work events, I usually stick to flavored seltzer water. I found that I end up chatting and mingling too much so drinking alcohol isn’t really appealing and I don’t have time to savor what I’m drinking.
All of that said, I thought it might be fun to show what a real day of food looks like for me — meals from when I’m ‘off-screen’ and don’t share on Instagram or the blog.
These real-eats photos are from Monday. In total it was ~1700 calories with a high concentration of protein and fat over carbs since I’ve learned I feel better eating this way.
Breakfast Overnight oats made with 1/3 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/4 cup 2% Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon chia seeds, 1 tablespoon chopped pecans, 1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds, 2 teaspoons peanut butter, 1/3 cup frozen blueberries, and a drizzle of honey.
Not pictured, a cup of coffee with pumpkin spice creamer and a scoop of Great Lakes Collagen after an early morning Camp Gladiator workout.
Mid-Morning: Another cup of coffee with whole milk & stevia + ~1/4 cup Honey Nut Cheerios & Lime Topo Chico
Lunch: Kale salad with bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, 1 ounce of avocado, 1 tablespoon hemp seeds, 4 ounces baked chicken breast, roasted red pepper hummus, and 1 tablespoon homemade balsamic dressing + a hot Orange Lemon Tea
Dressing: 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon oregano
Not Pictured, Snack: Quest Vanilla Milkshake protein shake + small handful of salted mixed nuts
While making dinner: 1 glass red wine
Dinner: My version of turkey chili stuffed acorn squash inspired by Skinnytaste + another splash of red wine. My changes included extra lean turkey, the addition of kidney beans, more spice, and parmesan cheese
