Wife.  Mother.  Sports Fan.  Golfer.  Runner.  Fitness Fanatic.  Foodie!

When asked to describe myself, these are the words I use.  Notice over half of them have to do with being active.  Okay, I guess sports fan doesn’t really require movement in a demanding way…I am clapping, right 🙂 …but it shows an appreciation for the athlete and all the hard work and discipline that goes into being successful at a sport you love.

This description summarizes how important it is to me to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.  A large part of staying healthy and fit is feeding my body well.  It doesn’t do any good to get my workouts in throughout the week and then go binge on pizza and fast food night after night.  I’ve learned over the years, especially since I’ve been in my 30s, that diet affects how I feel much easier than when I was younger and that I’m more apt to put on weight if I’m not careful about what I eat, even when I am exercising.

An interesting statement I’ve come across quite a bit lately while reading about diet and exercise is that a healthy lifestyle is about 80% diet and 20% exercise.  In other words, if you’re working out most days of the week but are repeatedly making poor decisions when it comes to your diet, the exercise you’re doing can’t undo a bad diet.  I’d believe that.  When Mike and I were training for a marathon (26.2 miles) last spring, we were putting in an average of 35-42 miles per week.  Over the course of those 4 months I gained 7 lbs…and no, I didn’t gain 7 lbs of muscle 🙂 Much of this was because I was hungry all the time and eating so many carbohydrates.  I didn’t try to control what I was eating and was probably using running that many miles as an excuse to overindulge a few too many times during the week and after a long run.

Leading a healthy lifestyle requires both a healthy diet and regular exercise.  Don’t get me wrong, I think its great to indulge, occasionally.  Afterall, I am a lover of all things food!  OCCASIONALLY is the key word. It’s all about moderation.  I try to be really good Sunday evening through Friday and let myself splurge a little on Saturdays and maybe at Sunday morning breakfast.  With a history of heart disease in my family, combining regular exercise with a heart healthy diet is high on the priority list.  I plan on being around a long time to watch T.J. grow into an adult and pursue all his dreams and passions and to share many memories on the golf course with Mike long into our golden years.

As much as I love food, I know how hard it is to eat healthy most of the time.  There are just so many temptations out there.  It’s important for me to still be able to enjoy all the foods I love without feeling deprived.  If I feel deprived, I’m not likely to stick with eating healthy and am more tempted to run out and buy that pizza or ice cream cone more often than I should.  Notice again I said more often than I should…I’m not going to cut those things out of my life completely.  Those are foods I enjoy.  I’m just going to be smart about how often I eat them.

Lately, I’ve been having a lot of fun trying to come up with meal ideas that are under 500 calories.  Through this I’ve learned healthier substitutions for higher calorie ingredients and how to avoid sacrificing flavor and quality.  If I’m eating a healthy meal, I want to enjoy it and feel full and satisfied when I’m done.

Below, I’ve compiled a list of 5 meals all under 500 calories that we have had for supper in our house over the past few weeks. All were a hit with my husband, 2  1/2-year-old son, and myself.  The other nice thing is that they are quick and easy meals that you can throw together in the morning before work or that night when you get home.

5 Meal Ideas All Under 500 Calories!

5. CHICKEN, RICE, & BLACK BEANS – 490 Calories

4. APPLE PORK LOIN – 443 Calories

3. PARMESAN ITALIAN CHICKEN SAUSAGE MELTS WITH A SIDE SALAD – 390 Calories

2. FIRE ROASTED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH STEAK FRIES – 230 Calories

1. MARGARITA LIME CHICKEN – 413 Calories

Enjoy these tasty dishes without feeling it in your waistline.  You’ll be full, satisfied, and pleased with the quality and quantity of food you’ll be able to eat and all for under 500 calories!

Which meal do you think you’ll try?  Let me know what you think!