We Aim To Slay

If you’ve visited We Aim To Slay before, you might have noticed that I try to live as healthy a life as possible – spending time outdoors, exercising regularly, and eating mindfully. These tenants are even more prevalent when I’m trying to take the stage as I am currently. I am so excited to be sharing that I will once again be taking the pageant stage! This summer I will be competing for the title of International United Ms 2024-2025, where I will proudly represent my home state of Connecticut!

When I’m pageant training especially, it’s important to find the balance between getting enough exercise and eating properly. Both of those concepts look different depending on your specific needs, goals, and current level of health and fitness.

Over the years I have learned about and tried many fad diets, but nothing has been more effective than taking care of myself intentionally and fully; eating foods that contain the vital nutrients to fuel my progress!

I just got back from my second official W.A.T.S. brand trip – really nailing this travel resolution! – to my family’s home in Florida where my mom, Stacey, (a fitness coach and certified nutritionist) was in charge of crafting the perfect meals to keep me going during the long days of shooting and editing content!

Today I’m going to walk you through some of my go-to staples and some of the quick and easy meals Stacey made, perfect for anyone who wants to make some healthy changes in the kitchen, or like me, those of us training for the stage!

Breakfast

I’ll be honest, breakfast is my least favorite meal in that traditional breakfast foods are some of my least favorites – especially eggs! There’s two breakfast options that I go back and forth between – yogurt or oatmeal, but what I add to my base is the same every time! 

Before we start doctoring our meal, let’s start with the basics: I prefer to use Fage 2% Greek Yogurt, and Quaker Original Oats, as I’ll be adding ground flaxseeds and protein powder!

While we were away Stacey brought a few new-to-us protein powders, in order to make smoothies each morning! This was my first time interfacing with Happy Viking Plant Protein & Superfoods Meal Replacement (created by tennis champion, Venus Williams!) and I have to say – I’m obsessed! Personally, I loved the Greena Colada flavor which Stacey mixed with 12 oz water, 1 cup of ice, 3 pumps of Horchata-flavored liquid sweetener, 1 tbsp of chia seeds, and 1 whole frozen banana. We also tested the Double Chocolate and Tropical flavors but I maintain that Greena Colada was the best!

Lunch & Dinner

Personally, lunch and dinner are my two favorite meals from a flavor-profile standpoint; I prefer savory foods, most especially those that feature Mediterranean flavors! And from my perspective, those flavors can be eaten at any time of day!

For a quick and easy meal, I like to opt for a big salad; it’s one of my favorite ways to eat a lot without eating something calorically dense. When I make my salads at home the base is always the same – kale and spinach, with a homemade dressing made with an avocado, lemon juice, salt, and pepper! 

In this rendition I added half of an apple and a piece of baked chicken breast (seasoned with salt, pepper, and peri peri season, and baked for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F). 

Sometimes our schedules are so busy that the most effective way to eat is to grab-and-go. Lately I’ve been buying bagged salad kits in various flavors, and adding protein with Perdue Done It’s! I use about half of the package of chicken per bagged salad. But then there are the times when we need to place a mobile order and keep moving – luckily there’s been an uptick in chopped salad restaurants such as Just Salad or Chopt! I happen to like both of those places, but there’s a Just Salad close to where my mom lives so I go there more often – my go-to order is the Earth Bowl, shown below!

While we were away, Stacey had a clear plan in mind for our food plan – as we have a terrible habit of eating out at expensive restaurants for nearly every meal! Because we were staying at our family’s condo we had access to a full kitchen, making grocery shopping and cooking the most logical choice. We spent about $200 USD on groceries, purchasing staple ingredients that hit all of our nutritional goals and using seasoning to adjust flavor profiles.

Keeping that in mind, she decided to buy three main proteins – salmon fillet, chicken breasts, and skirt steaks – to create a variety of meals quickly and easily! Lucky for me, Stacey also loves a big salad and she crafted this base of 50/50 spring mix and baby spinach and kale, matchstick carrots, sliced avocado, blue cheese, craisins, Newman’s Own balsamic vinaigrette dressing, and topped with broiled skirt steak.

For our first dinner, she made an Atlantic salmon fillet, glazed with shredded coconut and coconut cream mixed with soy sauce and sesame oil, broiled for 10 min to caramelized sugars then baked for 10 min at 350 degrees with a side of lentil salad – cooked brown lentils (Organic TruRoots Sprouted Green Lentils), sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, salt, and salad quality olive oil.

And one of our favorite meals (we had it more than once!) were the High Protein Nourish Bowls, featuring Long grain white rice, lentils, baked chicken breast, roasted sweet potatoes, cucumber, salted pumpkin seeds, and Ithaca brand lemon & dill hummus.

And all of these items were easy to mix and match into several complete meals!

Snacks

Eating well balanced meals is clearly very important, it is also important to reach for healthy snacks. For me, nothing beats biting into fresh fruits and vegetables like an apple or banana, or dipping carrots in hummus!

But you can really get creative using something like a rice cake as your base – leaning sweet by adding Nutella and banana slices – or lean into the savory flavors with a schmear of hummus and sliced cucumbers, or topping a pita with tabouli!

While driving to Florida Stacey introduced me to Noka Superfood Smoothie pouches! I’ve tried the coconut mango and the strawberry peanut butter flavor, and I preferred the coconut mango! 

I’m obsessed with these! Not only are they super easy to carry with you, they are a super quick way to pack in a ton of nutrients quickly! The perfect pre-workout on your way to your next training session; perfect to keep in your bag or desk as an afternoon pick me up; and I’ll definitely have a few of these in my bag at pageant rehearsals this summer!

I recently rediscovered my love of cottage cheese (which is quite high in protein!), which I like to top with blueberries! For this rendition I also mixed in salted pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and craisins!

Hydrate!

No matter what you eat or what you activity level, it is imperative that you drink enough water each day! 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drinking enough water each day – the amount varies depending on several factors, so make sure to discuss with your healthcare provider! – “can prevent dehydration, which may cause unclear thinking, mood change, overheating, constipation, and kidney stones,” and due to its lack of calories “replacing sugary drinks with plain water can help reduce caloric intake.”

The easiest way to ensure proper hydration is by carrying a refillable water bottle! The rise in popularity of products such as Yeti and Stanley Cups, it easier than ever to stay hydrated while also being eco-friendly!

Don’t Deny Yourself!

Even though I just spent this entire blog post talking about how important it is to eat a balanced and healthy diet, I subscribe to the Oscar Wilde mentality of “Everything in moderation… including moderation!”

As I mentioned above, Stacey and I are big fans of fancy restaurants! So remember that while I’m making healthier choices than normal right now, I’m still indulging in little treats along the way!

What Do You Think?

I’m excited to bring you all along with me on my never ending journey to live the healthiest life possible, and on my journey to the International United Ms stage this July! To keep up with my pageant activities make sure to follow my titleholder Instagram and Facebook accounts!

And if you’re looking for fitness inspiration, you can check out my collection of health and fitness content by visiting the newly launched We Aim To Slay Health & Fitness page!

I’ll be back next week to share my coverage of Hartford Fashion Week!

Have a great rest of your week, and remember to SLAY!