It’s the end of the week. You are tired.

Maybe its been a long day or you are just not motivated to cook tonight.

Buddy’s pizza is calling your name.
But you know you aren’t going to love how you feel afterward.

This is REAL LIFE. Real life is filled with times like this- where healthy eating and weight loss feels a bit like a chore.

You know that your body needs it, though. So what CAN you do?
The answer is:
Learn how to cheat. And do it as cleanly as possible.

Having some go- to things at the grocery store that ARE already prepared or take minimal work is always a good idea.

Of course, I don’t mean to make this an every night kind of thing. But we all have our times of lowered energy and needs for simplicity.

Here are 3 examples of good “go-tos”

1. Qrunch- Organic Quinoa burgers.
You can find these at the frozen section of Meijer (or at most health food stores). They are free of eggs, soy, gluten and corn. You can top with a little marinara, any sauce you want!

As you can see in the picture, I sometimes eat it with some sautéed frozen eggplant- also from Meijer.

2. Spaghetti- Edamame sytle. By Explore Cuisine
It doesn’t get easier than pasta. These are made from edamame so each serving has something like 20 grams of protein. I got these at Costco, but they are available at most health food stores.

I use spaghetti sauce organic from Trader Joe's. Any sauce is ok! Read labels to make sure there is no “cane sugar” in the ingredients.

3. Smoothies- If you have seen me in the office, you know I love Costco! I love how accessible they make organic berries.

If you are craving something sweet or nee something quick as you run out the door, try throwing together a smoothie!

½ cup frozen wild blueberries
½ a banana
1 tsp almond butter
2 handfuls of greens
Trader Joe’s Organic Pea protein
water to blend

What do you cheat with?

If you are feeling low energy for longer periods of time, mention this to your doctor. Make sure you are getting all your hormones tested, too.