Hey everyone! Matt and Lisa here, and we hope that everyone’s holiday was a time for you to relax and spend time with family! We got to spend lots of time together with our family the past several weeks, which isn’t something that happens very often for the Hunters.

Over Christmas and New Year, we recently found ourselves deep in conversation, reflecting on our New Year resolutions. Everyone is familiar with how the holiday season is also a time for us to eat all of our favorite foods. Christmas cookies, all the cheese boards, and holiday spirits are something that we just can’t say “no” to, but over the years, we’ve learned that all good things come in moderation! The conversation Matt and I shared prompted us to reevaluate and regain control over our nutrition as we get further away from the Christmas season. Over our years focusing on our health and wellness, we've experienced the benefit of a well-established diet plan, focusing on high lean protein, healthy fats, and carb cycling, which we want to share with you now! By the way, if you don’t know what Carb Cycling is, here is a great article to explain it!

Our 80/20 Rule

Eating a healthy diet is no easy task, especially this time of year in the rainy and colder weather when comfort foods just seem to taste the best. For us, we have an 80/20 rule we follow, which means that 80% of the food we eat is lean proteins, good fat, and low carbs. The 20% is anything else we want to eat that doesn’t fit into the diet we aim for. The 80/20 rule also applies to how much pressure we put on our diet versus our exercise. Everyone enjoys a good workout, especially how it feels after. But the truth is that the most important rule to staying healthy is to eat nutritious foods and to avoid overeating!

As January rolled around, we made a conscious effort to pay special attention to our protein intake, helping us avoid the sweet tooth or cravings that we get. In the past, we have also seen that stress is another factor that plays into our healthy living. The kids are the busiest they’ve ever been, we are in the midst of opening our next short-term rental home, and we have some exciting projects in the works! So believe me, there are often days where it feels like there is no better time than now to chow down on that bag of chips and a fountain soda from the gas station on our road trips. Looking forward to 2024, our resolution involves reducing/managing stress, returning to meal prepping, and embracing the simplicity of home cooking. That’s where we have found we can stay on track better and make better choices when we are traveling.

Our Favorite Recipes

In our quest for a healthier lifestyle, we've experimented with various diets. What worked best for us was a macro-counting approach, with a focus on protein goals. One of our favorite snacks that we love to have, especially when visiting Vista Lago, is a Greek yogurt pineapple bowl! We actually found this recipe when traveling in Vegas. Having not eaten anything all day, we both thought it would be perfect for the two of us since it was light and refreshing. We thought to ourselves afterward that this was something we could easily recreate, and it’s been one of our favorites ever since! Don’t ever underestimate simple snacks and meals, especially ones that you order and think you can recreate for yourself at home.

• 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped pineapple
• 1/4 cup toasted coconut

1. Toast the shredded coconut until golden brown in a pan.
2. Layer the Greek yogurt, pineapple and top with coconut.

Another one of our favorites that is easy and quick to make, and you can prep for the week is Egg bites! Think of them like a mini egg muffin you can add whatever you like to. These are perfect for us at the house since they are high in protein and veggies, can be warmed up whenever you need one, and can make large batches of them at a time! These are another great snack or breakfast to prep when we travel to The Den in the winter since we usually get out to the ski hill in the morning quickly and don’t have much time to make breakfast!

1. Preheat oven to 350°F | 180°C. Lightly spray a 12-cup capacity muffin tin with nonstick oil spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together 12 eggs and 1/4 of the chopped onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add egg mixture halfway up into each tin of a greased muffin tin.
4. Divide the three topping combinations into four muffin cups each. Our favorite is mushroom, bell pepper, and parsley.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until set.
6. Let cool slightly, then serve OR store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat when ready to serve.

One of our last favorite meals is called Egg Roll in a Bowl! We love this recipe because it uses ground chicken which is a very lean meat, and tastes exactly like a Chinese Takeout Egg Roll! We love using lots of veggies, and you can even get creative with what vegetables you add. It is quick, easy, low-calorie, and perfect for a busy family like ours!

1. In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add 1 lb of ground pork and cook until browned and cooked through.
3. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of grated ginger. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
4. In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Pour the sauce over the cooked pork mixture and stir well.
5. Add 1 thinly sliced medium onion, 1 julienned medium carrot, and 1 thinly sliced bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
6. Add 4 cups of coleslaw mix to the pan and stir until everything is well combined. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender-crisp.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
8. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in sliced green onions.
9. Serve the Egg Roll in a Bowl hot, garnished with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro.

Prioritizing Protein and Maintaining a Forgiving Mindset

One tip that we like to give everyone we talk to is to get your protein in at the beginning of the day before you eat other carbs or sugars. We’ve both had days where we slack on what we eat before lunch, and then when we get home from work all we want to do is raid the pantry and eat all of the sugar and empty carbs since we are so hungry! It might seem like a straightforward solution, but eating your proteins and substantial foods at the beginning of the day can do wonders for how you feel the rest of the day!

If you do slip up and binge on some snacks or a meal that you wish you wouldn’t have, don’t beat yourself up over it. It can be easy to get hard on yourself and wish that you wouldn’t have eaten those chips or cookies. Of course, sometimes it is a good thing to have a treat, but once you swallow that mouthful there is no taking it back. The best thing you can do is plan better for next time, and move on!

Inspiration for a Healthier Lifestyle

In conclusion, Lisa and I invite you to explore and try the recipes we've shared. If you try them, tag us on social media at @lovebylisa and @matthunter27.  These recipes have been some of our favorite go-to’s and staples that we have collected over the years. They’re filling, family-approved, and have moved us closer to our fitness goals each year. 

So for 2024, remember the 80/20 standard to focus on your nutrition more than your fitness activity, and let’s crush our fitness goals together this year!