If I’m lucky enough to open my eyes on Monday, that means that I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to start another week. For me that means I have another week to work towards my goals; another week to make our business successful, to help people, eat right, have fun, make money and progress. Most people complain about Mondays but I enjoy them. However, as much as I enjoy Mondays, it takes a lot of preparation to kick off our week right. Here are my top six tips to help get your week organized.

It takes a lot of preparation to kick off our week right. You see Neil and I are gone for most of the day. We work in the office and with clients from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm. We take a break midday to train and eat. By the time we get home we are tired and starving. We have exactly 2.5 hours to eat, pack for the following day, stretch, squeeze in some reading and be asleep by 10pm. (Sleep for us is non-negotiable.) Reminder as a side note Neil is also a full time firefigher with the city of Regina. He is is cray cray – I know.

90% of the time I hear of a friend or a client slipping on their nutrition or training plan, it is due to their lack of planning. Either they didn’t have their food ready, or even more likely, they were too tired to prepare their meal and said ‘Eff it’ and ate something more convenient.

The following is what I do on Sundays to prepare for the week to ensure that I stay on track of all areas in my life.

1. I make a list – I am the queen list maker. My lists are out of control but I continue to do it because it helps me.

2. I prep some food – I have Neil BBQ some protein, I chop some veggies, and make sure I have enough groceries to get me through to at least Wednesday. I also like to make a batch of muffins or protein cookies for the week *see recipe below.

3. I prepare my clothes – I do all of my laundry and get my clothes ready.

4. I journal – I like to reflect on the past week and take some time to linger on the highlights. I also like to think about the things I could have done differently.

5. Look good, play good – I always try to look my best on Mondays. I feel more confident, alert, and on top of things when I look better. Let me assure you that I do this strictly for myself and not to impress others. I simply feel better when I look nice.

6. Unwind – I know it may sound like my Sundays are full of cooking and laundry, but a huge part of Sunday a.k.a family day is relaxation.

Almond Joy Protein Muffins

1 3/4 cup oats

3 egg whites

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt

2 tsp white vinegar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup hot water

1/2 cup stevia

1/3 cup carob chips

2 tbsp unsweetened coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Blend all ingredients except the carob and coconut in the blender or food processor. Once blended fold in the carob and coconut.

3. Pour batter into 2 silicone muffin molds and bake for 12-15 minutes.

Macros – calories: 95 – fat: 3g – carb: 23g – protein: 5g