I’m super excited about this week’s My Fit Day!

Kaiti George, a registered dietitian at the Nebraska Beef Council and a certified fitness instructor at the Kearney Family YMCA, agreed to share a typical day of eating and working out with Sweet Success.

“I bleed food, health and fitness!” she said. “I am an advocate of practicing what I preach.”

Kaiti, 32, believes in the 90:10 rule. 90 percent of daily intake is healthy and nutritious and 10 percent can be a treat. “I’m not a fan of deprivation…it can lead to bad outcomes!”

Kaiti does have a host of food allergies so she sticks to a “clean” diet eating mostly whole foods.

“I love to try new recipes and especially modify recipes to make them healthier. I am a whiz in the kitchen and am constantly known for substituting this, adding that and voila…a delicious, nutrient-rich meal is developed,” she said.

Because Kaiti is very active, teaching 3-4 fitness classes a week and working out six days a week, she always has a healthy post-workout meal.

“Typically, I try to get my post-workout meal eaten within one hour of finishing my workout. If possible, within 30 minutes would be even better. There is a ‘window of time’ that exists after your workout during which it would be most beneficial for your body to receive its post-workout nutrition,” she said.

Her post-workout meals aways include protein to repair damaged muscle tissues and stimulate the development of new muscle and carbohydrates to replace the stores used up while exercising.

One of her biggest struggles is fluid intake. “I have to constantly remind myself to drink,” she said. “It’s just not in my nature. I’m not a thirsty person.”

For Kaiti, no day is ever the same. “Very rarely do I eat the same meals two days in a row. I shop the ads for bargains at the supermarket, so I am choosing produce based on availability and price.”

Here is a typical day for Kaiti:

5 a.m. - 4 oz. black coffee

5:30 a.m. - 5 mile treadmill run with a friend, 15 min. core workout

7:15 a.m. - 8 oz. coffee, lactose-free milk, Equal

Scrambled eggs: 1 egg, 2 egg whites with diced ham, onion, mushrooms, green peppers and spinach

1 cup strawberries

12 p.m. - 4 oz. grilled chicken

mixed green salad with Dorothy Lynch salad dressing

8 baby carrots

16 oz. water

1 Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate and Caramel Square

1 p.m. - Diet Coke

3 p.m. - Yoplait Lactose-Free yogurt

1/2 cup fresh blackberries

5:30 p.m. - Instruct a 1-hour BodyPump class at the Y

7 p.m. - Ground Beef and Couscous Stuffed Bell Pepper (recipe below)

1/2 Gala apple

16 oz. water

9 p.m. - 8 oz. lactose-free skim milk

Ground Beef and Couscous Stuffed Bell Peppers

1-pound ground beef

15 baby sweet bell peppers

2/3 cup regular or spicy 100% vegetable juice

1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

1/4 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 cup reduced fat Parmesan, Monterrey Jack, white cheddar or Italian-blend cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes, but not the stem. Place peppers, cut side up, on two rimmed baking sheets.

Combine ground beef, vegetable juice, spinach, couscous, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Spoon beef mixture evenly into peppers. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes or until thermometer inserted into pepper reads 160 degrees and peppers begin to brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

*Recipe from Nebraska Beef Council