Have a Plan or Plan to Fail
“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
One of the most difficult things to do when trying to accomplish a goal or making a ‘meal plan’ a lifestyle is sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know. We may think we have a general idea of what it takes to follow a routine in regard to our eating habits and on the surface, it can look overwhelming. Truth is, it’s not; it just takes a little bit of planning. So instead of wasting energy wishing to look your best, use that energy planning and preparing to be you’re best. Here are some tips to put your plan to action.
1. Pre-Eat before you Pre-Game – Let’s say it’s Friday night and your friends are making plans; after staying disciplined and sticking to your plan throughout the week, the urge to have a drink and maybe a handful of nachos is probably not worth it to you and you’ll feel contemplated to just stay home and avoid the temptation – Wrong answer.
A social life in today’s society might include a drink here and there and maybe some dessert.. in moderation of course, and that’s okay. The best way to fight those cravings and reduce that ultimate?desire to stuff your face, is to eat before eat… Yes, eat before you go out to eat or before you hit happy hour - Eating a quality source of protein (chicken, ground turkey, beef, etc.)?will do at least two things; provide you your protein source and makes you feel “fuller”.
Your body should intake protein every three hours and when you go out, most meals are carb heavy and covered in fatty cooking oils and grease. It’s okay to have some of these things and not overdo it – Eat a good source of protein before you go out and feel free to have a little bit of your favorite snack or treat.
2. Get creative with your spices and sauces. Why? Because it makes life easier for you. When you stay consistent with what you eat, it makes it easier to know what you’re eating and how much. Maybe eat the same breakfast and two snacks every day, or like I do; eat the same thing daily except for dinner. Getting creative with your spices and sauces can make your chicken feel and taste different, giving you the feel and taste of more variety.
3. Take the couple of minutes to know your measurements. Doing this will help you have a better idea of what an actual serving size is. Here is a small guide to help you visualize the size of measurements without looking for a measuring cup;
-?????????1 Cup – Baseball
领英推荐
-?????????? Cup – Computer Mouse
-?????????1 TBSP – Poker Chip
-?????????1 TSP – Your Thumb
-?????????1 OZ – Shot Glass
4. Meal Prep – As we discussed in, The Meal Prep Playbook– When done right, it can be easy and extremely effective to reach your goals and can be tailored to any lifestyle.
5. The rule of 4; Drink water for 4 seconds and wait 4 minutes. When your body is dehydrated, even mildly, the feeling can be confused with hunger. To test yourself, when you’re ‘feeling hungry’ and you have been eating regularly, drink water for 4 seconds and wait 4 minutes. “When dehydration sets in, wires get crossed in the hypothalamus, leading you to grab a bag of chips when you really need a bottle of water” (Crain, Esther). Hydration is key to an effective meal plan and is one of the most important factors to feeling and looking your best.
Sources;