How To Eat Healthier By Planning Ahead

Everything is easier with a plan and eating is no exception.  If you are trying to lose weight or eat healthier, having a plan can make all the difference.  Planning ahead can help when it comes to food.  We all get busy and sometimes we just eat what is at our fingertips, or even worse, stop by the local drive thru for some fast food.  Let's talk about attacking our cravings with a game plan:

 

1. Stock your house pantry, fridge and work desk with healthy food:  When hunger comes along, what do we do?  Head straight for the refrigerator or pantry (or desk drawer at work) and eat whatever we can get our hands on. Get rid of all of the junk and unhealthy foods and replace it with healthy foods and snacks.  This will force you to eat healthier.

 

2. Write down your "why": Why are you trying to eat healthier?  Is it because you want to live longer?  Is it to save money down the road on medical expenses?  Or maybe you just want more energy?  Whatever your "why" is, be sure to write it down as a constant reminder of the big picture on why you would like to make this lifestyle change.  This helps you hold yourself accountable and motivated to keep on track with clean eating.

  

3. Join up with a buddy: Having someone that has the same goal as you can make things a lot easier.  If you know someone trying to eat healthier as well, talk to them about your goals and provide support for one another.  You don't have to be alone in this.  Find someone to help motivate you and hold you accountable and help each other reach your goals.

 

4. Find a meal planner:  Use a meal planner to help you stay on track.  These will portion out and suggest healthy meals for you.  This will help you know exactly what to shop for at the grocery store, what to eat, how much, and when.  There are several meal planners to choose from online.

 

Just like anything else in life, when you have a plan and the desire, you will succeed. Please ask me about our Beachbody meal planner to get you started.   Good luck in your goals in eating healthier.  

Peanut Butter Fudgy Pops

Peanut Butter Fudgy Pops

Chocolate and peanut butter blend together in this yummy frozen treat.

Total Time: 3 hrs. 5 min.
Prep Time: 5 min....
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 4 popsicles, 1 popsicle per serving

Ingredients:
1½ scoops Chocolate Shakeology
1 Tbsp. all-natural peanut butter
1 cup nonfat milk

Preparation:
1. Place milk, Shakeology, and peanut butter in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.
2. Pour evenly into four ice pop molds; freeze for 3 hours, or until hard.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 101
Fat: 2 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 7 mg
Sodium: 64 g
Carbohydrate: 10 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 7 g
Protein: 10 g

P90X/P90X2 Portions (per serving)
1 single snack

Body Beast Portions (per serving)
1 protein liquid

Halloween is over, right?

We are 4 days out from the scariest holiday of the year!  HALLOWEEN causes many of us to go running in the opposite direction from the mirror when you pull up those skinny jeans after a weekend of candy treats, fun drinks and appetizers!  You might think to yourself that those mini candy bars are a good idea because they are portion sized but then you also think to yourself that you can have more than 1 because they are bite sized!  Before you know it you have taken down half the candy bowl and you are feeling pretty defeated!  

But I want you to also start to change your thinking right now!  Just because you think its going to be hard doesn't mean you just don't start at all or you take an entire week off of eating healthy and working out because of one day of trick or treating!  It's all about changing your mindset. So here are some of my top tips:

 

1.  Don't get your favorite candy to hand out on Halloween.  Honestly it's like a death sentence.  Why on earth would you torture yourself by getting your favorite candy, putting it in a bowl and starring at it maybe even drooling as people slowly take your favorites!  I will almost put money on it that by the end of the night you have a stashed a few pieces away in your pocket because you feel like you deserve it!  

INSTEAD---- Get a candy that is not your favorite and doesn't tempt you!  In the past we have gotten the large boxes of pretzels to hand out and there is no temptation there.  Trust me, you are not doing a disservice to other kids.  They are getting plenty of goodies in their treat bags. There will be no almond joys and Reese's peanut butter cups in my house!

2.  Out of sight out of mind.  So don't keep a candy dish in the kitchen or on the end table.  It's screaming eat me mindlessly as you walk by!  We have a candy container that is in the pantry closet and its up pretty high so that you have to go out of your way to get to it.  My kids very often forget that there is even candy in there. It's not readily accessible so they are not constantly sugared up either!  Once Halloween is over you can keep a few pieces and then donate your candy, send it with your spouse to work!  There is no reason to feel the need to eat all that candy.  Its just going to undo all the great work you have been doing for yourself.  Candy is literally like crack, the more you have it the more you crave it!  Sugar is very very addictive!  So be ware, once you start its hard to stop!

3.  Keep a journal.  It's really really important that as you move into the holidays that you have a great way of tracking your daily food intake.  Honestly, its so easy to not realize what you are eating.  You take 1 little bite here and 1 little bite there and before you know it you have had way more than you ever expected.  But when you have to write it down and be accountable to that it makes you second guess that decision!  I know for me, that was the defining moment in my weight loss.  I was self sabotaging myself and not even realizing it.

4.  Exercise.  So its important that no matter what you stick to your fitness program.  I am going to get up do my workout, drink my Shakeology for breakfast, have 2 healthy snacks, a healthy lunch and dinner!  I'm not throwing all caution to the wind for the entire day.  I'm not starving myself to have extra calories for the evening! Stick to the plan.  It's 1 meal not an entire day or week!  This is the key to success.  Everything in moderation and don't skip a workout EVER on a cheat day!  DEAL!!!

5.  Find healthy alternatives.  So you have some favorite halloween treats you love to eat.  Find a few better options to replace some of those not so healthy options!

 

 For me Shakeology is always my sweet treat replacement!

If you want to change you are going to have to give up a little to get a lot of good!  

Want an extra level of accountability?
Join my Challenge Group to help you get focused and make it to Thanksgiving with a whole new box of tools to use!