If you are anything like me, you will reach for anything that is easy and fast! Whether that means unhealthy leftovers (mainly my love of pasta) or fast food(ugh, Zaxbys and Chipotle). I have discovered the genius act of meal planning and prepping. It has changed my eating habits completely. Precooked meals are so quick and easy, you just heat and go! This is perfect for if you feel like you don't have enough hours in a day. It is so simple and I want to give you guys some of my best tips for planning your meals.
Setting aside one day and doing all of your prep at once is key to keeping up with your meal plan. Usually I like to set aside Sunday. This includes making your list, grocery shopping, and cooking. It may take a little while to get everything done but trust me, it is worth it. I usually pick around 4 to 5 meals and reuse them for the week. A couple of my favorite meals are 1. Grilled Chicken, Roasted Sweet Potato and Broccoli 2. Terryaki Chicken, Brown Rice, and Mixed Veggies 3. Avocado and Tuna Whole Wheat Sandwich with a Side of Sliced Tomato 4. Shrimp Tacos with Avocado, Tomato and Lettuce. These meals I would just switch up throughout the week. If you make three servings of each meal, that leaves you with 12-15 meals total! Leaving 1 day for your "cheat meal" Breakfast is a little bit different for me. On Sunday, I will buy a bag of whole wheat bread, a couple of avocados, and some crumbled feta cheese. Each morning I toast a slice of bread, I spread on half of an avocado and crumble a little feta on top! It is an amazing and filling breakfast. To make storing your meals easier, I bought a lot of rectangle storage containers so everything is portioned out perfectly.
I always like to make a few extra things that I know I might reach for through the week as a quick snack. For some examples, I make and set aside boiled eggs, cheddar cheese slices, fruit, and extra grilled chicken. Everyone is different and likes different food. Just put whatever you like in small easy to grab containers for when you are in a rush. Going out the door to run errands and want a snack? Don't risk having to get fries from a fast food restaurant! Grab a small container of grapes to snack on while you are driving. It will keep you full and far from fast food!
Now this may not be some people's "cup of tea", you can ignore it if you do not agree with supplements. I am just letting you know what works for me! Garcinia Cambogia is a weight loss supplement that helps curb your appetite. It blocks your bodies ability to make fat. It contains HCA which helps with fat burning and appetite control. It also boosts serotonin in your brain to help you feel less hungry. I have been taking this for a couple of weeks and it has helped so much! Before I was not really eating because I wanted to, I ate because I felt like I had to. My stomach would constantly growl. Always. No matter if I just ate, ate two hours ago or ate five hours ago, it would always growl. After taking this, I never feel hungry any more. Ever! Which gives me so much control with when and how much I eat. I am no longer driven by hunger. I eat to help fuel my body. It is a great feeling being in control of my health! You can find Garcinia Cambogia here. Information on Garcinia Cambogia was found here. I am NOT a nutritionist, just giving my personal experience and opinion.
As important as it is to stay routine of planning your meals, it is just as important to give yourself a break once and a while. A cheat meal once or twice a week is a great way to stay on track believe it or not. If you are staying on track and eating healthy all week, a little bit of indulgence is okay. Now this doesn't mean eating domino's pizza for 24 hours straight. My guilty pleasure is Chipotle. So once a week if I am consistent with my meal plan, I will let myself have it! It will definitely give you the motivation to keep going with your routine! Eat healthy all week, then give yourself a little reward.