It All Starts With A Plan

When you think of what it means to be healthy, what is the first thing to come to mind? Is it getting more exercise? Eating fruits and vegetables? Maybe it's eliminating all the junk food in our diet. Or maybe it's about how you feel. There is no right or wrong answer here, but there are easier ways to meet our goals than others. No matter what the first thought you had is, the first step we have to take is planning. Without any plan it is hard to take action, and then it becomes hard to follow through on your goals. This will usually leave you feeling pretty defeated. ​

I want to talk more about the planning it takes in relation to our nutrition and how to reach those goals we are trying to meet. Take a second and think about your habits now, and try to determine whether they help you or deter you from reaching your nutrition goals. It is important to recognize the habits that may not be beneficial, and replace them with good habits that result in positive experiences. Everything in life has a ripple effect and taking time to plan will lead to a positive ripple in your life.

There are so many avenues to take when it comes to planning, but I think one of the first things we have to talk about is our grocery list. Before we even step foot into the grocery store, we need to have a reason as to why we are there and stick to a plan. When writing out a grocery list, think of the meals you want for the week, what you already have, and what you want to be kept out of the house. ​Consider buying ingredients that are already prepped for you such as pre-chopped vegetables. It is always easier to avoid foods we are craving by not allowing them into the house in the first place.

If you need any meal suggestions we have an awesome meal prep guidebook with fun easy recipes that can be super useful when getting started!

Meal Prep Guide

Easy One Dish Dinners

Once you have your grocery list and your meals planned, I always recommend eating something before going to the grocery store. A small, healthy snack with a good balance of carbs, fats and proteins could be a good way to ward off any cravings that walking around the store might induce. This can be a huge life-saver when staying away from foods not on our list. STICK TO THE LIST. Once you have all of your food it is so much easier to meal prep by cooking all your meals for the week at once, or having the food on hand to cook throughout the week when you are ready. It is easier to stay away from take-out when you know you have all kinds of delicious nutritious food waiting for you in your fridge.

​This small act of taking 15 minutes to plan out what you want for food in your house and going into the grocery store with a set plan can help you stay on track with your nutrition goals. Try it out for a few weeks and see if you notice a difference in your diet when you have a plan and stick to it.
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