plan NOT to fail

You need to plan for success in the kitchen or in other words, you need to plan NOT to fail!

We all have big ambitions of being successful in everything that we do. Being healthy is the same as everything in life, if you don't have a plan you will not find the success you aim for. I know that the weeks that I fail to plan, I find myself not working out like I should or sneaking cheats of food that I don't need. All of this can be avoided if I take the time to actually PLAN.

Many people don’t realize that the ratio of successful long-term weight loss is about 80% food to 20% exercise. What you feed your body really does count more than how much you move it in relation to long-term weight loss success. Today I'd like to focus on that 80% ----> FOOD PREP.

Here are some HELPFUL tips:

1. Write down your meal plan for the week. Make sure to include everything from breakfast, lunch, dinner and all snacks in between! You want to be eating about 6 small meals a day.

BONUS: So you aren't getting bored try picking 2-3 dinner options, 1-2 breakfast options and 1-2 lunch options. This will vary for everyone. I have the same breakfast and lunch Monday - Friday and I never get bored of it! I do however need at least two dinner options each week.

2. Pick a day you are going to food prep and be sure to set aside about 4 hours (Don't let that discourage you I promise you it's worth it plus that time will vary. It depends on what you're making, if you have help and with time you get faster. I think I started at like 6 hours and now I can food prep in 2!)

BONUS: Since you will have food for the entire week you won't have to cook after a LONG day at work!

3. Pick a day you are going food shopping.

BONUS: Take advantage of your lunch at work and run to the store or an odd time/day when the stores aren't so hectic so you can get in and out really quick or go on Sunday to make it a family outing!

I use my Sunday or Mondays as a day to PLAN. What that means is that I go to the grocery store that day and as I am putting away my food, I will prepare it for easy use later. That means that I am not putting off something that I could do later and I am ensuring that it gets done. This also gives me MORE TIME throughout the week because I don't have to spend the time later to chop up a couple of bell peppers or zucchini because I already did a big batch earlier in the week and can pull out the amount that I need at any given time. I also cook up big batches of meat. When I go to the grocery store I buy the big packages of chicken breasts or ground turkey because it is a better value and when I get home I cook up my meat so that it is easy to make ANY meal. I typically will have ground turkey with a homemade southwest seasoning mix (that I use from my 21 Day Fix program) in my fridge at all times. This makes for an easy taco salad, wrap, snack, burrito, pizza, quinoa bowl, casserole...you name it, and it is easier because I have the meat on hand!

4. Multi-task: While something is cooking, work on preparing something else this will cut the time down.

BONUS: Crock-pot recipes cut down on time! Set it and forget it!

5. Put everything in proportioned containers so you can just grab, heat and eat!

BONUS: Bring all your food for the week to work with you this will eliminate the temptation of eating out.

Remember this is a LIFESTYLE and each change you make is one step closer to your goal! Once you get in the habit of PLANNING for SUCCESS, it becomes a habit and you find yourself doing it just because it makes life easier. By planning ahead, you now have more time with your family, friends or doing something else that you enjoy! :)