Plan Your Diet Plan

“Most people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan” John L. Beckley.

This is true with most facets of life and eating with purpose is no different. Whether you are trying to add lean muscle, be gluten free, stabilize blood sugar or lose weight, you’d better have a plan.

Changing the way we have been doing something for years and years isn’t easy. Routines are comfortable and eating is certainly no exception. To eat with purpose, there are steps that need to be taken. You need to:

• Gain knowledge of what to eat to accomplish your goal
• Know How many calories to eat and the ratio of macro-nutrients
• Create A week-long meal plan
• Learn to prepare the meals in a healthy way
• Understand What to do when you end up eating out
• Create weekly shopping lists
• Etc, etc.

By no means is this impossible but it doesn’t happen by its self either. Unless of course you have a company do this for you, such as TruChoice Fitness & Nutrition. If not, then it will take some time and some effort.

If you’re not going to have a plan set up for you, here are some “Must Do’s” to help you out.

• Find out how many calories you need to achieve your goals. Go online and research your BMR.
• Decide what you will eat every day and write it down. This can be done even if you’re going out to eat. (This is probably the most critical thing you can do. You are much less likely to order that burrito at lunch if that morning you committed to getting the Chicken Salad.) make the decision before your at the restaurant.
• Use technology. There are free websites where you can log food. (Be advised that some sites calorie data is not regulated or accurate. Anyone can make an entry.)
• Shop for the week and prepare your food ahead of time. Cook and cube chicken, chop veggies.
• Account for your fluid calories or better yet drink water

These tips aren’t mind blowing but planning usually isn’t. It’s boring and methodical. Not only will planning make the process of eating well easier, it creates a state of mind. Being conscious of your eating habits is critical. I know that for me, without a plan I sometimes become unaware of my eating habits and I will be halfway done with a meal before I suddenly realize that I was suppose to eat something else for that meal.

Focus becomes habit- habits become how you do things – how you do things becomes who you are.

Once eating a certain way is “who you are” it’s ‘second nature. Until then, plan your plan!

As always, your questions and comments are encouraged.

Eric Soderlund
TruChoice Fitness & Nutrition

Fitness From The Inside Out