Planning Your Healthy Life and Easy Meal Prep Strategies for Weight Loss

Weight loss and healthy, energetic life does not just happen. You must plan for it. There are lots of things that will be roadblocks for you if you don’t have a game plan. You must carve a little time out of your day and make it your own. How you feel both physically and mentally affects your entire life.

Your workouts and time to prepare your healthy food should be scheduled just like everything else in your life. Many mornings I do not really want to get up and get moving. I just tell myself that if I get a few minutes into my workout and don’t feel like working hard then I can take it easy. Any movement is better than no movement at all. Nine times out of ten I get into it. Working out in the morning has become a part of my morning routine just like brushing my teeth.

What time will be best for your “movement” time? If possible, it is best to workout first thing in the morning. This way you get it out of the way and won’t come up with excuses later. Working out in the morning also sets the tone for your day and can help you stick with other healthy choices all day. You are much less likely to grab a sugary, no nutrition breakfast like donuts right after you work out.

Planning for Your Healthy, Energetic Life

Look at your normal day to day schedule and decided right now where you will fit in your “move time” every day. Consistency is the key. If you need to print or write out a weekly calendar and fill in all of your normal activities- work, sleep, drive time, kids’ activities, household duties etc. Find the gap and make an unbreakable appointment with yourself.  Of course, this might be easier if you plan for first thing in the morning before there are any distractions but not everyone is wired this way so do what works best for you as long as you commit to stick to it.

The same planning has to happen with your food too. If you don’t plan, you are sabotaging yourself. There are great fast food choices but when you are starving and pull into that drive thru are you sure you will stick to your goals and order something good to fuel your body with or will your stomach make the decision for you and order the burger and fries?

And then after work, it has been a long stressful day and you have nothing in mind for dinner and no plan. Chances are eating healthy is not going to be at the front of your mind when you are hungry and in a hurry. Pizza again?

How much better would it feel to know your healthy dinner is already prepped and can be prepared quickly?

Basic Meal Prepping for Weight Loss

I am sure you have heard of meal prepping but if not, it is basically preparing some of your meals ahead of time. Prepping some of your meals can save you money and help you stay on track with your healthy goals.

I always do this with salads for lunch. It doesn’t take much more time to cut up vegetables for a few days than it does for one salad.  I cut up all of the vegetables and store in separate containers so they don't get soggy. In the morning it is super quick and easy to put together a salad to bring to work.  Way faster than fast food.

I do the same with my dinners each week. I don’t mind eating the same thing for a few nights, so I cook up a big batch of something at once and have dinner ready for the next few nights. That’s actually what I am doing right now as I write this. I just put a few chicken tenderloins on a cookie sheet with frozen peppers and onions, sprinkle with taco seasoning and cook until done. It makes its own sauce that I will put on a bag of cauliflower rice with lime. Dinner is done for me for the next few nights with very little effort.

If you are cooking for a family or just don’t like to eat the same thing for a few nights, the crockpot/slow cooker or Instapot can be your best friend. Look up some healthy recipes, go to the store and get everything prepped ahead of time that you can. Cut up the vegetables, brown meat etc. Then put it in the slow cooker while you are at work or Instapot to cook quickly when you get home.

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”