7 tips for staying on your meal plan

I know that starting a meal plan is intimidating and making it through the first week can feel like a superhuman feet. I know I feel like I am going to take over the world on days 1 and 2 then I want to chew off my own arm on day 3. Don’t act like you have never been there. I wanted to share 7 tips for staying on your meal plan no matter what. These are things I have done to get success while doing my Beachbody programs. I learned them through trial and error and I want to help you have the lest amount of error on your journey as possible. Enjoy!

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Pick the right plan for you.

If you are doing a Beachbody program their will be a meal plan included in your pack. These are deigned by nutritionists to help you get the best results possible during your time on the program. All you will have to do is choose the correct calorie bracket. This means that you will have to do the calculations as it is laid out and do the plan that it tells you to do. These calorie brackets are laid out for a reason so I really recommend following the plan that it assigns you and not going off of what you think you should eat. After all, you are choosing to follow a meal plan for a reason so remember that and go after it full force.

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Remember your Why.

Things will get uncomfortable when you start a meal plan because it is different. You may be eating different kinds of foods than you are used to or eating lower calories than you are used to. This is normal. Your body may be a little shocked but you will get through it if you stick to the plan and remember what you are doing this for. I recommend making a vision board that has pictures and words that keep you motivated and will put your WHY right in your face when things get tough. Hang it in your kitchen for the extra added motivation. The more that you focus on where you want to go and why you are going there the better off you will be.

 

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Keep it interesting.

If you are someone who can eat the same thing everyday and feel great then eating on a meal plan will likely be perfect for you. If that works for you I recommend finding some of the recipes on the plan that you like and cooking a large quantity of it. If you need variety in your life be sure that you honor that, even when you are on your meal plan. If you are doing a Beachbody meal plan that uses the color coded portion control containers then there are recipes you can follow in the meal guide that comes with the program, there is the Fixate Cooking Show on Beachbody on Demand and even the Fixate Cookbook you can get to have a ton of recipes and variety at your disposal that all fits your meal plan. Eating on a meal plan does not have to be boring, you can make so many different delicious flavorful foods that will keep you engaged and keep you moving towards your goals.

 

If you fail to plan then you are planning to fail.

This is true for life in general but doubly true if you are eating off of a meal plan. When you are eating clean there are very few options at restaurants that will fit into your plan. This means that you will need to plan ahead for work and also if you are planning to go out. This does not mean that you cannot go out for a treat meal with friends or family but this should also be planned. Map out what your week looks like and look at how much food you will need. When I have to prep I do it for 3 days at a time. The food stays fresh and I do not get sick of anything then I can rotate in some new recipes for the next 3 days. This keeps the flavor fatigue out of the equation and keeps the prep time minimal.

Allow yourself a treat now and then.

In my opinion it is important to stick to the meal plan as prescribed for at least a the first week or two but after that if you need to have a little leeway for one meal it is ok. The important thing to remember is that you are on this meal plan to get results and that when you go off the rails it will likely hinder those results so do not go too crazy. If you want to eat a treat meal pick something healthy that will give you the satisfaction of tasting good and fulfilling your cravings. Split a dessert, do not eat a whole cake. Make it one meal and not a whole day. You get the point, be smart, choose wisely, and do not go crazy and get gluttonous. You will be surprised, as you eat clean your taste buds begin to change and you will begin to crave different foods as treats. So, the more time you give it before you give in to veering off of your plan the better off you will be. Also, don’t go for a treat on your rest day or Active Recovery day. Do it on a day you find challenging and do not make it your last meal of the day. Eat your treat right before or right after your workout.

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Do not concentrate on the scale.

The number on the scale is important, don’t get me wrong, but it is not the only thing that matters while you are cleaning up your diet and losing weight. Many people make the mistake of fixating on the scale and it becomes almost an extra weight around their neck, driving them crazy every day. Taking the wind out of their sails and the fun out of the journey each day. There are a ton of reasons why the scale moves up and down on various days and you may be a couple pounds up one day then a couple pounds down the next. This is normal and if you are checking the scale every day you will be disheartened and stressed out and will be, in my opinion, less likely to stick to your meal plan and exercise regimen. With your Beachbody program you will have a checklist that you are supposed to do before you start and it includes taking measurements of various parts of your body. This is important because as you put on muscle and your body composition begins to change you may lose inches but not pounds. Also as your workouts intensify your weight will fluctuate as your body attempts to figure out what is going on. So. Know your numbers and weight yourself once or twice a week and do it at the same time and on the same day each week. Do not focus solely on the scale. Keep in mind how you feel, how your clothes fit, and also how your measurements are going.

Continually educate yourself.

The important thing to remember is to stick to what you are doing and DO NOT get sucked into overthinking or over analyzing. You committed to a meal plan for a reason and it will get you to where you need to be. When you do have a solid foundation of exercising, eating clean, and getting results it is important to continue to expand your knowledge of meal prepping and eating healthy, and it is important to explore different schools of thought on nutrition to see which one works best for you. There is no one size fits all for health and nutrition so keep looking and never stop exploring what is out there. The more you learn the better results you will get and I also believe that with growth becomes excitement. When we are excited we can really do anything and that is how we turn this into a lifestyle and keep the results coming!

My tips and tricks for sticking to a meal plan.

There they are. It is simple to stick to a meal plan but sometimes it is not easy. It takes commitment of course but it also takes a whole lot of willingness to grow and change. When we make a decision to do something there is not a force in the world that can stop us. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you want to talk about nutrition or getting started out on a program that will work for you and your goals.