Tip #86: Meal Plan: Good for the Wallet and the Waistline

A violin player in a symphony does not get that position by accident, nor do Olympic athletes "luck" into becoming the greatest athletes in the world .  Likewise, you will not lose excess weight or get fit without being INTENTIONAL about it.  We like to fool ourselves into thinking that we can become healthier with good intentions, but it's just not enough.  You've got to have a plan.

So, start with creating a meal plan.  While for some of you this may be the norm, for others it is a foreign concept.  Creating a meal plan only takes a few minutes of your time at the beginning of the week, but can reap great benefits for your wallet and your health!  Decide ahead of time what meals you/you and your family will eat for the entire week, create a grocery list and go shopping!  It's as simple as that.  Choose meals that are full of fruits and veggies, lean proteins, whole grains and low fat dairy.  By being intentional ahead of time about your food choices, you'll prevent:

-desperate runs to fast food restaurants

-the ever popular and sometimes stressful question, "What am I going to make for dinner???"

-settling for unhealthy foods because you don't know what to make for dinner

-buying excess food that doesn't fit into your meal plan

-food going bad 

I meal plan one week at a time.  I plan about 4-5 dinners for the week, and leave a couple of nights for eating out/leftovers.  I also plan a few breakfasts.  I've been trying to do less cereal, because it is expensive and there are healthier and cheaper options.  I've been replacing the Cheerios with things like oatmeal with raisins/almonds, breakfast burritos (whole wheat tortillas, scrambled eggs, diced sauteed potatoes and shredded cheese) or homemade whole wheat muffins, etc.  So important to get that hearty breakfast in, so you don't overeat the remainder of the day!  For lunches, I stock up on things like tuna, peanut butter, whole wheat bread, lunch meat, fruit, raw veggies, pretzels, yogurt, cheese, crackers, and nuts, etc.

If you are not already "planning" the food you are going to eat in a week, I challenge you to try it.  Oh, and it's not going to benefit your health if your meal plan includes things like hot dogs, microwave meals and soft drinks...just so you know.  ;)