One of my clients’ mistakes is when they don’t have options available to them that support their goals. Many will end up in the drive through, skip a meal (only to over eat later), or start endless snacking.
The best way to combat this problem is to make sure you are prepared and meal prepping will help.
Here are some tips:
- Have a basic outline of your daily/weekly schedule (when will you be home/not at home).
- Plan your meal prep around that schedule to make sure you have something available to bring with you/keep at home.
- Buy a scale and pre-measure your portions.
- Have containers available to you to grab and go.
Using a scale will make sure your portions remain within your calorie needs for the days. Measure your snacks (you are consuming more than you think) and meal portions out, and then use a food journal tracker to see how many calories you are consuming. This will also help you learn what a true portion is so that when without the scale, you can eyeball your correct portion size.
Food prep containers are also important. When you prep for your day, make sure you keep your containers in the fridge for easy grab and go. You can also store pre-portioned snacks in these containers to ensure you are not eating from the bag or box, which leads to over eating.
Planning, prepping, and having meals and snacks available are keys to sticking with your goals. With practice, meal prepping will not only save time, it will also keep you prepared so you don’t end up making mistakes with attaining your goals.
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