Are you challenged by your busy schedule to find time to plan and enjoy their meal? Do you find yourself eating more than you would like? Are you frustrated by the pace of progress, but can not maintain a constant diet plan? If this sounds like you, you're not alone.
Over a decade ago, I decided to pursue a degree in
nutrition because as a personal trainer, the number one challenge my
clients were facing was making the time to plan and make healthy meals.
Unfortunately, this is still the case today.
Over the years I have
worked with clients who had never turned on the stove in their
kitchens. Some didn't even know that they had an oven in their kitchens.
Today, however, these same clients are cooking most of their own meals.
What's the secret to their success and to yours? They followed my
simple strategies for making quick meals in less than ten minutes.
Let's
face it, you won't get healthy, look the way you want or perform at an
optimal level, unless you are in control of what you're eating.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to be in control of what you eat
unless you make your own meals.
Here are my simple strategies for taking charge of your meal plan and building a healthy, fit, high performance body.
1. Stock up
Obviously,
before you can make quick healthy meals you have to stock your freezer,
refrigerator and pantry with certain necessities. In the freezer, keep
frozen vegetables, berries, chicken, steak, turkey and some of your
other favorite protein sources.
Stock your refrigerator with fresh
vegetables. You can find most vegetables pre-chopped and pre-washed in
most large supermarkets. How easy is that?
Stock your pantry with
cans of tuna, salmon, sardines, beans, whole grain pasta, tomato paste
and sauce, as well as other items you like to eat.
If all this
seems daunting, there is a weekly shopping list in my new cookbook. Just
take it to the market with you and buy everything on the list for your
freezer, refrigerator and pantry.
2. Plan your week
To
be successful, you must have a designated day as your planning and
shopping day. It takes me no more than a couple hours on a Sunday to
shop for all the things I need for the week. And I'm usually out
shopping with my three toddlers. What's your excuse?
Every Sunday,
I shop and make enough food to last at least three days. I usually cook
a pot of rice, some sweet potatoes, and a couple different protein
sources (chicken, turkey, tofu or a roast). Guess what? By Wednesday, I
still have plenty of food to make my famous leftover stir-fry. Whatever
you're tired of eating, toss it into a stir-fry and it becomes a brand
new delicious meal. By the way, did I mention that I'm cooking for a
family of five?
3. Buy pre-chopped and pre-cooked
Save
yourself time by buying your vegetables pre-chopped. You can find
everything from greens, onions, garlic, peppers and most other
vegetables already chopped and washed for you. Yes, it's a bit more
expensive, but that's the price you pay for convenience.
Find a
local market you trust that sells whole roasted chickens, roasted turkey
breast and other fresh items that you can keep in your refrigerator for
a few days.
4. Make your meals a top priority
Remember,
you will never get healthy, look the way you want or perform at your
optimal best unless you make your meals a top priority. If what you eat
is always an after-thought, then you will always struggle with your
weight, health, fitness, energy level, focus, concentration and
performance (at work, play and in the bedroom).
So take a few hours of your week to plan your meals. This is not only good for your health, fitness and performance, but over time, it will also increase your earning potential. That's right. We'll talk more another time
No comments:
Post a Comment