Nutrition Results. Plan Ahead to Get Ahead!

By Jimmy Hays Nelson Beachbody Elite Coach

Does this sound familiar? Maybe you recognize it because you have said it on more than one occasion. We have all done it before. Alarm goes off early to remind us of our new commitment to workout to lose weight or get healthier. We pry ourselves out of bed and start moving in our half-awake groggy state. But before we know it, we are in our groove mid workout, the hour flies by and we have started our day in a positive way. We feel great! Stroll into work with a bit of a strut, knowing this is going to be a good day because one big to-do is already checked off for the day. Then ‘life’ happens. Putting out one fire after another, chasing the day, and the first thing to get compromised is our food. The very thing we need to fuel us through our crazy day to day. Or maybe you made it the entire day able to avoid the donuts and sodas in the break room, but you get home and justify a few poor choices in the evening because you ‘deserve it’ after the day you have had.

If any of this resembles you day to day, don’t beat yourself up. You aren’t alone! Nutrition is usually the undoing of most people chasing a specific health goal. Mostly because it takes an all day effort and focus, as opposed to the ONE hour for your workout. So in this busy society where more and more of our time is in demand, how do we solve this nutrition dilemma?

I want to share 3 keys that played a huge role in me becoming a master of my nutrition in the midst of losing 100 pounds.

Most of us have 1 day a week that we have some extra down time. I am not asking you to give up that down time. Just use part of it to ensure the rest of your week is successful.

Sunday is my prep day. So while I am doing laundry, watching football, or whatever takes up my leisure time- I prep my food for the week. Take a 30 minute trip to the grocery store. Purchase all your food for the week. For me that is a couple family packs of chicken breasts, 8-10 sweet potatoes, avocados, spinach, egg whites, etc. I come home, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake everything that needs to be cooked at once. Usually I can put it all in the oven together, set the timer for 45-50 minutes and forget about it while I go back to my leisure activity of choice.   When everything is cooked, you can put it all in big Tupperware dishes or portion out in sandwich bags, and you have set yourself up for a successful grab-n-go food system for the week.

You may have noticed on this blog the offer for your own No-Brainer Food Guide. This little guide was my weight loss secret weapon, especially when I was first getting started! I printed it and would carry it with me at all times. So now, if I found myself without a pre-made meal, and hungry, I could make a wise food choice regardless of circumstance. Were they always the most ideal meals- NO –but I started labeling them ‘Better Bad Choices’. In other words, if I had the choice between two meal options, the food guide was an easy way for me to know which choice would do less damage to me staying on track with my goals. Feel free to fill out the form on the right to get your own copy. Print it out, carry it with you, and watch your nutrition improve dramatically!

How could I have a good post about food choices, without mentioning ‘The Healthiest Meal of the Day’.   For most people, no matter how hard you try, or how disciplined you think you are, we all have holes in our nutrition. Phytonutrients, Vitamins, Minerals, etc – all the things our bodies need to function without breaking down can be challenging to get in on a daily basis. Trust me, I used to try. I had a cabinet of pills and powders that would consume my day. Most busy people just don’t have the time to mess with a potential headache like that. Thank heaven for my Shakeology.   It took the guesswork out of my supplementation. It’s fast, easy, and effective. No time for breakfast? Did you miss lunch because of endless meetings at work? Break open a packet, shake it up, and enjoy. Now instead of making an excuse to have your worst meal of the day, you corrected that with your best meal of the day!

Just like with any change in life the first few times you utilize these tips, it may seem a little strange or foreign. But you will be amazed, taking that extra step to plan ahead, will yield immediate results, making it easier to plan ahead the second time because you want to continue seeing those results! And before you know it, you have established a new habit, a new lifestyle that doesn’t even seem like extra work, or usual. It’s just now part of your day-to-day life. A healthier, more energetic, results filled life!