Meal plan ideas!

eggmoni

Hello! I've been trying to lose weight for quite some time now and my biggest struggle is with food. I don't know what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, etc. I would love some tips on creating balanced meals that will be filling! I'm finding it difficult to find a good balance for my meals plans that are healthy and leave me full and would just love some advice on what you guys do for your meals with busy schedules. I feel like when I let myself get too hungry, I end up just eating junk or whatever is most convenient or I'll snack too much

I go to school and I work immediately after school. Classes start at 8am and finish at 12:20pm then work begins at 1pm and it takes about 15-20 minutes to get from school to work (tight schedule). I have a terrible habit of not eating anything until really late in the day or eating a lot at night time after work. My work hours vary from 5-8 hours a day. Certain days I get off at 6pm so I can be home and prepare dinner but other days I get off at 9pm and I feel like that's a bit late to be eating a full meal. I usually get a lunch/dinner break at work though (unless I work just 5 hours, then I only get a 15 minute break).

So basically I would just like to know any good meals I can have for breakfast, bring for lunch, and eat for dinner.

Thank you!!

Artemiris

Since you have a very busy schedule and it's hard to manage your meals, you could prepare them in advance during the week-end and have them already portioned and packed. You can freeze them, or buy a vacuum sealer with boxes (I have it, it keeps the food fresh much longer).

You don't seem to have much time to eat during the day, so I would suggest a good breakfast and many snacks (fruit, yoghurt, nuts...) that you can eat during 5 minutes pauses. And a bigger meal for dinner.

Merkavar

I don't think it matters at all when you eat.

First make sure your getting enough calories. So eat what you used to eat just less of it.

Then swap out foods for healthier options.

Small steps seem best instead of going from eating too much to eating super healthy overnight.

I like Moroccan lentils. 10 mins to cook, plenty of protein.

pammytw

I make all a whole weeks worth of lunches on Sunday and freeze them, I buy 2kgs chicken tights cut into cubes, chop up an onion, add garlic, salt pepper, spices mix together leave in the fridge for an hour, then put it in a pot with a couple cups of water and mixed veggies. Once cooked I divide into containers with spinach, brown rice let them cool then into the freeze. (I flavor my cooled chicken with different sauces so I don't get sick of the same thing.) put it in the microwave for 2mins (y)

oboeing

i work a full time job and a part time job, so i understand your dilemma entirely. i get up at 330 am, work from 5 am to 130 pm, work from 330 pm to 830 pm then go to bed. here's how i do it.

step 1: cook large scale meals as often as necessary, portion, then freeze. there are all kinds of healthy dinner ideas out there (i usually do crock pot meals, but that's not so important).

step 2: write a menu. i also do this on the weekend. i figure out exactly what i'm going to eat ALL week long, EVERY meal. if i don't have enough veggies in the day, i plan on adding a salad with dinner. then, i write out (literally) everything that needs to go in my lunch box for the day. from my milk for my cereal, to all my snacks, my fruit, everything. i pull my frozen dinner in the morning and put it in the fridge to thaw for dinner time.

step 3: weekly food prep. aside from the cooking (i usually do 4 meals every 6 weeks), i then get everything ready for the week. i make my salads (pre-portioned), prep my fruit (ie cut my melon, wash the apples/berries/etc), make my chicken salad (go to for lunches - rotisserie chicken shredded, celery, mrs dash's seasoning, greek yogurt, and Dijon mustard), everything i will need for the week....

step 4: STICK TO IT! bring your meals, every day. if you have a night when you can go home and cook, leave your thawed frozen dinner in the fridge for the next day, just make sure you have healthy ready to cook ingredients for those nights. you can eat dinner on a 15 minute break, especially if it's something that doesn't need to be heated (think spinach salad with chicken, egg, tomatoes, minimal dressing or use lemon juice).

step 5: squeeze in a workout every day. i have 30 minutes between jobs (leaving time for a quick shower), and every day i workout.

you can do it!!!!!! it may seem extreme, but once you get into the routine, it makes life so much simpler...