How do you plan your meals?

aquafitted14

Hello Everyone,

O.k., So I use this Diet Point app in the past and I honestly did really well on it for like a 2 weeks straight and lost 3 lbs. I started back recently and now I catch myself eating good as instructed for maybe 2 or 3 days and go outside of Diet Point and eat whatever I see good or bad. I have had a lot of days that has been a planned schedule then my schedule goes haywire right in the middle of the day and therefore I am starving the whole time I'm running errands. The reason I don't pack lunch is because I'm thinking I will be done by noon and then all of a suddenly its 3:30pm. I do like this app, I just think overall I have to be more consistent.

I would like to read how you all plan your meals especially on days where you feel will be a short day, But turns into like the longest day ever. How do you stay consistent? Do you create your meal once a week? Do you wake up early to do it? Any advice will be great. Thanks

Have a healthy weekend !!!!

fitchickarw

I prep all of our meals ahead of time (cook all the chicken/beef/turkey, bake all of the granola/protein bars, and prepare the sweet potatoes/quinoa/rice on Sundays. I'll also prepare the oatmeal (in single servings) and the boiled eggs (sometimes, I mix the egg whites directly into the oatmeal while I cook it). After I train, in the morning, I pack all of my food for the day (minus meals 5 and 6). I'm never NOT prepared and I have passed this along to my kids. I've done this for years, so it's part of my schedule - like training. My schedule throws curve balls at me all of the time, but I don't let it be my excuse for not eating. There's always a plan B (the protein bars I make) and I really don't mind eating cold chicken, rice, eggs, or oatmeal. I don't have to enjoy every meal, but I DO need to receive nutrition ON SCHEDULE so my work in the gym is not in vain.

Have a fit day!

ereck44

I also prep my meals esp. when going to work. Too much junk food lying around our work stations. Bumping this post for additional ideas.

TheRealNoodlette

I use a meal planning site sometimes (paleoplan.com), depending on what the recipes are. They give shopping lists and recipes. It's helpful for times when I feel like I'm making the same thing over and over. On Monday I plan the week's dinner based on what activities the family is doing (so I'm not cooking a big meal when no one is around, or if I'm going to be home late). I have extra items around, like cooked chicken or veggies, that I can use for lunch, if there aren't enough leftovers from dinner the night before. I have the same breakfast pretty much every day so that eliminates the need for planning ;-) Now that school is starting up soon we will be planning lunch ideas for the kids so they have food available when they pack their own lunches in the morning.

nlsalvatore

I was just thinking about this same thing! With the school year starting back up, I have to be organized or it's all too easy to rely on takeout or fast food. I have a weekly planner page that I fill out for the week and hang on the fridge. I list the activities that week and then I write what's for dinner. Looking at it that way helps me see when is a good night for a crock pot meal, or if we will all be home at dinner. For breakfast and lunch - I eat similar things each day, and my kids are not very varied in what they want to pack, so I only write down dinner.

matthawthorneisamyth

I find foods that fit my macronutrients and caloric budget and cobble them together into a daily set of meals. Then I eat the same things at the same times most days. Consistency is key. I make my lunches before I go to work and I get up early enough in the morning to allow myself some time to cook and weigh breakfast. I bulk cook chicken breasts and vegetables on the weekends so I can have a few days of buffer. I use a couple of supplemental foods a day (a quest bar and a protein shake)

You've got to make it idiot proof. I only say that because I'm a big forking idiot and if I don't plan out my meals for the day then I get hungry and wander around the house poking my head in the fridge trying to figure out what to eat. The first step isn't planning each individual meal, the first step is planning a meal that you always have on hand and knowing how much of each ingredient you can use to hit your macronutrients and caloric goals. For example:

4oz chicken breast
170 g of steamed veggies
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Now, I know that that meal fits into my caloric budget and as long as I have food on hand to put that together I don have to think about it. I just grab the chicken and weigh it, grab the veggies and weigh them and grab the olive oil and measure it out. It takes a few minutes. Shove it in the microwave for two minutes and you've got lunch or whatever. I have five or six of these meals that are different and that I can build into my caloric budget and stay on track. When you get even more adventurous, you can even play around with the ingredients. For example:

4oz chicken becomes 4oz grilled salmon or 4oz canned tuna or 4oz grilled steak
170g of broccoli becomes 170g of cauliflower mashed potatoes or 170g of Brussels Sprouts
1tbsp of olive oil becomes 1tbsp of flax oil or 1tbsp of butter or even coconut oil

It's all about finding a system that you can use to facilitate eating on schedule and not having to think too much about what you're going to eat when you need to. It's about being prepared with a bar or a shake when you are away from home so you don't screw around and wind up in the drive-thru because your food is at home and you're running errands.

PaytraB

I try to cook a large pot of soup, stew, chili and/or make up a casserole or two on the weekend and freeze things in meal-size portions. That way, even on a hectic day, there's always something ready for dinner.
Lunches are pre-packed the night before.

OP, if you're running errands, perhaps try taking a nutritious snack in your purse as a "just in case" for when you're running late. It's not good to miss a meal and go that hungry. Some suggestions are apples, nuts, perhaps a granola or breakfast bar (one that is low in sugar & higher in fiber).