Planning and preparing for the week is essential to the sustainability of your healthier lifestyle. Taking the time to plan and prepare your meals for the week will help to ensure you are eating healthy and delicious meals. This step is vital to you achieving your fitness and health goals LONG term.
While it may take you a few hours to prepare, it will save you time, money, & effort during the week. It is also one of the best investments you can make for yourself and your family.
Remember Home=Control.
1. Create a plan.
Plan your meals for the week. Preparing at least 3 meals for the week, will allow you to have a variety of meals. Checking grocery store sale papers is a great way to help plan your meals for the week, especially if you are on a tight budget. Create a shopping list based on the meals you will be preparing. Don’t forget to include those snacks on your list.
2. Maximize your time off.
Make time during your off days to get as much as you can done. Yes, we know you have a lot of things to do. Truth is, living healthier requires a little more of your time & some extra effort. The preparation you put forth is what helps you stay away from drive-thru, missed meals, or vending machine snack breaks. You can use this time to not only make your main meals, but you can also make snack bars, wash/cut up fruit, and portion snack sizes for items like trail-mixes.
3. Cook for the week.
Cooking for the week will save you a lot of time during the week. It’s so much easier to come home to heat & eat than it is to prepare a healthier meal after a long day at work. A good idea is to cook more than you actually need for the current week. This will allow you to FREEZE the extra. This little step will have a big impact! Trust us, there will be those days where you will be glad you had healthy meals ready to go.
4. Pack your snacks.
Plan your snacks like you plan your main meals. Look for fruits and veggies that are on sale. You can also portion your favorite nuts, popcorn, or trail-mix. Having snacks ready to go will make it easier when you need to grab something, looking for that late night snack, or just making it easier to pack your lunch every day.
5. Repeat every week.
Preparing and planning for the week is a process you will learn to appreciate. We cook every Sunday and can tell you, it has been a tremendous benefit and has become our new form of convenience. While it takes some time on the front end, you will definitely appreciate the cost & time savings on the back end.
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