January 20, 2013

6 Pack Bags Presents: PREP SCHOOL 101 Instructed By fitlosophy | Session #1

6 Pack Fitness has partnered with fitlosophy to bring you a 3-session lesson on meal planning from the creator of the fitbookÃ¢€ž¢ fitness + nutrition journal.

Obviously anyone that creates something like the fitbook is your typical Type A, mildly obsessive, totally organized personality. Yes, that's me. And while there are some downsides which I won't bore you with, when it comes to dialing in on those big goals, planning ahead is crucial. Enter the king of all meal planning tools: the 6 Pack Bag meal management system. This mighty meal-packer is a planner's delight, giving you all the slots and spaces to pre-pack healthy meals and more. Um, not to mention the snazzy little mesh pocket which fitbook nestles nicely inside. Add a food scale to the mix and it's quite the trifecta of tools for planning, prepping and packing for success. I'm always lecturing on this subject which is why I've pulled together a little Prep School 101: a 3-session series to make meal planning and prep easy whether you're a gym rat and nutrition know-it-all, or a fitness newbie that still doesn't know how to spell quinoa (keen-wa). OK class – pay attention. Session #1 is underway.

Session #1: Planning is for Winners

In this game of life, you have those that plan – and those that fail. You know the saying: "If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail." So join me won't you, and let's learn to be winners.

Make failing impossible. Having a house/car/desk stocked with not-so-healthy options leaves you victim to your own willpower. Not smart. Instead, keep pre-portioned bags of nuts or (healthy) protein bars in your car, desk and gym bag so you always have healthy options on-hand. The solution to not indulging in treats is quite simple: don't buy them. This doesn't mean you can't enjoy them (ever) – it means don't buy the pint of frozen yogurt, just go once a week so it's not haunting you in the fridge. It means if you haven't mastered eating peanut butter in normal-size portions (guilty), buy the single-serving packets. Learning where you stumble and making small changes will result in a rapid increase in the rate you reach your goals. Homework: toss any and all junk food or trigger foods in your house now. Like, pronto. Clean cupboards = clean eating.
Look ahead. What's your week look like? Are you crazy busy and need to have a few crockpot meals on the menu? Or do you have a night in where you want to try a new healthy recipe? Even if you don't plan every single meal out, take the time to plan 1-2 recipes for the week, then do a stock check in your kitchen and make sure you make a list of what you need before you go shopping. Head into the grocery store on a mission, list in hand. This way, you don't forget any key ingredients and have no excuse for hitting the drive-thru all week long. Staples on my list every single week: eggs, chicken or extra-lean ground turkey, spinach, asparagus, sweet potatoes, avocado, grapefruit, non-fat plain greek yogurt and brown rice tortillas. Of course that's not the complete list, but if all else fails, I know I'm good if I get stocked on those. Homework: download my (fit + clean) shopping list and spend 10 minutes planning your week's meals before you hit the aisles.
What you see is what you eat. When you're ravenous and prowling through the kitchen, chances are you will reach for the first thing that looks yummy. Set yourself up for success by creating a winning environment. Start by stuffing packaged foods into the dark cupboard, way back. It's fine to keep blue corn chips or dark chocolate in the house, but up your chances of making a healthier choice by keeping them tucked away. Then, keep a big bowl of fruit on the kitchen table, strategically place veggies front and center in the fridge, and pour cans of beans into see-through tupperware so you're reminded to eat them. Little steps like this keep healthy options top-of-mind! Homework: when unloading groceries this week, take 10 minutes to organize your fridge, freezer and cupboards