Go ahead and Google “pre-plan meals”. This is what you will find: “meal planning can help you to stick to your diet,” “A little pre-planning can save you time and energy,” “The key to pre-game meals .. is how you eat throughout the course of the whole day,” “pre-plan healthy meals for busy parents.” The single act of pre-planning meals is great for everyone: busy parents, people with food allergies or restrictions, those who are training for sports, and those of us who are simply trying to lose weight.
According to this scholarly article on obesity, “the main purpose of meal planning is to have patients eat regularly scheduled meals...This lessens the possibility of overeating by decreasing hunger and by preventing meals from being ambiguous” and “the caloric content of meals can be calculated prior to consumption which assists with adherence to overall caloric goals.”
So why doesn't everyone pre-plan their meals? Because we believe in myths.
Myth #1 It takes too much time and organization.
Truthfully, pre-planning meals takes less time. Its this simple:
- Make a meal plan. (If you're at a loss for where to start, you can try this one or a Kay's Naturals meal plan. If you need a meal plan due to a food restrictions, there are ample. Do some research and find what meal plan works best for you. (The meal plan from Kay's is great for those who are diabetic, gluten-free, or wish to lose weight.)
- Go the grocery story, get the coming weeks worth of food. (hint: don't go when you're hungry!)
- Make an easy healthy lunch for the whole week on a Sunday afternoon. Depending on what you choose this can take as little as 15 minutes!
- Place food in five single serving containers. Lunch is done for the week. Repeat for dinners.
Supplementing meals with healthy and yummy snacks, like the ones created by Kay's Naturalswill keep you energized, curb your cravings, and let you reach your individualized goals.
Myth #2: It takes too much discipline.
This is just not true. Not having a plan is what leads people to break their diets. If you cannot have gluten, but find yourself starving and with no gluten-free options available, you will be forced to starve or eat gluten. This is also true for those who try to have comprehensive diets that are low-fat and high-protein. If you are stuck in junk food central (such as the food court). Without a plan, it's much easier to be forced off of a diet. The looming McDonald's sign will be calling your name. However, if you are well fueled with quality energy and know where the next meal is coming from, the craving for a brownie or the drive-through will be kept at bay.