Have you ever wondered why you are stuck? You've tried the latest diet rage, the latest workout trend, you've made new year's resolutions, but you are still stuck in place.
Clients often talk to me about their "should" list. I "should" eat breakfast, I "should" bring a snack to work, I "should" cook more. What many clients are often missing is that next step of pairing a "should" with a simple plan of action to make it part of their day.
Here is a common "should":
"I should make healthier choices during the week, but my mornings are hectic,
I'm often stuck at my desk at work until I am starving, and then I eat office snacks, or stop by fast food food on the way home."
Let's take that "should" and pair it with a simple plan. Here's how.
The "Should": Make healthier choices during the week
The Plan: Spend 5 minutes the night before to think about your upcoming day and packing a few quick items to create the opportunity for success.
Here are some prompts to think about the prior evening to plan how you will make healthier choices the following day
What does my morning look like?
Do you need a grab and go breakfast? Scoop yogurt, berries and nuts or seeds into a container and put it in the fridge, ready to go in the am.
Do you have 5 minutes in the morning to prep? Plan a breakfast burrito of scrambled eggs + baby spinach + a sprinkle of cheese in a wrap, or grab a frozen protein-fortified waffle from the freezer and add your favorite nut butter and a sliced banana. Cut it in half and make it a sandwich to go.
Do I need lunch at my desk? Here are a few “brown-bag” ideas to pack for your day:
Dinner leftovers over salad greens.
Boiled eggs + Cheese + whole grain crackers + crunchy veggies + a dip like hummus or guac.
A whole grain pita stuffed with canned tuna, salmon, or smashed chickpeas + lettuce + tomato +mayo or hummus.
Would a 3pm afternoon snack help me stay on track? Pack fruit + nuts, nut butter or low-fat cheese to manage hunger and the afternoon slump.
What is my dinner plan?
Move a frozen dinner protein like chicken, ground turkey, or fish from the freezer to the fridge, the night before, to thaw.
Check your produce drawer, freezer or pantry for a non-starchy vegetable like fresh asparagus, frozen stir fry veggies, or canned green beans.
Do you have brown rice in the pantry, or leftover roasted sweet potatoes from another meal?
For more tips and ideas see my blog on 4 Tips to Stress Free Dinners.
Now that you have paired your "should" with a plan, you have created opportunities in your day to be successful and to get un-stuck.
Practice: Over the next few weeks, practice the habit choosing one of your "shoulds" and creating a SIMPLE plan to make it happen.
Download my handout Build A Pantry Meal for easy and quick lunch ideas
My goal is to help you create your own path to healthier eating.
Check out last month's blog on filling your environments (home, work, car and social environments) with healthy foods to create opportunities for you to make healthy choices in the places that you spend the most time.
Sign up for a free 3 day trial of my Pantry Plus Recipe Planner.
If you are interested in learning more, or scheduling a discovery call with Ellen Petrosino, MS, RDN click here.