Everyone thinks that going to the gym is hard - but, it’s not. You show up, put some effort in and get out. Maybe even you lift with a buddy or play sports with a team. This is enjoyable – 30 minutes, one or two hours a day and it’s over. But if you want to lose weight or get abs, you might suffer a bit in the kitchen. Let’s talk about ways to make this part less difficult- NOT easy, but LESS difficult.
Start cooking with nutrition and not taste in mind
If you are still going home every night thinking “Tonight I feel like, chicken alfredo, lasagna, burgers… whatever kind of preconceived dish.” Most of the time, you need to be going home and thinking “Tonight I feel like high protein and electrolytes. Tonight I feel like a high carb meal because I have to run in the morning.” this is a great way to instill good eating habits in children. Read up on macro nutrient ratios and start redefining your food – protein, carb, fat, vitamin. You will be surprised what is healthy and what isn’t.
Always have a source of pre-cooked protein in the fridge
I always have chili, cooked lentils, eggs, chicken or fish in the fridge. You might not need to meal prep for a whole week but having just one (or two) time and effort consuming dish prepared is a lifesaver after a long day - it also makw the kids and partner easy to feed. With a bit of creativity, you can make 3 different meals out of that one large dish: salad, soup, or sauté it with eggs and onions. Each one of those meals takes 3 to 10 minutes to prepare. On the go, I just put that chili into a jar and eat it with a spoon.
Stay loyal to a handful of staple meals and snacks
I am a loyal fan of peanut butter and hummus because I can dip every fruit and vegetable into it and I know it is healthy. This is usually my snack. Find good alternatives for the kids: yogurt and peanut butter, avocados and cocoa powder. Find out how to make your own healthy dipping sauces and watch life get exponentially better. Repetition is the key to excellence.
Intermittent fasting
The easiest way to not get stressed out about food is to not think about it. I was a 6 meals a day girl with snacks in my purse for a long time. You know what I discovered? If I can’t control your emotions when I are a bit hungry, then I can’t control my life when shit hits the fan. Get over yourself, get your head out of your stomach and get work done. It wasn’t easy at first but I did my reading on the benefits and implementation. Hunger is our MOST PRIMAL motivation. Utilize this. I now get 5 hours of work done in 2 -3 hours and I am driven during every minute. You are wasting your time thinking, planning, eating and digesting during the day. Cut your meals to 1-2 a day and sharpen up.
Think about your workouts during your cheat meal
I know this might be even less popular than the suggestion listed above. Before or during the time when you have the delicious, greasy, salty, burger, pizza, fries in your mouth, think back on the training you have done during the past week. Think about how you earned this and how all of the calories are turning straight into muscle, into six-pack abs and a perky, fat ass. Think about your long bike rides and jump shots. When you do this, you eliminate that feeling of guilt that the world has told you to feel when you eat “unhealthy” food. Bonus, If you read up on nutrition, you probably know how to make those calories work nicely into your diet.
Take control of your eating habits and make life as easy as possible. This is the most fundamental way we take care and love our own bodies. It is not about saying no all the time but finding a bigger, burning “YES” inside