Planning Ahead
When I was given my first competition diet a couple of years ago I was so excited. This was to be the diet that helped me "lean out" and get me competition ready. I scanned it...all foods I loved. Food every 2 - 2 1/2 hours. So much food. Lots and lots of water. There was no way I'd go hungry. I was thrilled to know I'd be feeding my belly every couple of hours and "hopefully" (fingers crossed) lose the extra fat I was carrying around with me.
However...one thing I didn't anticipate was the planning.
Such a critical piece in effective dieting.
It doesn't matter if you are prepping for a contest or if you are wanting to eat healthier. Planning is absolutely key.
A friend recently asked me what she should do because she just found out she's going away next week for a fun weekend getaway. Her friends don't necessarily "appreciate" her clean eating habits. She knows she'll be surrounded by temptation - food, drinks, snacks, you name it.
My answer? Plan ahead. Know your options. Know what you "will" and "won't" allow while on vacation.
I had the same dilemma this past weekend when I went with some friends to the Bodybuilding.com Expo in Boise. I'm not prepping for a contest right now, so my diet isn't as rigorous as it was a month ago. However, I still want to eat as clean as possible whenever possible. That way when I do "cheat" it won't be near as bad.
I packed my cooler on Friday morning: cooked chicken breasts cut into strips, lean pieces of flank steak, StarKist tuna packs, hardboiled eggs, chunks of yams, dry oats, cooked brown rice, apples, steamed zucchini and asparagus, protein powder, and lots of fresh vegetables and water. I had NO reason to cheat. Once we got into town the first stop we made was at the fruit stand. We loaded up on extra fruit and vegies to snack on while at the show.
For the most part we ate from our coolers for 3 days. Of course we "snacked" on all the goodies on the show floor, and let me tell you, there is such a thing as too many protein bar and protein shake samples - regardless of how healthy they are. ha ha! It was fun though, and I don't feel too bad because I know my real meals were lean, low-fat, moderate carb, and healthy.
Now in the old days I wouldn't have even thought twice about it. I would have just packed my suitcase, maybe threw in a few snacks for the drive or flight (usually candy, nuts, anything salty), and called it good. I'd eat as I went. I'd wait til the next meal time - breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Sometimes I'd go 4-5 hours in between. If I did snack it would be the junk I took with me or something quick at a convenient store. I ate when it was convenient and consumed whatever was available.
Planning isn't always convenient. It's not always "convenient" to eat every 2 - 2 1/2 hours. It's not always ideal. It's not always easy to pack a little cooler and take it with you on your day trips, in the car, when you're out. Sometimes it's downright embarrassing. However, you need to ask yourself, is it worth it? What's more important?
Here are some ideas I've incorporated into my own schedule that help me. I'm sure so many of you have wonderful ideas of your own. For others this will be a completely new way of thinking and planning. Just the same, this is what I do:
If I am going to be gone for a few hours from the house I take a small cooler with me with one or two meals. It can be as simple as a protein shake (ready made or ready to make) or a packet of tuna and a rice cake. It can be anything - it just needs to be a meal - something to keep your metabolism revved. I always take water with me in the car. The more the better. Right now I have a full case of bottled water in the back of my car for when I need it. As it starts to warm up I'll need to just take what I need with me when I'm out so the plastic doesn't overheat. ;) We've all heard about plastic in the car, right?
If I am going on a road-trip, I do exactly what I mentioned above. I take a big cooler with me. I load it up with all healthy stuff. I might even throw in a couple of healthy treats. For instance last weekend I threw in a couple of my favorite Perfect Foods bars that I've been raving about. So good. All healthy ingredients, but still a little higher in "healthy" fats than I need every day. I wanted to have a yummy cheat I could go to if I really needed it rather than turning to a vending machine.
If I am flying out of town, I'll still take a cooler that I can take on the plane with me. I usually can't take as much, so I'll try to pack as many "dry" products in my suitcase as possible (ie protein powder packets, tuna, oats, etc.). I'll put the yams, chicken, fruit, etc. in my small cooler that I'm able to take with me on the plane. I'll usually buy a big bottle of water at the airport that I can continue to refill while on my trip.
If I am going out to eat, I'll try to find out what restaurant in advance. With friends this can be tricky. My friends have come to realize there are a few restaurants I prefer. These are places where I know the menu, I know the nutritional breakdown, I know what to expect. I know what I am putting into my body. But, we can't always have our way, can we? So when we go to a new restaurant, I'll look it up online. Whenever possible I'll try to find the restaurant's nutritional breakdown for their menu. I'll print it, evaluate it, narrow down my options, and take it with me. You'll be surprised at how interested your friends will be to see it too. I took it with me once to Macaroni Grill. EVERYONE was shocked at how unhealthy some of their favorites were (we all love guilty pleasures, and I certainly have mine at EVERY restaurant). Pasta Milano is my all-time favorite at Macaroni Grill, and I was bummed to see the breakdown. Oh-well. Special occasions.
If I am going to a new city where I am unfamiliar with the restaurants, I'll research the "hot" or "best" restaurants the city, and then I'll try to find menus for each of them. That way you can hopefully steer the group towards one of the restaurants you have information on.
Sometimes you'll be planning to go to one restaurant with friends only to find on the way that the plan has changed. This has happened to me many times. I'm outvoted and unprepared. Now what? In cases like that it's smart to have something extra in your purse - just in case you need it. Nothing wrong with a back-up plan.
Now the real question, is it worth it? Most of the time I'd have to say "yes". Being prepared is empowering. It gives you the freedom to choose from the menu knowing what you are putting into your body. It just takes some time and some planning.
Sometimes though you just need to roll with it. Have a cheat meal. Enjoy it. Savor it. Let yourself enjoy your favorite meal. Don't even think twice about it. If you are sticking to a clean-eating lifestyle, then there's absolutely no reason why you can't let yourself enjoy a treat or two while on vacation. Last weekend my girls and I did just that. After eating clean the entire weekend we treated ourselves to PF Changs and Coldstone. It was AWESOME! We didn't feel guilty either because it was the first real indulgence we'd had while on our girls trip. Other than that we'd been making protein cakes with strawberries in our hotel room at night to curve the sweet cravings. **smile**
Two quotes I often think of when I am struggling, and I have both of them hanging in my office,
"A moment on the lips...forever on the hips."
"Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels."
Plan ahead. *smile*
jen.fit.training@gmail.com
