Food Blueprint: Your Plan Into Action
“No, really … please,” I hold up my hands. “Please, stop. It’s embarrassing.” (This is me, imagining the applause of the crowd after reading yesterday’s blog. I know … I’m delusional, but just go with it.)
“The ‘Food Blueprint’ is pure genius!” they cheer.
“Tell us more!” they plead. “Tell us how to put our plan into action!”
Even the best ideas don’t count for anything without implementation.
Now that you’ve got a schedule – you’re plugging your meals, snacks and workouts into that schedule – and you’ve got your own blueprint, it’s time to put your plan into action!
I’ve got a few inexpensive products I’m going to suggest you invest in, to make implementing your blueprint even easier.
Rubbermaid LunchBlox™ storage containers: These sturdy little resealable containers come in salad and sandwich kits, as well as a “kid kit” in bright colors. They have containers for condiments, salad dressing, or anything else that might get yucky if it was mixed with everything else for hours before eating. Best thing? All the kits come with a freezer pack that stacks with the kit to keep everything cold. $10-$20.
Kitchen scale: There are dozens of them on the market, and as long as the one you pick weighs in ounces it’ll work. Weighing out your food – along with measuring with liquid and dry measuring cups and measuring spoons – is a pain in the backside, but absolutely vital to accurately gauge portion sizes. Exactly how much is 1 oz. of almonds? A handful? Your hands may be much smaller than mine, and when I’m hungry my “handful” is gonna be huge, let me tell you. Weigh and measure. Keeps you honest. $15-$50.
Soft-sided cooler bag: Pick a cheerful color and one that wipes out easily because you’re going to be using it all the time. Pack it with your lunch, snacks for the car, water bottles, etc. Never leave home without it, as they say! $20-$50.
Now that you’re weighing, measuring, storing and packing all of those items, let’s make sure that we don’t waste all that time and effort.
Try this simple trick: first thing in the morning, gather all of the food that you’re going to eat for the day on the kitchen counter. Really. All of it. Measure out those things that need to be measured or weighed. Put them in containers or zipper bags. Put those things that must be kept cold in your to-go cooler, along with a frozen cold-pack.
Does it take some time? Yes. It is kind of a hassle? Certainly. But having all of your meals and snacks prepared and ready means that you don’t have to make any food decisions the rest of the day. Decisions that can easily get derailed if you wait until you’re ravenously hungry to make them.
You will still face temptation. But you have a plan and you have put that plan into action. You know exactly what you’re going to eat, when you’re going to eat it, and it’s all prepped and ready!
This week’s “10-Week, 10-Pound Challenge” contest winner will receive a Rubbermaid LunchBlox™ container set to start putting their food blueprint into action. I hope it’s you!
C’mon, we got this!