Why Meal Plans Suck
I’m gonna be very blunt here… Meal plans are wack.
In theory, it is an amazing plug and play formula to keep you on track to eating as healthily as possible so you will straight shatter your goals- completely taking out the guesswork of what’s on the menu and even the quantities in which you should consume your comestibles.
Cool right?
Well…
In reality, it is the ridiculous idea that every human being, despite our immensely different work schedules, lifestyles, preferences, and capabilities can perfectly adhere to the laid out plan where any deviation will prove to be detrimental, or not optimal.
Simply put, meal plans expect too much and are inflexible.
Humans schedules, however, have the ability to constantly change, and they do.
Work meetings, cancellations, engagements that went longer than initially planned, having to stay late at work(Do I really need to keep going…)
Seeing an old friend while being out and about and catching up, getting volunteered to be the carpool parent for your daughter’s friends bowling outing then having that same car break down with a minivan full of rowdy preteen passengers because the only other mom Lisa dropped out last minute. Stupid Lisa. (Okay this one isn’t AS universal as the other ones, I should’ve stopped back there..)
That is flaw one with a meal plan… How they are designed suggests you have to eat perfectly and match what’s in the plan “all the time.. Every of the time”
As a fitness professional, I slip up on my eating habits… Most times because I know my schedule fluctuates and things happen! But you can still be on track with your health and fitness goals in that event, and since you’re reading on this page… I will gladly share how!
But not until I beat meal plans down to a pulp… Right now it’s wounded but I want bloooooood
Let’s switch gears and talk about the aspect I feel has merit with meal plans…
I appreciate that they are customized to an individual’s goal…
But that’s just it, it’s designed for their goal, not around their lifestyle.
A sample meal plan may look like this
Meal 1 (6:30am): 3 eggs, ½ cup oatmeal, 1 banana
Meal 2 (9:30am): protein shake
Meal 3 (12:30pm): turkey breast sandwich and small salad
It’ll be pretty difficult for the teacher who teaches 4 classes in a row to follow this. Or for the overnight worker who has a work shift from 10 PM to 6 AM….(It says right there that 6:30AM is when they need to have their first meal. They are going right to sleep or to another job. Who made this meal plan up? Stupid Lisa? Jeeze, my daughter isn’t hanging around your daughter anymore.)
Lastly, meal plans make the pompous assumption that you already have the skills in place to follow everything to a T.
You know, the skills like:
Planning your grocery shopping trip in advance
Choosing the right items from that store.
Storing and prepping your food correctly.
Eating slowly and mindfully to dissuade overeating
Tuning into hunger and appetite cues
Avoiding problem foods
Picking better for you options at restaurants
Most people who aren’t currently eating healthy have trouble in some if not all of those
Meal plans are like a busted utility belt-They’re still cool but they won’t get the job done…No matter how badly someone may want something, if they do not have the capacity or the skills, it’ll prove to be very VERY challenging.
If a hungry, wild Grizzly Bear is chasing you(This is literally one of my worst fears) odds are you WANT to outrun it.
If you are in this position, I truly wish you the best but here’s a scenario.
Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man clocked nearly 28 mph in a 100 Meter sprint.
Well, if you are able to outrun the fastest man in the world, you MAY have a fighting chance.
However…
A grizzly bear can reach up to 34 miles per hour, if that’s not enough… A grizzly bear was once clocked at running 41 miles per hour.
You may WANT to outrun that bear but unless you have the capabilities and skills to dust that fool(a car, a jetpack, a time machine so you can retreat to wherever you were when you thought it was a good idea to get chased by a bear so you can send stupid Lisa instead) you will be feasted upon.
Meal Plans are the grizzly bear charging at you…
Ring the bell, Meal Plans are FINISHED
So if meal plans are wack, what should I do?
Very glad you asked…
As I’ve hinted at in this post, it is the skills that we have that allow us to be capable in attaining our goals, not only comfortably and realistically, but sustainably- because it works WITH your lifestyle and schedule, no matter how erratic it may be.
This is referred to as habit-based (or practice-based) coaching.
Habit-based coaching is rooted in the best practices of change psychology. In other words, it’s built on the latest science of what actually helps people develop new skills and make change in their lives.
I recommend taking one a habit to change at a time. A habit that is both solid and flexible to help you build the skills necessary to make better nutrition and lifestyle choices the day and for life!
When you take into account things such as your unique schedule, priorities, belief system(s), food preferences, food tolerances, and more, you can create something much better than a meal plan. You can have your own playbook. Your own Comic Book, your own superhero manual and frankly, I feel they all sound better than “meal plan”
So what’s next..?
In the end, rather than telling someone what to eat for breakfast and when to eat it, I prefer to help them build the skills (and daily habits) required to eat well, every day, no matter what life throws at them. (Because of stupid Lisa…)
It’s also integral to discover what’s right for you, in the context of your own unique life.
I can help solving the mystery of you easier, by sharing with you:
How to simply and easily create the perfect, chef-approved meal and the secrets to fast and healthy meal prep so that you always have appetizing, supportive food ready when you need it.
It’s called the Kitchen Rescue Pak and it’s your answer to simplifying your nutrition while taking YOUR life into consideration.
I suggest you grab it, lest you are stupid Lisa.. Then I understand why you don’t want it.
Love you!
Originally published at www.dorianjfitness.com on February 7, 2018.
