The Winter Meal Plan is Here + How to Meal Plan Without it Feeling "Diety"
Meal planning. It kinda has a bad rap around it. Most of the time you probably associate meal planning with a diet you've done. Well today, I want to show you how you can meal plan without it feeling "diety". And, I have a special treat for you...your very own winter-produce inspired, non-diet meal plan! You ready? Let's dive in to what non-diet meal planning looks like!
I remember back when my eating habits were less than great (i.e. over controlling around food and guilt-tripping myself with eating anything "off plan"). I often would think in my head that the key to eating healthy was following a plan. I've talked about this before, but like many other women, I thought that in order to be healthy I had to follow an eating plan to the T!
But what meal planning in this instance does is plain and simply set you up for FAILURE. That's right, FAILURE!When the goal is to stick to something so religiously, it's inevitable that failure will surely follow. We're wired to want to bend rules. It's in our blood to defy anything that is set in stone before us. If you don't agree with me, think back to the last time you cut out sugar. What did you crave? That's right...SUGAR!
So there is a HEALTHY way to meal plan, though, and that includes a little bit of planning combined with a lot of grace (i.e. wiggle room).
Meal planning starts with figuring out what you want to eat. It's that simple.
I like to look to Pinterest or my favorite Insta people to get inspiration for what I want to cook. And I hardly cook anything twice because I love variety and trying new things all the time. But whether you're like me and like to shake things up a bit or you like to keep things the same, meal planning starts with figuring out what you want to eat. That's it.The next thing you want to do is create a list of groceries you need. Take a quick inventory of what you have on hand and then write down the other things you don't have to make a list. Having a list helps take the "guess work" out of grocery shopping...not to mention it helps keep the budget low when you're in the store under pressure to buy everything in site.
Your "plan" should be more like a "guide".
Once you have your ingredients for the week and the fridge/pantry is stocked, it's time to write down what you plan on eating during the week. I have a dry erase board on my fridge that I write the meals on, but you can also use the printable included in this meal plan I created for you. However you choose to write down your meals, remember this...it's more like a guide than a plan. Writing down your meals helps you feel more organized with meals and makes cooking seem more feasible when you come home from a long day at work...believe me, I know! But, if you're craving a meal that's not scheduled for that particular day, go ahead and cook that and do a swap! See..it's a guide.
Eat in a way that makes you feel alive!
Lastly, remember, eat what makes you feel alive and well! Use how you feel guide how much you choose to have instead of strictly portioning yourself. Your body gives you signals around hunger and fullness for a reason. The goal here with meal prepping is to help you feel more at peace with food, not more anxious.