2. List

Think about reverse-engineering your meals that way you can go into the store or stores and get all the ingredients you need and get out! You’ll also be less tempted to wonder off down the chips and cookies isle! Make your list in a way that you’ll actually use it, but have it with you when you go shopping!!

3. Food Storage

Do you have enough containers in which to store your meals? Do you want to store your meals in plastic or glass containers? Do you want the containers that have little dividers in them? Do you have containers of different sizes to hold different types of foods? How about little plastic baggies? What about a lunch box/bag that will hold all of your meals {if you have several meals with you each day}? I’ve personally used an ISOBag for over a year and LOVE it!! But If you’ll be out at the store anyhow, make sure to pick up some of these items if you don’t already have enough at home. Better safe than sorry as some break or get lost in the dishwasher! Resource:

4. Food Storage Part Dos

So where are you going to store this all after it’s cooked? Make sure you have enough room in your fridge, but also remember that these are the meals you’re going to be eating from for the next few days, so you won’t need as much space for that large pizza from PapaPizza.

5.  Kitchen Wizardry

Now it’s time to don the big poufy chef’s hat and dig into the 85/15% turkey meat! Aka It’s time to cook, and you’ll need to maximize this time. So while something’s cooking in the oven you could probably be boiling eggs, or asparagus or rice or washing those new plastic containers you just bought. “Remember A watched pot doesn’t boil” But make sure to not overcook anything, as the re-heating process will just dry it out.

6. FoodMatch.com

So it’s all cooked, now what? Marry those suckers! Remember the meals list you reversed engineered earlier, well now it’s time to assemble them into what you’ll be eating for the next few days, and guess what the chicken doesn’t always have to go with the rice Monday through Friday.. SHOCKING!! It’s only limits are what you set on them.. so live on the edge you rebel!

7. Assess

So maybe the chicken and the rice should stick together because chicken and spinach don’t taste so good together! And that’s fine, grant the divorce and stick with what works best for you!! What about the containers, where they too big for your lunch box or maybe to small and you didn’t feel satisfied after a meal. Maybe you saw a new meal you’d like to try? Take not of what you’ll need and give it a whirl next prepping cycle.

8. Take Home

As I tell all my clients baby steps, they key to any “diet”, workout program, budget, or goal is implementation. If you can’t integrate it into your life it will feel like a chore! And we all remember how much we hated chores as a kid, right? We stuffed everything under the bed and in the closet! So BABY STEPS, try meal prepping for a day maybe two and go from there. Something is better than nothing and when it comes to habit change, slow and steady wins the race. Having a support team, a cheering section, someone to help motivate you will help tremendously.

9. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

See above! Love yourself, give yourself some grace, its ok to mess up, cry, get angry or frustrated but just don’t give up! You’ve only got this one body to live in, and the situation you might be in seems tough and never ending. But you’re tougher and you won’t always be where you’re at.. so keep fighting, stand back up, brush yourself off and chin up!

Resources based off of my personal opinion, not affiliated with any of the below links nor am I a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nor is this a complete list of all the available options to you, so please do your own research.

Meal Carrying Systems

http://www.isolatorfitness.com/product-p/6blk-emb-ft.htm

http://www.sixpackbags.com/

Fit Food Website

http://fitmencook.com/

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/healthy-recipe-database.html

Supplement Websites 

http://purebulk.com/