Organizing your eating plan and workout schedule for the week ahead can be a powerful tool in achieving your fitness and nutrition goals and avoiding bad decisions. Many people may have the best intentions of a healthy week, but if they fall into the trap of not preparing and planning, may find themselves in tricky situations and making bad decisions in the moment.  Here are some specific ways that this habit can help:

1. Planning your meals and snacks for the week ahead allows you to make healthier choices and avoid impulse purchases or eating out at restaurants or drive-throughs. For example, if you know that you have a busy day ahead and won’t have time to prepare a healthy meal, you can pack a nutritious lunch or snack in advance to take with you. This will help to prevent you from making a last minute decision to grab fast food or unhealthy snacks.  Many people have the best intentions of the week ahead but fail to plan.  If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!
2. Scheduling your workouts ensures that you make time for physical activity and prevents any excuses from getting in the way. For example, if you know that you have a busy week ahead, you can schedule your workouts in advance and make them a priority. This will help to prevent you from skipping your workouts or finding reasons not to exercise.  Many people reading this, know the benefits of working out with our Kinesiologists at Vaughan’s Fitness.  The consistently scheduled timeslot at the same time each work helps with consistency and habit forming behavior.  Try this technique for at home workouts or extra workouts without a trainer.  Schedule your workout by yourself like its a business meeting.  Your health should be a top priority and you should schedule around your health accordingly.
3. Making a grocery list before shopping helps you to stay focused and avoid impulse purchases of unhealthy items. For example, if you know that you need to buy ingredients for a healthy dinner recipe, you can make a list of the specific items you need and stick to it while shopping. This will help you to avoid getting sidetracked by tempting unhealthy options.
4. Preparing and packing your meals and snacks in advance saves you time and helps to prevent last minute bad decisions when you are feeling hungry and don’t have anything healthy on hand. For example, if you know that you have a long day at work, you can pack a healthy lunch and snacks in advance to bring with you. This will help you to avoid making a quick stop at a fast food restaurant or vending machine.

By organizing your eating plan and workout schedule, you can set yourself up for success in achieving your fitness and nutrition goals. With some advance planning and preparation, you can make healthier choices and avoid any last minute bad decisions that might derail your efforts.