I just want you to tell me what to eat!
Can you give me a meal plan?
Oh I finished that one, can I get another?
It can be frustrating right? You have been doing some exercise, you feel like you are more active, yet you just aren’t hitting those goals you wanted.
‘Why???!!!’ you ask, genuinely baffled.
It is more than likely what you are eating that is holding you back now.
I get it, it is all hard work, and there are days where it just seems that everything has gone wrong and it is so easy to get takeaway or a delivery on the way home. If this is the exception to the rule, then it isn’t a problem. If it is more often than not, then this is where the core issue is.
So, then it is ‘Hey Jim, can you write me an amazing meal plan?’
And my answer is, I can, but I won’t.
Seems callous and a bit at odds hey?
But stay with me and I will explain all.
I might cop some flack for this but meal plans are part of why there are so many people out there that will say to you they tried a fitness and nutrition program and it failed/sucked/was too difficult.
Yep, if a trainer or coach says hey, sure I will tell you what to eat, be cautious. Ask them when the meal plan is over what comes next. If they say another meal plan, start waving red flags!
Your coach/trainer/nutritionist etc should be guiding you and educating you in how to not use them in the long term, not have you returning time and again to them for the next meal plan, the ‘next intake for our challenge’, the ‘next batch of kitchen tested recipes for max fat blasting!’, submitting your before and afters to win the cash prizes or be plastered all over the socials in your undies!
I know this sounds hypocritical coming from a coach that had success in his undies in before and afters and being plastered in actual print media, but those ‘challenges’ and competitions taught me something I can help you with. They are not long term sustainable nor are they holistically healthy.
Sure you can look ripped and lean, and have these great pics etc. And hey, I did. But I was miserable. Weeks without enjoying things in life all to have some pics at the end and then yo-yoing because of the severe restriction.
Going to kids birthday parties and not having a small slice of cake because ‘ it is week five of the challenge’ is not conducive to long term success. It also creates an unhealthy mindset around food for you, and those that look to you, like those kids at that birthday party.
Think of it like this though, there are some really good ways to make sure your nutrition is long term sustainable. You can practice the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time you keep a close eye on what you eat, 20%, you are much more relaxed about it.
You can get a guide, a coach, and have them provide you with a map.
If you move to a new town, and you aren’t familiar with the way to and from work, a work colleague says they will pick you up or you think I will catch the bus. That is great, problem solved!
Until the work colleague is sick, or there is a bus strike.
Then you think hmmm, I never paid attention and don’t know how to get to work! (Look I know there would be other options, this is just my metaphorical example for you).
Now if the work colleague had driven you, and drawn a map for you and as you drove with them they showed you landmarks, which busy streets to avoid, and the shortest route if there was a few roads closed then you would have no problem and be off to work.
This is where having a guide much rather than a meal plan works in the long run.
You should be able to draw up your map with the assistance of your guide to best suit your goals.
All of us are individuals when it comes to food. Allergies, intolerances, even just personal food preferences, so just getting a standard meal plan, that is purely a cookie cutter program (which most are) won’t cater to those things and will certainly not set you up for success long term.
So don’t sweat the meal pans etc, find someone that can help provide you with the map of how to get where you are going so in time, you are self sufficient and can do it on your own.