Kati Heifner: Weight Loss Tips: Meal Planning and Prep

A BIG key to success is having a PLAN! Think about it....you wouldn't start your day, go on vacation or show up to a job interview without a plan, right? I used to eat on the go and grab food on the fly...guess where that got me? 20 lbs heavier and feeling pretty crappy about my body.

So think of meal prep and packing your cooler as your PLAN for a HEALTHY BODY! Your biggest obstacle is going to be managing your time so that getting fit and healthy doesn't compete with the rest of your commitments, like taking care of the kids, hubby or spending time with friends!

Believe it or not, prioritizing and planning ahead with actually make life....dun dun dun...EASIER! Not to mention, it will set you up for success in the long term! It may seem trivial but I promise that its worth it! Having everything ready and packed will be less stressful than leaving your meal choices up to chance and heading to whatever take out joint is near by at mealtime! Helllooo muffin top!

TIPS: Schedule in time on the weekends to buy and prepare your food for the week! SO WORTH IT! A little time in the store and kitchen on Sunday means for the rest of the week you can JUST GRAB AND GO!
***This took me a good 2-3 months to really get a routine down. I actually HATED it at first- I was really resistant to change but once I saw the results...I was hooked!

If you are on the go a lot, pack Cook Free Snacks: raw almonds, protein powder, low-fat string cheese, chopped veggies, fruit, ezekiel bread, hummus etc. You can keep little ziplock baggies of almonds in your car so you ALWAYS have something to grab.

GET YOURSELF A COOLER: 31 sells these amazing coolers that fit your snacks perfectly. I always take them with me! Always pack 1 extra snack than you really need! Pack it the night before and grab and go!!

Sometimes people will give me excuses about the cost of eating healthy. The fact of the matter is...I spend less money now than I did before when I was buying processed crap. I know it's not just in my head because I track my finances on Mint.com (the most amazing site ever).
But even if it did cost more, aren't you worth the investment?
NO EXCUSES!

Now to the nitty gritty...what should you eat? That's the key right there....EAT! If you starve yourself or even if you unknowingly are not consuming enough, you body will go into starvation mode and hang onto fat for dear life. It might sound counter-intuitive but you need to eat to lose!

Calories are not all created equally. You cannot consume 1900 calories of ice cream and 1900 calories of chicken/rice/veggies and expect to get the same result. Your body needs all of the essential building blocks to keep you body functioning properly and give you energy!

This meal plan is by far one of my absolute favorites. It's about 1900 calories, 210g of carbs, 216 g of protein.

For me, it's a lot of food! Keeps me full, energized and actually satisfied!

Meal 1
8 eggs whites
1 cup of oatmeal OR 2 slices of whole wheat toast
1 banana or small apple
Glass of Lemon Water (cleanses you naturally)

Meal 2
6 oz chicken
1 cup brown rice

Meal 3
6 oz chicken
1 sweet potato
Unlimited Green beans or spinach

Meal 4
Shakeology

Meal 5
6 oz chicken
1/2 cup brown rice
Unlimited Greens

Meal 6
Casein Protein Shake

Soooo I think I'm one of those freaks of nature that can eat the same thing everyday for weeks on end and be perfectly happy. I like the consistency of it and being able to have something I look forward to (I'm counting down until I get to have my Shakeology right now lol) but I get the desire for variety!

I wanted to show ya'll that just because you are following a meal plan, it doesn't mean you can't spice it up!

The most important thing to remember is to customize it to YOU! Your level of activity, tastes, and how your body reacts to certain foods might be totally different. LISTEN to your body and make adjustments as needed! And another side note: just because Im saying it's ok to change up the meal plan...does NOT mean you should start adding craziness like m&ms to your oatmeal. You know who you are!

Go shopping! Stick to the outer edges of the store! Buy REAL food!

What I love most about being in a Beachbody Challenge group because it's a great way to stay accountable AND share ideas. Some of these pictures are from my friends in the group- but I just want to illustrate the variety and options you have!

MEAL 1 Varieties!

Cherries, Egg Whites & Spinach and Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel Toast

2 Slices Whole Wheat Toast, 1 Banana with cinnamon, Egg whites with Black Pepper

From my girl Nicole Morse- Eggs whites with mushrooms, Whole Wheat toast and blueberries

MEAL 2, 3, 5 Varieties

Chicken, Brown Rice and Brocolli, Mushrooms, Red Peppers

Salmon with Lemon pepper Aparagus & Brocolli

Meal 3- Unlimited Veggies! Mix a little Balsamic, Oil and lemon for your own dressing!

From my girl Nikki, Baked Cajun Chicken with roasted garlic quinoa and zucchini and asparagus!!

Amber Gross' Chicken, spinach and sweet potato fries

Grilled Chicken Salad

Salmon, asparagus, & vegan gluten-free couscous!

Chicken Salad with wild rice. The chicken salad has roasted chicken from the deli in the grocery store (no skin) almonds, grapes and Grey Poupon's creamy dijon *which has 0 calories or fat*