Why i don’t do meal plans..
Ask any personal trainer, “what do new clients ask the most?”. 9 times out of 10, they will say something along the lines of “when do I get a meal plan?”.
Meal plans come highly requested by individuals who are in a moment of high motivation. Maybe they have a beach vacation or wedding coming up & their feeling especially gung-ho, ready to start a strict dieting regimen.
Or others who want to take out the guesswork and have a fitness professional “just tell me exactly what to eat!”.
First off, let’s define what a meal plan is…
Traditionally, a meal plan is an exact prescription.
It is not a certain diet (like keto or paleo) and it’s not a defined macro split.
A meal plan is a very specific written plan of what to eat, when to eat and how much to eat.
In theory, it might sound nice to have a “perfect formula” to follow. But meal plans can actually be very problematic and are one of the worst strategies for long-term weight loss.
WHY??
Well, for multiple reasons. As i’m sure you know, life can be eventful and unpredictable. This creates our first problem, which is that people usually don’t stick to meal plans.
You have an unexpected project come up at work, you take a vacation, your kids get sick, date night rolls around, or maybe you just don’t feel like eating egg whites for breakfast today.
For argument’s sake, let’s say you’re able to defy the odds and white knuckle yourself into nailing that meal plan everyday for the 12 weeks its prescribed, then what? No one can live like that forever, not even professional bodybuilders.
Following a meal plan is simply unrealistic when compared to how we eat and interact with food as humans.
Another problem we come to, meal plans promote the all or nothing mindset. And with this mindset you rarely get all and usually get nothing. So either you’re eating your strictly set meal plan to a T or you’re not, and if not, then you “might as well toss your hands up and eat whatever you want, right?”
This mentality is also what really fuels the cycle of bingeing & restricting. Which if you’ve ever experienced, you know it’s not fun.
And lastly (although I could go on with a longer list of reasons), meal plans can damage your relationship with nutrition, exercise and your body image. Trying your hardest to stick to a meal plan and inevitably failing when you aren’t able to, can create MORE resistance to long-term healthy changes.
Meal plans can be so discouraging. Giving a false perception of what it really means to be healthy & fit, that they will send individuals completely the other way.
A meal plan is like being given all the answers to the test, with no education. Yes, you might pass the test today, but what about life long results?
All in all meal plans have a very low success rate. The good news is, there is a better way to achieve fat loss, more vitality, more energy, and actually make peace with food.
So now that we have made it clear why meal plans suck….
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO INSTEAD?
Practicing and then mastering your daily food choices & eating behaviors is what will give you results to last a lifetime.
To name a few..
eating whole nutrient dense foods 80% of the time.
including lean protein in most meals.
including veggies with most meals.
eating a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats.
stop eating when your satisfied (80% full).
eating slowly and without distraction.
drinking plenty of water (~2.5-3L, what I recommend to clients).
This is just the beginning of the nutrition behaviors I work on with my clients, to eventually reach a point where they have true food freedom.
If you’ve been struggling with your nutrition, your relationship with food or your body, and you want more help, consider working closely with me by applying for my 1:1 coaching program.
