Meal Planning is Key to Healthy Lifestyle

– by Wendy Corr, Certified Holistic Nutritionist

As we go into the weekend, make some time to prepare for success!
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that as lifestyles become more hectic, fast-food consumption has become a growing part of the American diet, and reports indicate that frequent fast-food consumption has been shown to contribute to weight gain.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than one-third of U.S. adults are obese, which contributes to an increase in heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was $147 billion in 2008 – and the medical costs for people who are obese were almost 1500 dollars higher annually than people who fall into the normal weight range.
One of the ways people get off track with healthy eating is by not preparing healthy meals and snacks for their workday – that’s when they have to rely on fast food or vending machines (or whatever is in the break room) to curb hunger attacks!
Meal planning is HUGE when you’re trying to lose weight or make better choices. Using a blank menu, choose from a list of healthy, clean, non-processed foods and create a plan for your week! Choose easy, basic breakfasts and snacks; create healthy, filling dinners that only use one simple recipe, and then fill in lunches with either leftovers from the previous day’s meal, or have a salad or soup.
This image can give you an idea of how one person made her meal plan for the week, using a basic formula that she could mix and match every day.
And remember, a competition like “Losin It At Work” is a way to BEGIN your health journey, not just a short term solution. Take the habits that you learn during this six week period and apply them as part of a healthy lifestyle going forward.
Have a safe and HEALTHY weekend!