3 Meal Planning Mistakes (& How to Fix Them!)

I think there’s a lot of misconception about what “meal planning” is.. and negative stigma about meal prepping because honestly.. it wasn’t done right!

When it’s done right it is AMAZING and lifesaving! I don’t know about you but I do NOT like to go hungry. No body likes to go “hangry”! haha

But this ALWAYS what ends up happening when I don’t have food prepared and meals planned!

This was a HUGE mistake I made in the past and it hindered my progress. Today I’d like to help you avoid the top mistakes I made when I first got started so your meal planning can be simple, delicious, and maintainable. Ready?

Mistake #1 Not Planning and/or Prepping Meals in Advance

Always decide what your going to eat in advance. Meal prep is not mandatory but I HIGHLY recommend it so that you can always have food ready to go for lunch when your out and about.

For some, it can be a hard idea to grasp but it will save you time, money, and help you avoid junk food. Trust me.

If you decide not to do meal prep just make sure to have a plan regarding what you’re eating and how you’re going to prepare it!

Prepare your food on one or two days each week. I prefer Sundays and Wednesdays.

We always prepare what we like to call these the “Basics”. This is usually carbs and veggies such sweet potato fries, brown rice, brown rice noodles, pizza dough.. things that take longer later on that we want ready and available to throw into any meal quickly!

To be honest we usually don’t prepare the whole thing but have extra chicken already cooked that we can quickly throw on a pizza or into a casserole!

I definitely end up with the best results when I ALWAYS prep lunch in advance. Prepping dinner is optional but recommended.

An optional bonus PRO tip: package meals beforehand in storage containers so you can grab and go in a pinch. Put containers in your refrigerator until eaten.. OR if you don’t like the feeling of “leftovers” you CAN preserve the freshness of your meals. Freeze after preparing and defrost in the refrigerator the night before consuming.

If you’re curious about more best practices or recipes to make healthy meals taste amazing, feel free to check out my done-for-you meal planning program. 😀

Mistake #2 Not using natural food substitutes to make healthy versions of the food you love. 

For example you can replace the ingredient on the left with the one on the right.
Sugar -> Stevia
White Carbs -> Brown Rice
White Flour -> Perfect “Brown Rice” Flour (Get this at Costco)
Margarine -> Butter
Ranch -> Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Balsamic Vinegar
Vegetable Oil -> Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Coconut Oil
Chocolate Chips -> Cacao Nibs

Mistake #3 Not having FOUR healthy recipes you ABSOLUTELY love and will always be in the mood for that you can make quickly.

Picking 4 healthy, balanced, fueling recipes that you TRULY, really enjoy is going to help so much!

These will become your “staple meals”. Always have the ingredients available and ready at home.

This will help you eliminate that feeling of “I have nothing to eat”. When you can quickly throw together something you love that you know will fuel your body with energy and wont make you feel bloated and sick… Its like MAGIC. haha!

Suddenly you dont have to eat out at a restaurant every night or let yourself go hungry for 10 hour because nothing sounds good! This is seriously such an effective healthy lifestyle habit!

Oh and to keep it interesting, try out new recipes each week. Get creative and make it fun 🙂

My friend, these are ONLY a few key tips from the meal plan inside my Flat Abs Fitness program. If you’re looking for a done-for-you plan so you can save time, already have amazing recipes, and everything ready for you I highly recommend checking it out.

>> Click Here to Learn More About the Flat Abs Fitness App

Knowing what eating and lifestyle habits are effective DOES matter and it DOES make a difference.

We would not be dedicating my energy everyday to teaching you and others about how to do this if we did not 100% believe that All of this is a POWERFUL tool to living life with more freedom and energy as you work towards health and fitness goals!

Get moving. You can do it. 🙂