Planning and Journaling, all you need to know

16 Jan Planning and Journaling, all you need to know

Did you know researchers have identified that the second Friday in January (January 10 this year) is when many people give up on their New Year’s Resolutions?! What a bummer! Whether you made a resolution this year or not, we’re in this wellness journey together and currently we’re two weeks into boot camp. Let’s team up and challenge our nutrition habits and here’s what we have in mind for the rest of our session:

• Keep a food log/journal ONE day per week
• Plan your meals in advance for ONE day per week

One way to track your progress toward your nutrition goal is to keep a food log! Although, most people think food logs/journals are only to track calories in an effort to lose weight, there’s actually many more benefits beyond weight management.

Why Keep a Food Diary

The 7 Biggest Benefits of a Food Diary

6 Fascinating Things a Food Journal Can Teach You About Your Eating Habits

Pen and paper or an app, such as MyFitnessPal, are all you need to get started. We can’t wait to hear about what you’ll learn about your eating habits!

Secondly, planning meals in advance for ONE day can be time-saving and propel you towards feeling your best. In the past we’ve talked about what a healthy meal looks like. Here’s the gist:

• Protein (animal or plant-based)
• Carbohydrate (the less processed the better)
• Vegetable (fresh, frozen, canned, raw, baked, broiled, grilled, steamed, etc.; unfortunately corn, potatoes, and peas fall into the carb category instead of the veggies)
• Healthy fat (optional, but a great addition when possible)

Directions:

1. Grab a pen and paper OR your favorite piece of technology 
2. Make a list of your favorite foods in each category bulleted above. Keep this food bank somewhere safe because you’ll be referencing it every time you meal plan.
3. In one column, jot down “P:” for protein, “C:” for carb, “V:” for veggie, “HF:” for healthy fat. Repeat the three meals as you would like to plan.
4. Fill in your column by choosing from your food bank. Repeat until you feel like a meal planning champ or planned the number of meals you were aiming for.
5. Scan your pantry, fridge, and freezer for the ingredients you need for the planned meals. Don’t have it? Start your grocery list.
6. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done! Find a friend at boot camp and swap meal plans to tag team the following week.

Lastly, this week’s workout/exercise spotlight: Cross Lateral (CL) Training. Yoga Instructor Charlotte Watts explains this as:

“If you’ve ever tried patting your head with one hand, whilst rubbing circles on your belly with the other, you’ll have experienced cross-lateral (CL) connectivity. The nervous communication that is in play for you to create these asymmetrical movements simultaneously is left-right brain integration; both hemispheres of the brain working as a partnership. In this example, the CL movement is a limb from one side of the body doing something different to those on the other side, but it can also include any movement that crosses over the midline, right hand touching left knee for instance.” 

Read more here.

By Victoria Emmitt RD