Planning Ahead to Avoid Disaster

I walked into Nazly's kitchen yesterday and said, "I want you to tell me the truth." Before I could continue, she replied, "I always tell the truth, my friend." "Good. Now, did you honestly make an effort to understand the P90X nutrition plan?" Her little smile said it all.

Nazly had "sort of" tried to sit down to understand the P90X document, just as too many people "sort of" try to read the document I posted below. (In Nazly's defense, with the exception of the chicken-wings, she does eat well. We figured out, however, that she doesn't eat enough. If she wants to one day see washboard abs, she's going to have to step it up in the kitchen. And she will!)

Trust me, I do understand that trying to figure out all this eating business is difficult. It seems overwhelming. That's why I've tried to simplify everything, and I promise, it really isn't as difficult or as overwhelming as it may initially seem. After just one week, you will begin to get the hang of what to eat when.

But you have to do your part by first understanding how it is that you need to eat.

To avoid disaster in the eating department, you must then plan ahead, especially when you are first starting out. I know it's a pain to figure out (approximately) WHEN you're going to have your meals AND what you're going to have during those meals (a protein, a carb, and a veggie perhaps?), but it is something you MUST DO if you want to see results. Yes, you really should sit down with pen and paper and MAP IT OUT.

I planned everything out when I was on Slim in 6 and I did that when I began P90X. I also kept a food journal to track what I ate. Now that I am following the P90X Phase I nutrition program, I simply keep a mental tab of my food intake.

Before I leave the house in the morning, however, I make decisions about what I'm going to eat for that day.

If I'm spending the day out of the house, which has been the case all week, I make sure to bring with me a container of cottage cheese for my morning snack, a pre-made protein shake for my second snack, a protein bar, and a refillable bottle of water. I also know that I will buy a salad for lunch at the local salad bar and that I will be able to prepare the salad myself. (I don't trust other people to drown my greens in high-calorie, high-fat dressing!)

When I go out and suspect that I won't be able to buy healthy food (or that I won't have any access to food), I always plan ahead by making my own lunch and by taking healthy snacks that don't need to be refrigerated (such as almonds or a protein bar).

Is it a pain? Yes, sometimes it is! I don't particularly enjoy lugging tupperware around in a bag. But, to me, it's worth it. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love being fit and I will never go back to my state of fat caterpillar.

You can complain that you're too busy or that it's too complicated, or you can do something about it. You really do hold the key to the way you look and feel. It's just going to require some planning.

Now, Bring it!

Barbie