Page 34 - Sports Energey News - Issue No 99, Cornwall, Mike Piquette

34 Issue #99 March 2021 www.sportsenergynews.com

In The Why Meal Plans Suck
In

ZONE Transforming Mealtime

...Own It

With Justin Roethlingshoefer 12 oz water competition. Our bodies can usually 1 cup steamed broccoli,
Dinner – 7:00pm adapt to a rigid way of eating for a 5 Almonds,
ots of people looking to improve 4 oz steak short period of time with positive 1 omega-3 supplement,
Ltheir eating think meal plans 1 cup cooked veggies results. But if you’re too strict for 1 cup green tea (unsweetened).
are the answer. The only problem? 1 baked potato too long, you could wind up with But most of us don’t need that
Meal plans usually suck and they 1 glass water disordered eating habits and lasting level of surgical precision. We don’t
rarely last. So, instead of prescribing You (or your clients/patients) health (mental, metabolic, hormonal, normally eat “ounces” of things or
yet another doomed eating regimen, might be thinking, “Good! I want a etc.) consequences. refer to food by their nutrients (like
check out these 6 ways to transform plan. I’m sick of trying to figure all Scenario 3: You follow the plan “omega-3 fatty acids”). Instead, we
any diet in a sustainable way. this stuff out! Just tell me what to for a little while, but it sucks. eat foods like:
1. “Do I get a meal plan?” eat!” It isn’t sustainable. It doesn’t make Hamburgers, tacos, and
This is the most common Unfortunately, when we try to you feel better. It doesn’t keep you burritos salads, pasta and noodles,
question we get from folks who are follow rigid prescriptions like this, sane. Maybe you see some short-term sandwiches, wraps, pitas, roti, stews
considering, or just started out in, lots can (and often does) go wrong. results (or not), but you hate living and curries, cereal and granola, stir-
our nutrition coaching programs. For example: and eating this way. You never want fries, and casseroles.
The answer? No, we don’t do meal Scenario 1: You just don’t stick to to see another stupid piece of lettuce The bottom line is, if you want to
plans. But we can’t blame people the plan. No matter how enthusiastic or 4 ounces of chicken. Eventually, eat better, you don’t have to get weird
for asking. Sure, meal plans have you are, meal plans can be tough to you get so turned off by the process about things. You don’t need to weigh
long been a staple of the fitness and follow. This is normal. Life can get in that you regress or quit altogether. and measure everything or count
nutrition industry. Coaches are taught the way. People get busy or we’re not You conclude that “eating healthy” out your almonds. Ask yourself: “Is
to create them. Clients are taught to always prepared: kids get sick, bosses sucks. And you miss your big chance someone paying me to do this?” If
expect them. Unfortunately, most of expect you to work late, it’s always to learn how to make healthier, more the answer is no, you likely don’t
the time, meal plans don’t work. someone’s birthday (or a special enjoyable, more lasting, and real need this kind of approach. You
You see, traditional meal plans are holiday), and sometimes you just changes. just need to think about what you’re
explicit prescriptions. Eat this exact don’t feel like having a protein bar at Another reason meal plans fail is already eating, and how you could
thing, in this exact amount, at this 10am. What’s more, even if you’ve that one of the biggest (yet generally make it a little bit better. This means
exact time. For example, you’ll often actually paid to have someone make unacknowledged) problems with fiddling and adjusting. Making small
see: your plan, you might find yourself traditional meal plans is their focus changes and improvements to what
Breakfast – 7:30am rebelling against it in subtle (or not- on “nutrients”. Real people don’t you already normally eat and enjoy,
3 eggs, scrambled so-subtle) ways. This is also normal. eat “nutrients”. We eat food. We eat one small step at a time.
1 cup vegetables Unfortunately, it means you might meals, often with other people. We Think about a spectrum of
1-piece whole grain toast not get the results you hope for. For eat meals that match our cultural food quality rather than “bad” or
1 cup coffee instance, a meal plan you hoped background and social interests. And “good” foods. Welcome to the meal
1 glass water would help you lose weight could we rarely measure things precisely. transformation game. When you play
Morning snack – 10:00am actually encourage you to gain Sure, sometimes an explicit with the idea of a food spectrum
1 protein bar weight instead. prescription is necessary. For or food continuum, you get to
1 handful mixed nuts Scenario 2: You follow the plan instance, professional athletes or experiment with variables like what
Lunch – 12:30pm perfectly. bodybuilders (in other words, people you eat and how you eat it. Think
4 oz chicken In fact, you follow it too well who make money off their bodies of this as a game. How can you
2 cups salad and for too long. Most meal plans and athletic skills) use meal plans to play “make this meal just a little bit
1 handful seeds are meant to be temporary. They’re prepare for training and competition. better” in every situation? In which
1 glass water designed to help a person get to A prescribed meal for someone in situations is that easier or harder?
After exercise – 4:30pm a specific short-term goal, like that situation might look something When your choices are limited (for
1 scoop whey protein dropping a few extra pounds before like this: instance, when you’re traveling or
1/2 cup frozen fruit a wedding, learning to manage blood 1/4 cup dry oats,
1 tsp omega 3 oil sugar, or cutting weight for an athletic 3 oz turkey breast, Continued on page 35