The psychology behind your eating habits and why planning is your best friend
Believe in Planning
You are tired after a long day of work and kids, or you’ve lost motivation because life is a lot, but you still want to be healthy and feel good? Planning your meals destroys the self-sabotage and helps us stay focused, motivated and healthier.
I’m a cook, but I wasn’t always. I’m a foody, but used to eat to live. I’m a planner, but I like to be spontaneous. Confusing but relatable?
Your food journey beings in your childhood.
I grew up in a home where “fat free” was the rule, being skinny the objective. A mother who was and is an exceptional cook. There was always a balance. Balanced meals of protein, veg & starch minus the oil biscuits a staple in the pantry, always to be eaten with a cup of tea.
My mom was a powerful business woman, she worked full time up to the age of 60 but was always in the kitchen, superhuman. She cooked our every meal and my happiest memories are being called to the dinner table, the smells of her chicken schnitzel or jam biscuits baking in the oven.
Looking back is a key to understanding your food habits. It isn’t just the ingredients that form the foundation of our food beliefs. Unravel your childhood food memories, dig into that dusty memory bank of what you ate, and what you were taught to believe about food. These findings in comparison with our current eating habits is where we can consciously start to shift, and plan for a more balanced life style. Who would have thought that our grannies are responsible for our eating habits and beliefs? As kids we were fed, but we weren’t included in the planning element of the meals. I wasn’t taught to plan my meals just to eat them. No one taught me that planning reduces stress, saves time and encourages healthy food choices.
In order for you to achieve something, you have to believe in it fully. Re writing your belief around your food habits can truly change your life for the better.
Spending just 20 minutes in your week to get organised and plan out the week’s menu will guarantee healthier food choices, which will lead to feeling better, healthier, stronger even happier. This is a BELIEF. Say it out loud and believe it.
How to implement this is simple. DIARIZE. Just like you do everything else. A meeting with yourself to plan your weeks meals. If you don’t have the discipline to show up, then ask a friend to have your back, remind you, encourage you to sit down and plan the heck out of your week. Being accountable to someone will improve your chances of success. First prize and the best person in the world to be accountable to in this space are your kids. If you can bring them into the conversation, not only be accountable to them but also to include them in the decision making, the benefits here are SO valuable.
1)They will know what’s on the weeks menu because they have made some of their own choices. By showing them that their opinions are of value to you a connection of trust and respect is built.
2)They will most likely be willing to eat your food and not reject it because they gave it their stamp of approval
3)They are learning a valuable skill that will set them up for a healthy life.
4)They are inheriting a positive belief that will make their lives easier, healthier and less stressful
5)They will make healthier food choices
6) They will eat mindfully and it turn be healthier for it
Knowing the benefits planning can have on your life. Creating a belief for you and your family for a healthier life is a no brainer.
Now consider not having to plan it all yourself? JB BALANCE have created awesome healthy meal plans for you, all you need to do is purchase the plan, get your kids approval on the menu and make changes if need be, shop, cook and you’re on your way to living your best life.
JB Balance plans have considered macro and micro nutrients, calories, flavour and variety, an all-in-one delicious eBook or printed booklet without ever paying a subscription. Breakfast lunch and supper Monday to Friday (weekends are for relaxing) all done for you with shopping lists, a rainbow food replacement chart, easy delish recipes (videos on our insta page) and lunch boxes, we have you sorted
Why would you go any other way?
Written by Berjolais co-founder of JB Balance