If you want to eat healthier and/or lose weight, some level of meal planning is a must. But meal planning doesn’t have to be a daunting task or time-consuming. In this article, I’ll walk you through how to create a meal plan, how to find time for it, and how it can help you lose weight.
In my weight loss nutrition practice, I have learned that everyone has their own version of meal planning. There is no right and wrong – what’s important is doing it in a way that works for you, whether that is planning the night before, a few days before, or a whole week before.
Modifying your routine to fit your life and schedule is the only way you will be consistent with it, and in turn, see consistent results in your weight loss journey.
Let’s get to how to create a meal plan for weight loss you can stick to and actually look forward to.
How to Meal Plan for Weight Loss
When it comes to meal planning, you have to start based on where you are. If you’ve never meal planned before, you don’t necessarily need to start planning and cooking your entire week’s worth of meals in one sitting. You can start with just figuring out what you’ll be eating, then you can plan the day-to-day in getting a day ahead.
If you’re not sure where to start, here are 7 basic steps to creating a sustainable meal plan for weight loss.
1. Set Realistic Goals
Start by defining your weight loss goals. Know your calorie and macro needs (i.e. your daily protein, carb, and fat goals) to ensure your meal plan supports it. Keep your goals achievable, aiming for steady progress. For example, add one new fruit and vegetable to your week, rather than extreme overnight changes all at once.
2. Pick a Day/Time to Plan
If it’s not in your calendar, it’s less likely to happen. Every week, look at your upcoming week and see when you can plan and prep your meals. These don’t have to be on the same day as each other, and it can change every week depending on what you have going on. The biggest thing is to just schedule meal planning into your calendar so it doesn’t fall to the wayside and you end up out of groceries (I’ve been there).
3. Choose Balanced, Nutrient-Dense Meals
When it comes to weight loss and healthy eating, it’s so much more helpful to focus on what to eat versus what to avoid. And in my professional opinion, there are no foods you need to completely avoid unless you are allergic to them.
When you focus first on what to eat more of – such as more lean proteins, fiber (fruits & veggies), and healthy carbohydrates, it doesn’t feel restrictive and instead, feels satisfying.
So your goal is to include these core nutrients at every meal. If you need a starting point, use this balanced plate method as a general guide:
- ¼ of your plate should be lean protein (chicken breast, turkey, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, tempeh)
- ½ of your plate should be non-starchy veggies and fruits (all veggies other than potatoes, squash, corn, and peas)
- ¼ of your plate should be complex carbs (potatoes or whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat bread, or oats)
Lastly, include a healthy fat at each meal. This could be ⅓ of an avocado, 3 oz of fatty fish like salmon or tuna, 1 tbsp of olive oil, or 1 oz of flax or chia seeds.
This will help you stay full longer and avoid cravings while providing essential nutrients for your body. Aim to include a balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats in each meal.
4. Simplify Your Meal Choices
Select a few go-to meals that are easy to prepare, versatile, and enjoyable. Start with your most challenging meal first and then work your way up. You can choose 2-3 2-3 breakfast, lunch, and dinner options that can be rotated throughout the week, and take a break to enjoy leftovers if this works for you. This helps avoid decision fatigue when you start with a few tried-and-true go-to’s and ensures that your plan is manageable.
Your meals don’t have to be super complicated in order to be healthy. You can find easy crock pot, sheet-pan, or one pot stovetop meals that can be quickly made and don’t require a lot of ingredients. My nutrition clients especially love the meal planning app I use with them, Eatlove, which includes thousands of personalized recipes that fit their nutrition prescription.
5. Make a Grocery List and Stick to It
After deciding on your meals for the week, create a grocery list based on the ingredients you need. This not only saves time and reduces waste but also helps you avoid impulse buys that can derail your weight loss efforts. Stick to the list and shop for nutrient-dense foods.
6. Prep Ingredients or Full Meals Ahead
Decide how far in advance you want to plan. As I said before, there is no right or wrong or “perfect” way to meal plan. It may change from week-to-week depending on how much time you have or what you’re making. You have the option to either:
- Plan the night before: Prepare ingredients or pre-cook parts of your meals for the next day. Just taking this one simple step will get you ahead and ready. Every night when cleaning up dinner, check on what you need for the next day. Plan what you’ll have for your meals, pre-portion any snacks you may be having, and thaw out any proteins that are in the freezer. When you’re doing it in this way, you’re already sort of in meal prep mode already in the kitchen, so it makes it easier to remember.
- Plan a few days ahead: Cook and prep meals or ingredients that will last 3-4 days, getting you at least through mid-week. This is a nice middle of the road plan if you feel overwhelmed by prepping and cooking for an entire week. This can get you through Wednesday or Thursday, and then you may just need a quick grocery delivery or pick-up to get you through the weekend meals.
- Plan a whole week ahead: You can also batch-cook on the weekend or a chosen day to have meals ready for the entire week. If you like to get things done ahead of time, this method may be for you. This helps streamline your routine, making it easier to stick to your plan.
Use portion control to manage calories effectively. Pre-portion your meals into containers for easy grab-and-go options, especially for lunches and snacks. When you portion in advance, it makes it easier to stay within a calorie deficit for weight loss. It also reduces the risk of overeating because you only have what’s in front of you.
7. Know Your Portions
If you don’t know your calorie needs, you can estimate it using a calorie-counting app such as Lose It! Or MyFitnessPal. In my program, I’ll calculate your calorie and macro needs to put your body in a calorie deficit for weight loss, but not too low where you feel hungry.
It can also be helpful to weigh your food or use visual portion guides to stay on track with your goals. A few examples are the palm of your hand is 3 ounces and a clenched fist is one cup.
8. Store Healthy Back-ups
It’s always good to have a backup plan. If your week didn’t go as planned and you ran out of time to prep, keeping some healthy frozen meals on hand can be a quick alternative. You don’t have to eat whole foods 100% of the time, and luckily there are plenty of healthy convenience options out there nowadays.
You can also utilize frozen leftovers, frozen veggies, and canned soups as needed to whip up a quick, balanced meal. There are many nutritious soups out there like Campbell’s Well Yes! Line and Progresso’s Protein-rich Soups.
9. Stay Flexible and Adjust as Needed
Above all, give yourself grace. You’re not a robot, you’re a human being and so it’s important to stay flexible with your meal plan. You have permission to adjust your plan based on hunger levels, social plans, or changes in routine. It’s okay to swap meals if you don’t feel like having leftovers that night or mix and match based on what you feel like eating.
The most important thing is you are eating in a way that aligns with your health goals and that you are actually enjoying the food. If you are bored with what you’re eating or find it bland, that’s when you’re more likely to throw in the towel.
Additional meal planning tips
If you find yourself ever getting in a meal planning rut, try one of these meal planning tips:
Find some new recipes – It can become easy to just stick to the same tried-and-true recipes that work for you, but it’s still important to mix things up. If you’ve been eating the same things for a few weeks and you’re losing motivation, it’s time to change it up. Switch up the proteins you’re using in a certain dish, add a new fun sauce or dressing, or try something completely different!
Spice up your meals on weekends – Finding fun recipes that are either more spicy or a bit different than your weekday meals can keep your plan exciting. I often tell my clients to prep 1-2 fun meals for weekends that are similar to meals they would eat in their favorite restaurant. This can limit eating out (where the calorie and fat content is SO much higher) and offer versatility in the diet, which makes it more sustainable. Make it fun and try some healthier versions of your favorite meals!
Try a meal subscription service – If you need a break from cooking or just want some new recipe inspo, there are meal delivery services that do the work for you. They can take the guesswork out of prepping since they pre-portion all of the ingredients, and there are even some that cook the food for you! These pre-made meals are much healthier and nutritious than takeout and are just as easy. So if you need a break, take one and try one of the many healthy meal delivery options out there.
Bottom Line
Learning how to create a meal plan can set you up for success, encourage healthy eating, and just make your life easier. Whether it is a weekly meal plan or a few day’s worth, getting even a day ahead will ensure you have options around that align with your goals.
This is much better than the alternative of taking it day-to-day or leaving it up to chance, which in my experience, doesn’t usually bode too well.
If you need more help planning out your weekly meals and want to know what you should actually be eating for weight loss, contact me to schedule a free call. In my sustainable weight loss program, I meet you where you are and help guide you in making small, realistic changes in your diet and exercise that lead to big results over time.
