10 Rules for Getting Back into great Shape. Featuring Calgary Fitness Model Zach Boss

by Team LeanOnMeals / Friday, 14 October 2016 / Published in Health & Vitality, Physical Fitness

Making a healthy lifestyle change doesn’t have to be something you dread, but it can be very time consuming and overwhelming. That’s why it is important to have a plan in place so you are set up for success and working in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

Follow My 10 Tips To Set Yourself Up For Success with Dieting:

#10 Invest in an Insulated Cooler Bag

This might sounds like a luxury but it can save you a tonne of time and frustration. Keeping organized will give you the piece of mind you need to focus on other things like getting to the gym! This also includes having a sufficient amount of tupperware that can handle the capacity of your prep. Not to mention, you prevent your food from spoiling when you are prepping for days at a time, plenty of underserving meals have ended up in the garbage this way. Plus, always have your prep with you on the go which leaves NO excuses for eating out or missing meals.

#9 Have a Routine

Whether you are prepping your meals yourself or ordering from a meal prep service, it is important to have consistency so meal prep remains a priority in your schedule. You won’t have to worry about falling behind if you always designate Sunday and Wednesday nights to meal prep and success planning.

#8 Hold Yourself Accountable

Have a system in place to track your nutrition and progress. This is a pretty general concept but ultimately it is going to come down to what works best for your lifestyle:

Hire a trainer (message me!)
Invest in a meal prep supplier (@leanonmeals_yyc is my go to)
Use a macro tracker (MyFitness Pal works great)
Have a scheduler/calendar to record workouts/meals
Weekly progress photos/weigh ins (best if you can track body fat % and lean muscle mass – rather than just your overall weight)
Workout buddies/swolemates! (hold each other accountable and motivate each other)
Social media – posting your progress on social media holds you accountable to your goal setting, you will likely find yourself in a community of people with the same goals as you which can be a great support system
Enter a contest – great incentive to stay motivated as usually there is big prizes to be won and you are forced to work with a deadline. Check out my 8 Week Challenge starting January 2017

#7 Have Back Ups

Some days not everything goes according to plan, you get sick or you miss your meal order day. Have easy go to back ups that can be prepped with no time and wont put you over your macros. Here are some of mine:

Raw Veggies
Tuna cans
Uncle Ben’s Instant Brown Rice
Instant Oats
Peanut Butter
Fruit
Low-sodium and low-fat soups
Low fat beef jerky
Protein bars/shakes
Nuts/Trailmix
Hard Boiled Eggs (precooked)
Smoothies (pre-prepped in freezer bags ready to go)

#6 Grocery List

If you go to the grocery store without a list, I can almost guarantee you will either A) Buy something you probably shouldn’t and/or B) Forget something you need . This fits in again with planning for success.

Here’s a downloadable template I use : https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzGWZ-5egKbUcDgtVzFmM1BTSWc/edit

#5 Get on the mason jar bandwagon

Mason jars are flocking all over Instagram and Pinterest because they are cool looking but also super practical. They are super cheap and microwave safe (just remove the lid), and can be used for salads with the dressing at the bottom so nothing gets soggy, or all other sorts of meals. They stack easily and keep your food fresh.

#4 Look for shortcuts

Buy pre-cut veggies, cook in bulk. Here’s my secret tip for hard boiled eggs:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees , place 1 dozen eggs individually spaced in a muffin tin and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove them and carefully place in ice water for until cooled for perfect eggs.

#3 Keep your meals full of flavour and enjoyable

Get creative! Whether it is surfing Pinterest or your favourite fitness models youtube tutorials, there is an abundance of recipes out there that are healthy and enjoyable. Use ALOT of pepper and stay away from salt. My favourite seasoning ideas for chicken, fish or steak are usually cajun, lemon pepper or honey mustard. If your food is not enjoyable, you wont stick with it!

#2 Hire a Coach

Do your research, a lot of trainers talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. Likewise, a lot might look the part but don’t really understand the physiology behind how your body uses energy sources. Your trainer should have experience and also be in top physical condition. I work with a team of nutrition coaches and competition trainers to provide my clients with elite level diets. Don’t waste time going down the wrong path.

With that said, take some responsibility yourself to learn as much as you can about nutrition and achieving your goals. We live in an era where information is readily available and accessible. Anyone can become an expert overtime – including you.

#1 Invest in a Meal Prep Service

Again this might sound like a luxury but when you really think about it, it makes sense. Meal providers can prep at more affordable rates than purchasing from a grocery store because of their access to better tier food suppliers and by bulk ordering. By ordering your prep for long term, they usually provide discounts and loyalty programs for you to save even more. The selling point for me was this; how much do you make hourly? Think about how much time you spending prepping per week, for me its ~10 hours, and if you make say $30 an hour thats $300 of working time that could be invested else where (or doing something more important like spending time with family!) By getting my meals from http://leanonmealscalgary.com/ I’ve since been able to open my own business and spend a substantial amount more time on training because I also don’t have to clean up a hurricane in my kitchen every week OR go grocery shopping! They even provide me with cooler bags so my food stays fresh, with bi-weekly delivery straight to my doorstep. I never have to worry about anything.

My favourite meal to date is the Turkey Meatballs with Broccoli, as if you needed another reason to order 😉

Meal Prep Calgary