The Art of Preparation: How I Plan for a Healthy Week
For me, a healthy week is 80% preparation 20% follow through. When you lay the right foundation and plan effectively, sticking to healthy habits becomes a whole lot easier than going off the cuff and winging it. I know planning & prep might seem like a boring or unnecessary way to spend your (probably very limited) free time, but I promise, it doesn’t have to take much effort, and a little bit of preparation goes a very long way. Planning your healthy habits into your weekly schedule can make a huge difference in whether or not you accomplish your goals. Don’t just take my word for it, either. Research shows that those who make strategic plans for their week are much more successful in executing on those plans. So don’t underestimate the power of good planning, especially when it comes to your healthy habits. A few simple preparation hacks could very well be the difference between you where you are and where you want to be. So, if you’re somebody who struggles with following through on the goals you set for yourself, maybe it’s time to take a look at your preparation and planning. Read on on for my top tips to set yourself up for a healthy and productive week.
Tips for planning a healthy and productive week
Stick to the basics: In the beginning of your wellness journey, it’s important not to overcommit and bite off more than you can chew. In fact, when it comes to planning your healthy habits for the week, I actually recommend under-committing, especially when you’re just getting started. For example, if you think you can handle 3 workouts a week without a hitch, plan for 2 workouts instead. The reason I say this is because as humans, we have a tendency to underestimate the amount of time and effort tasks will take (this is known as planning fallacy). Planning fallacy is tricky because, if you overestimate your capacity and fail to reach your goal, confidence and motivation goes down. By contrast, under-committing and over-delivering is a major confidence and motivation booster. So make it almost too easy for you to accomplish. And remember, focus on the planning for the foundational stuff first (movement and meals), then add in the extras later.
Plan your workouts: Ahead of your week, take a look at your work and social calendar. When are you realistically going to fit in time for movement? Do you need to move some things around to make that happen? Waiting until the last minute is almost always going to fail, especially when you’re first starting out. Planning your workouts is about removing the barriers. Registering for class or scheduling it into your calendar is one less thing you have to think about. For me, I like to book my workout classes for the week on Sundays, so that I’m already signed up and paid for and I can build the rest of my week around it (just make sure you’re not over-committing, per tip #1). Booking myself into class also adds an extra layer of accountability, since there’s usually a fee if I cancel late.
Plan your grocery trips: There’s nothing worse than staring at an open fridge, trying to piece together something to eat. For me, this is guaranteed to make me give up and order takeout. Remember, setting yourself up for a nutritious week involves planning your grocery store trips. For me, I find 2 grocery store trips per week is best to avoid waste and keep food fresh. If this is unrealistic for you, don’t be afraid to utilize grocery delivery platforms like Instacart to save on time and effort. Sure, it might be more expensive than doing it yourself, but it’s definitely less expensive than giving up and ordering takeout!
Plan your meals: Speaking of groceries… I recommend that you always go into the grocery store with a plan. There are many ways to meal prep, and everyone’s style is going to be different, but I like to keep it simple with 1 or 2 main dinner recipes for the week that center around protein and fiber. I prefer recipes that can be easily wrapped up for lunch or dinner the following day, and sometimes I will double a recipe to minimize time in the kitchen. If you’re preparing carbohydrates like rice or potatoes, make a big batch for the week - starchy foods tend to keep well for multiple days and don’t lose flavor when reheated. Finally, have a “back-up” meal ready for days when you’re feeling low energy or short on time. For me, this looks like pre-cooked organic chicken sausage, a sautéed veggie like spinach or mushroom, and a whole grain or brown rice pasta topped with a yummy sauce like basil pesto or Rao’s tomato sauce.
Cleanse your space: It’s true what they say… a clear space = a clear mind. And a clear mind is much more primed for productivity and success. Don’t get me wrong, a messy room is never a reason to skip working out or preparing a nutritious meal, but for me, a clean & uncluttered space is one of my favorite ways to set up for the week. Waking up on Monday morning to clean clothes, a clean space, and a relaxing environment sets the tone for the entire day.
Rest and Sleep: Our fast-paced culture has made it seem like rest is a waste of time, but rest is actually an essential piece of productivity. Equally as important to rest is quality sleep (yes, sleep and rest are different!). If you have a habit of entering Monday mornings feeling exhausted from staying up late, it’s going to be hard to find the energy for healthy habits. Similarly, if you feel like you spent your entire weekend running from obligation to obligation with no time to replenish, your energy levels are going to suffer in the days to follow. I recommend reflecting on how you spend your weekends and asking yourself: am I getting enough downtime to rest and replenish between obligations? Is my sleep suffering? Remember, all productivity stems from being well-rested.
The importance of adaptability
The reality is, even with the most perfect plan and prep, sometimes life gets in the way of our plans. Establishing a healthy lifestyle is about planning as much as possible, and then adapting when things don’t go to plan. For example, if you’re having a fire drill at work that requires you to miss your morning workout class, perhaps you can park a few blocks away from the office and get a walk in. If you didn’t get to the grocery store today, perhaps you can get creative with some of the things that are in the back of your pantry. It’s important during moments of difficulty that you don’t just throw in the towel entirely. and Adapt your goals to your circumstances and focus on keeping the habit alive, even if it wasn’t completed as perfectly as you had hoped. Embrace consistency over imperfection and celebrate even the smallest of wins, because in the end, a 1% change in the right direction is so much better than nothing at all, and all of those 1% changes you make will eventually compound into a massive transformation.
