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In this lesson, we will discuss how we can take what we’ve learned and create a pattern that will work for ourselves long-term.
I hope you have found some success. We are not perfect, so there will be some days where we may have not eaten according to plan. We are not looking for perfection.
We are looking for a learning process:
- how to create a meal plan
- how to stick to a meal plan
- how to find nutrition and pour it into a meal plan
- understand the eating patterns you have around food and hunger
- understand how you use food to meet emotional needs, cravings, stress
Learn how to stick to a meal plan better. You can now see what things work and what may trip you up. As we begin to understand our patterns, we can begin to break free of them or shift them. It is not an overnight process.
Congratulations if you have done well this month! You may not be at the place where you want to be with leanness, so you can continue. I plan to continue for at least another month, and maybe a month beyond that. 2-3 months is reasonable. However, there gets to be a point where it gets boring. Even if you mix in multiple meal plans that you rotate, you might get bored with that.
Once you get bored, you may want to move beyond the meal plan. That is totally natural and I think that is the best long-term. Sticking to a meal plan, religiously, month after month, may not be the best pattern for most of us. If it is something you like, stick with it, but be be sure to switch it up so you get some more variety in your nutrients.
What are some other patterns we can start to form for the long-term?
- Choose whole plant foods. See which foods are great for getting lean or gaining lean weight. Go with what you feel is nourishing your body. This could also be fish, eggs, meat. Choose foods you find to be delicious and nutritious that nourish your body.
- Think about the nutrients you are getting in your body. Start to play with them on the chronometer.com app we have been using online. Continue the foods that give you a lot of nutrients. The higher they are in terms of nutrient-density, the better.
- If you are trying to get lean, low-calorie density is what you are going for. Vegetables are some of the best. There are some foods like, avocados and nuts, that are both high-density in nutrients and calories, so they are best in moderation if you are trying to get leaner. However, if you are trying to gain lean weight, then you can eat plenty of those. It depends upon your personal goals.
- Include foods that are tasty but not nutrient-dense. Those should not be the majority of your diet. They should be guilt-free treats. Most of the time, the food should be nutrient-dense.
- See what it looks like to eat healthy in your life. Try and eat that most of the time. Sometimes you may shift from doing so and you will need too get back on track with a lean-out meal plan. Look to understand what healthy meals look like for you. Eat more healthy snacks more often.
- Try to create a healthy lifestyle. This lifestyle includes tons of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes and any other nutritious foods you like to put into your body. Mix in exercise, mindfulness, meditation, connection with others, and a general healthy lifestyle. Don’t obsess over it, but give it some attention.
- Let go of our old patterns. If you still have old eating patterns that have not gone away, I recommend giving this healthy lean-out diet another month. You can do it now or a few months down the road. Focus specifically on those eating patterns you have a hard time with. If you can focus on one or two at a time, then you have better success of changing them rather than attempting to change them all at once.
I hope you have enjoyed this journey. I hope you continue to enjoy your journey towards better health, towards delicious, healthy foods, and towards the you you are looking for in your life.
Thank you. I appreciate you.