March Meal Planning Madness

As we head into March, it is natural for our beginning of the year enthusiasm to start waning and for things to slip a little bit.  But WHAT IF instead of having a little backslide in the health/fitness part of your life, we kicked it up a notch?!  

As they say, abs are made in the kitchen.  If you want your beach body by Memorial Day, the unofficial start to summer, it is time to buckle down NOW.  Here are some basic meal planning tips: 

1.  Consider what you will NOT eat for the week.You don't have to go completely cold turkey on snacks that you love, but consider healthier alternatives.  For example, if you practically live on Doritos, substituting all your Dorritos for carrots will probably leave you feeling deprived; you might try substituting whole wheat crackers instead this week.

2.  Inventory what you already have.  This saves you time, money, and frustrations.  If you think you have something, double check before you leave the house.  

3.  Use grocery store ads or seasonal guides in planning.  If you are not much of a picky eater, it is cheaper and healthier to eat in season, so plan accordingly.  

4.  Calculate your caloric intake.  You have to know what you need to eat before you can make a plan for eating it.  You can use a variety of apps to calculate your intake or if you want the formula I use, let me know and I can send you a link to a video I made explaining it. 

5.  Make a PLAN.  Do not just "wing it" when it comes to eating.  Actually plan out your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, and ideally when you are going to eat them as well.  Also include supplements and vitamins in your meal plan.

6.  WRITE IT DOWN.  This goes right along with #5.  Again, do NOT just wing it, and don't meal plan in your head.  Write it on paper, put it in an excel spreadsheet, or use an app like MyFitnessPal (add me: kaseyphillips85)

7.  Be Santa Clause.  You know, he's makin' a list, checkin' it twice?  Make your shopping list based of your meal plan, double check it again your inventory (#2) and STICK TO IT, do not buy off the list.  

8.  Prep in advance.  Prep anything you can in advance.  Cut up your veggies, wash and portion your fruit, maybe even completely prepare your lunches for the week.  

9.  Follow your plan.  Now that you have made a plan, the real key to success is sticking to it!  Don't waste your time and money by deviating now.  

10.  Enjoy the fruits of your labor.  At the end of the week, celebrate an awesome week, and then repeat the process.

Trainer Tip Tuesday: Do You Want to Be a Morning Person?

I have never considered myself a morning person.  In college I would much rather stay up until 6 a.m. than get up at 6 a.m.  That continued into law school and beyond.  I would often be going to bed as my friends on the East Coast were getting up!!  I convinced myself there was no way I could get up early and workout in the morning because I was a "night owl"; I would get up as late as possible to still show up to work presentable and on time. 

A few weeks ago, I started reading a book called"The Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod (well, listening to it on audible really).  The book changed my outlook on being a morning person and, as I was reading it, I started redeveloping my morning routine.  I now wake up at roughly 4 a.m., take time to reflect and review my day, start my workout before 4:30 a.m., then it is shower and change before heading to work for my early bird clients.  Yes, you read that right, I workout BEFORE my 6 a.m. clients.

I am not going to lie, it is not always easy, and it has only been 2 weeks.  BUT, I have noticed a difference in my energy levels and how my day unfolds. So, I am going to share some of the tips that have worked for me in becoming (more of) a morning person. ;)

1.  Move your alarm clock across the room.

2. Put a glass/bottle of water on your nightstand and drink it as soon as you get up, before your feet even hit the floor.

3. Brush your teeth as soon as you get up.

4. If you want to workout in the morning, sleep in your workout clothes!

5. Follow the Miracle Morning SAVERS procedure: Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing. NOTE: these can actually be done in any order that works for YOU and each can be as short as a minute or as long as an hour or more.

You can order a paper copy of The Miracle Morning online, or you can get it on audible as well.  If you have any questions about these tips or want to learn more about The Miracle Morning, I am happy to discuss it with you.  if you try any of these tips, let me know how they are working for you.

Trainer Tip Tuesday: Be the Tortoise

We are all familiar with the age old story of the Tortoise and the Hare, touting the effectiveness of being "slow and steady" in your endeavors.  But did you know that this applies to eating too?



I recently read an article by Brian St. Pierre, "All About Eating Slowly" discussing the pitfalls of racing through our meals and the benefits of eating at a more relaxed pace.

Most of us lead crazy, busy lives, and meal time is no exception. But eating quickly can do way more harm than good. Eating quickly leads to eating more than we need, which results in poor digestion, weight gain, and lower satisfaction from eating.  On the other hand, eating slowly makes for better digestion, easier weight maintenance, and much greater satisfaction from our food.

Here are some tips from the article on how to eat more slowly: 

1.  Sit down to eat in a calm environment with minimal distractions. Don’t eat while driving, while watching TV, while texting, etc. Pay attention to your food.

2.  Choose high-fiber foods that take more time to chew.  This includes more fresh fruits and vegetables.

3.  Put down your utensils between bites.Take a moment. Breathe. If you’re eating with other people, enjoy making witty conversation for a few minutes.

4.  Set a minimum number of chews per bite. This will feel strange at first, but give it a try and see what you discover.

5.  Use smaller plates or different utensils. (Ex: chopsticks)

6.  Practice makes perfect. If you find yourself rushing, that’s OK. Put your utensils down and take a minute to re-focus. If slow eating isn’t habitual for you, this will take practice.

7.  Find another slow eater and pace yourselves to them. Picky little kids and chatty dinner companions who hardly stop talking long enough to take a bite are often ideal for this.

8.  Set aside time to eat. Leave at least 20-30 minutes for each meal, and preferably even longer at dinner. Don’t just eat “whenever you get around to it” or treat it as an inconvenience. You’re fueling your body and maybe spending quality time with friends and family. That’s important. It deserves an appointment.

If you would like to read the full article yourself, please let me know and I would be happy to forward it to you.  Have a happy and healthy week :) 


This blog post is part of my weekly series called Trainer Tip Tuesday.  Each Tuesday, I send a "Trainer Tip Tuesday" email, with a great tip/article I've come across recently, a recipe I have tried, or something health/fitness related that I personally experienced.  If you would like to subscribe to the email list and get my Trainer Tip Tuesday posts a week before they are published here, please CLICK HERE

Book of the Month, February 2017: You Are a Badass

Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want, blast past your fears so you can take big exciting risks, figure out how to make some damn money already, learn to love yourself and others, set big goals and reach them.

CLICK HERE to order your copy!