Planning and Preparation If you want to succeed with clean eating then planning and preparation is everything. Yes there are exceptions - there always are - but for 99.9% of people out there you need to plan and prepare. Especially in a world where we are only a stone’s throw from a vending machine, a fast food outlets or a corner shop. Some towns and cities are blessed with restaurants that provide real food but that relies on being lucky enough to work near one and having the disposable income and discipline to do this daily. Plus a lack of preparation leads to hunger which leads to temptation and junk food.
Plan Your Shopping Food shopping is where it all starts. First you need to have an idea of what you are going to eat over the next week. Know what you’re going to eat for breakfast, for lunch and for dinner. Know what snacks you are going to have and make sure to shop for them. When you shop it this is your food budget for the week (minus any meals out socializing of course). But it’s not just about what you are going to buy. It’s also about what you are NOT going to buy. If you don’t have cookies in your house then you’re not going to eat them. Your planning and preparation begins by only buying real food. It takes discipline to walk around the grocery store and leave food products on their shelves (especially when the donuts are on special offer). If buying junk food and treats are a weakness then these three strategies will help. First, never shop when you are hungry! Second, always make a shopping list and then stick to it. Forget about the special offers designed to suck you in and trick you into spending more money (and eating more) than you intended.