Weekly Menu Planning Helps Shed Pounds + Printable

Better food choices means more success on the scale. Learn how weekly menu planning can shed pounds!

Ever find yourself staring into a fridge or pantry for something you can devour? Or maybe at the end of a long day you’re clueless about what you’re going to cook for dinner so instead get take out? I’ve done this too many times to count. Usually when I am in this situation, I don’t always choose the best/healthiest option. Why? Because I am just too hungry to think straight!

There’s a study I found that explained when we are pre-deciding our food, we naturally make much better choices than when we’re deciding in the moment — when we’re hungry and standing in front of a full refrigerator. So, I think you know where I am going with this…better food choices means more success on the scale.

And that’s what a weekly menu planning is all about — making a conscientious choice to not pay attention to peer pressure, other people’s choices, or the demands of our schedules. We’re meal planning with our best self in mind. Here are a few reasons why this will help lose the weight:

We make positive decisions.

Planning meals ahead of time slows us down, so we’re making choices in a very mindful and thoughtful way. Plus, when we physically have blood sugar in our brains, it helps to make good, smart decisions as opposed to when we’re doing it in the heat of cravings. Anyone can make horrible decisions when they’re hungry!

If healthy is convenient, we go for it!

No matter how well we want to eat right, when in a rush, we’re going to grab whatever is easiest. But if we already have something healthy that’s packed up and ready to go, we can easily grab that instead.

Repetition may be the key.

The idea of doing something repeatedly, becoming good at it, and seeing results from it has the power to boost our confidence and make us want to stick to it. More healthy eating, the more pounds we lose!

So…. meal planning seems simple enough but yet — so many struggle with the idea and hate to meal plan. I say, don’t try to fix what isn’t broke.

If you have meals that are healthy and you love to eat them, plan to eat them multiple times a week. Why not?! I have the same breakfast almost every day of the week – toast with almond butter and banana. It gives me a nice balance of fiber, with protein and carbs. And it’s super yummy! I suggest making the same breakfast, two of the same lunches, and three of the same dinners for one week. This will make meal planning a cinch and you will be eating healthy food that you love! It’s worth a try and then just tweak as you need. Basically, do whatever is the easiest for you!

And just for a little added encouragement, I made a Weekly Menu Planner for you! (Just click on the menu and you will be redirected to my printable library where you can download and print.)

Are you trying to lose weight? Or just want to learn how to live a healthier lifestyle? Sign up for my 43 in 43 Weight Lose Journey Newsletter. This post was an example of what you will find in your email inbox every Wednesday. I’ve discussed topics like how to fight belly fat, what to do when the scale won’t budge and more! Plus there’s healthy recipes and fitness exercise to try — all for free!