Fail to plan, plan to fail.

If there is one thing you'll get sick of hearing from me, it will probably be that preparation is key to leading a healthy lifestyle. It's much easier to make smart, healthy choices when you have a plan in place. The saying "If you fail to plan, you can plan to fail" really holds true when it comes to health.  From my own personal experience, I can tell you that I wouldn't be where I am today in my own journey if I just tried to wing it.

You might be wondering what exactly you need to plan for. The first (and in my opinion the most imporatant) thing is your food. If you're trying to eat well, but you have no healthy options available....you're already a step behind. You're more prone to make a healthier choice when it's readily available. Try to set aside one evening a week where you can prep and plan your healthy snacks and meals. If you're on the go a lot, it's helpful to keep a healthy snack in your car or bag so that you have something available when hunger hits. The plan at our house? I like to create a tentative menu for our meals for the week...sometimes we stick to it, sometimes we just end up at Chipotle ;-D.  I also cut up all of my fruits and veggies and put them into preportioned bags or containers so they're ready to go!

Another important thing to plan for is fitness. It doesn't have to be an elaborate plan. Simply pick which days you're going to workout and what you're going to do---and get to it!  I have a fitness schedule that I stick to (more on that later!) because if I didn't have a set plan, I would never get my workouts in. I also make sure everything I need for the gym is packed and ready by the door (or even better, already in the car!) It's a great time saver, plus a reminder to get my butt moving!

Whether you're trying to lose weight or just trying to live a healthier lifestyle, it takes time and effort. It always will.

 But it's a worthwhile investment! I encourage you this week to make a plan for yourself: What do your workouts look like? Your meals? Your snacks? Map it out and get to it!