How can I adjust my environment for success?

Following your nutrition plan is much easier if you adjust your environment rather than relying on pure willpower. In other words it’s easier to change what's around you than it is to change your mind.

Let’s talk about some small (but powerful!) changes you can make to your physical environment:

1. Find Your “Food Spots”

Most people buy or eat most of their food within five miles of where they spend their time. This is our food radius which includes: our home, workplace, gym, “go-to” restaurants, grocery store, and where our kids go to school.

When you’re rushed or tired you might opt for a convenient option within your food radius instead of making a healthy meal at home. This is where you can make an adjustment to set yourself up for success.

Write down a list of your “food spots.” Are there restaurants near your most frequently-visited places with meals that will fit into your macros? Can you pick some options from the menus of these places and save them in your tracking app for easy future usage?

The next time you go to that restaurant you can order the same meal and leave the stress behind!

2. Fixing Your Kitchen

When you walk into your kitchen what is the first food you see? Is it tempting, convenient food?

We eat what we see, not what we don’t.

At the same time we don’t want to have an empty kitchen either. Stock up your kitchen with a wide variety of mostly whole, nutrient-dense, unprocessed food, and put the more processed, tempting treats in cabinets where you are less likely to see them.

3. Make Your Kitchen Support Your Goals

Below are some tips and tricks that can help ensure your kitchen supports your goals:

Make your kitchen less “loungeable.” If you spend a lot of time in your kitchen you may be more likely to graze on snacks.

If you have kids set up a designated “kids’ cupboard” that’s off-limits to you.

Buy in bulk, but repackage huge portions into single servings.