In this episode, Maria explores the benefits of meal prep for improving fertility. She emphasises the importance of a simple meal plan, taking it one meal at a time, and simplifying with home and away plans. Maria also highlights the value of batch cooking and involving your partner in the process. By following these key points, you'll be well-equipped to nourish your body and optimise your chances of conception.
In this episode, Maria explores the benefits of meal prep for improving fertility. She emphasises the importance of a simple meal plan, taking it one meal at a time, and simplifying with home and away plans. Maria also highlights the value of batch cooking and involving your partner in the process. By following these key points, you'll be well-equipped to nourish your body and optimize your chances of conception.
The Power of a Simple Meal Plan: Don't overcomplicate your meal plan. A simple, nutritionally balanced plan can make a significant difference in your overall health and fertility. I can provide you with easy-to-understand meal plans through my app, designed to support your goals.
One Meal at a Time: Starting with one meal at a time is less overwhelming and allows you to establish healthy eating habits gradually. Focus on mastering one meal, such as breakfast, before moving on to the next. Taking small steps will yield long-term success.
Simplify with Home and Away Plans: You don't need a different meal plan for each day of the week. Instead, create two plans: one for when you have access to your kitchen and another for when you're on the go. Label your days as Home or Away during your Sunday planning session and choose meals accordingly. Keeping it simple reduces stress and decision fatigue.
Embrace Batch Cooking: Once you have your meal plan, embrace batch cooking. Prepare your meals in advance and store them in your freezer. Label them accordingly, removing the need for daily decision-making. By streamlining the process, you can easily stick to your plan without much thought or effort.
Involve Your Partner: If you have a partner, involve them in the meal planning and prepping process. This journey to fertility is shared, and having support from your partner can make a significant difference. Working together toward your goal will strengthen your bond and increase your chances of success.:
Meal prep is a powerful tool to support your fertility journey. By implementing these strategies, you can overcome common challenges and stay on track with your nutrition goals. Remember, small steps can lead to significant long-term results, so be patient and kind to yourself along the way.
To access ready-made meal plans and start your meal prep journey, sign up for our 2-week free trial @ www.fitnessfertility.com
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not substitute professional medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider or fertility specialist before making any changes to your diet or exercise routine.
Welcome to Fertility Focus! This weekly minisode is designed to help you improve your fertility. Every Tuesday, I will be focusing on actionable steps to help you take control of your own TTC (trying to conceive) journey.
I'm Maria, a personal trainer specializing in fertility. Whether you are preparing for IVF, managing your BMI, or ready to give your all in your own journey to conceive, tune in each week to hear more.
In this week's show, I am talking about how to meal prep so that you stick to your meal plan each week. Why am I talking about meal prepping? Well, if you want to manage your BMI and be in the best possible health before treatment, you need to eat well. There is no way around this. You are what you eat, and I want you to be fit and healthy, ready for IVF.
We all know that when we start eating healthily, we have all the right intentions. And the first few days normally go well. And then life happens. We get tired. We have a bad day at work. We have an argument. We forget to do the food shop. All of these things are completely normal, but they can really throw us off when it comes to eating well. This is where meal prep comes in. If you are ready for your week in advance, it should be much easier to stick to your plan and reach your goals. So, here are my five tips for successful meal prep and smashing your goals.
You need a meal plan. You can't prep without a plan. Now, before you panic and hit Google, and find really complicated plans that involve calories, macros, and protein powders, please listen to what I am about to say: do not overcomplicate your meal plan. For most people, a simple meal plan with healthy, nutritionally balanced meals will make a world of difference, especially if you are currently just eating whatever, whenever. The good news is that I can help you with meal plans. My app provides them in a simple, easy-to-understand form, with shopping lists and instructions. I have been using them for a few weeks, I've lost a few kg, and importantly, I feel much happier and healthier. So you must have a plan, but it doesn't have to be complicated.
Plan for one meal at a time. Even with a simple meal plan, it can still be very intimidating and overwhelming just to begin. So my advice is for you to start with one meal from your meal plan each day. For example, start with breakfast. Spend a couple of weeks just mastering your breakfast and getting that habit up and running. Once you have established this routine, start incorporating your next meal, and so on. The effort at this stage will be worth it in the long run, I promise. If you go all-in on day 1, I predict that you are likely to have fallen off the wagon by week 2 or 3. It is usually too much to overhaul everything at once, so keep it realistic and take your time.
You do not need a different plan for each day of the week. Again, keep it simple. I would suggest starting with two different plans: one for when you have access to your kitchen, e.g., working at home, and one for when you are out and about. Then, when you are planning your week on Sunday (what I call Intention-Setting Sunday), note what you have on that week and simply label your days as Home or Away. Plan meals accordingly. This simplicity really takes the stress out of things and is a great place to start. You do not need different foods and different meals every day of the week. Keep it simple.
Batch cook. Now that you know what meals you are eating and when, you can batch cook these meals and store them in your freezer (note: if you do not have a freezer, you will benefit from investing in one if you can). Label them with breakfast: home, breakfast: away, and this removes any decision making that you have to do each day. If you geek out on storage and organization, you can even use different colored containers for different meals. Whatever helps you make this as easy as possible. These small things should minimize the likelihood of decision fatigue and mean that you stick to your plan without even giving it any thought. Giving yourself the option, especially when life is hard, can really interfere with your long-term success.
Get your partner to do this with you (if you have a partner, if not, tag in a friend who can support you with this). I am always delighted when my clients' partners join in with meal planning and prepping. It can be really difficult doing this if you are eating a delicious stir fry, but your significant other is sitting there eating your favorite takeaway. If you are in a couple, this fertility journey is not just yours, so why should you do this alone? You both want the baby, so you should both be working towards this goal together. IVF isn't a one-off event; it's a process, and it can take time, so make sure you have the support you need to help you through.
If you really want to make sure you work out regularly with people who truly understand what you are going through, then follow me on Instagram at fitness_fertility, where you will find my community of thousands of women who are also trying to conceive.
And if you can't wait to work out, head over to Personal Trainer | Fitness Fertility and sign up for my awesome free workouts.
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