Meal Planning 101: Reduce Stress, Boost Energy, Increase Productivity
I have more energy today, in my mid–forties, than I did in my early thirties. I'm healthier, happier, and far more productive.
Do you want to know my secret (the ultimate adulting cheat code)?
Meal planning.
Life Before Meal Planning
Life before meal planning followed the same weekly pattern.
Towards the end of a typical working week, I'd lose the ability to make sensible, healthy decisions about what to eat. Furthermore, I'd be too tired to cook.
To make things more manageable, I'd reach for a takeaway menu.
Unsurprisingly, eating takeaway two or three times a week led to weight gain, increased spending, and even less energy.
In an effort to reduce stress and be kind to myself, I ended up feeling worse. I was stressed about gaining weight and exhausted (because of the weight gain and unhealthy eating). I was also spending far too much money on takeaways.
Something had to change – I needed a system.
Life After Meal Planning
Life after meal planning is quite different.
Whereas previously, I'd eat meals high in fat and carbohydrates – namely takeaways and convenience food – I now focus more on high–quality protein and vegetables. I don't believe in cutting out food groups – it is more that I often bulk prepare my protein sources; for example, I will marinade and pre–cook several days' worth of chicken for lunch box salads.
I also batch cook and freeze portions of meals when I can (typically curries, chilli, or stews). If life is busy, having a fully stocked freezer means there is no need to reach for the takeaway menu.
Thanks to a more balanced diet, I have enough physical and mental energy to go to the gym at least three times a week. I've lost three and a half stone in weight, saved a small fortune, and get far more done than ever before – I put this down to being healthier and happier.
My personal experience of improved wellbeing due to meal planning is also supported by scientific evidence. A study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found a correlation between meal planning and improved diet quality and even a reduction in obesity. This French study, conducted among a large sample of adults, asserted that those who planned their meals had a more varied and balanced diet overall, leading to healthier weight status (Ducrot et al., 2017).
This evidence reinforces that meal planning is not just a personal preference but a scientifically backed strategy for leading a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.
How to Meal Plan
Meal planning is frustratingly easy – what's difficult is making it into a habit (or even better, a ritual).
I created my meal planning ritual by:
Planning my meals at the same time every week (putting it on the calendar and allocating an appropriate time block to it).
Tying my meal planning in with grocery shopping.
This is how I meal plan:
Every Saturday morning, first thing, I grab a coffee and a few cookery books and head to my computer.
I plan the week’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner (Sunday to Saturday) in my meal planner template. The template includes a database of recipes I have curated over time, but I usually try adding at least one new recipe a week. I archive recipes that I have tried and not enjoyed.
Once my meals are planned, I head to the gym and go grocery shopping afterwards.
Next Steps
You can get a copy of my Meal Planner Notion template when you join my Substack membership (the planner is included in The Library).
References
Ducrot, Pauline, et al. ‘Meal Planning Is Associated with Food Variety, Diet Quality and Body Weight Status in a Large Sample of French Adults’. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, vol. 14, no. 1, Dec. 2017, p. 12. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966–017–0461–7.
