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When I worked full-time in an office, structure helped me stay on track with my goals. The rhythm of the day set natural boundaries: fixed mealtimes, limited access to snacks, and a clear separation between “work” and “home.”
Now, working part-time and spending more time at home with the kids, those boundaries are gone. The temptations are different — snacks in the pantry, half-eaten PB&Js, unpredictable schedules, and the occasional meltdown that derails dinner prep.
If I want to stay on track, I need more than a meal plan — I need reminders that help me navigate the new normal. These are my guidelines — the simple, personal mantras that keep me grounded and help me make better choices day to day.
1. Get Back on the Train
1. Get Back on the Train
When I’m working the plan, I feel great. When I fall off, I start believing I can’t get back on. That’s nonsense. The truth is, I haven’t fallen as far as I think — and even if I have, the only move is to start again. This is a lifestyle, not a deadline. So what if I don’t hit a goal by the exact date I imagined? The real win is choosing to live in the mindset that gets me there anyway.
2. Be Flexible
2. Be Flexible
My kids don’t care about this meal plan. They care about snacks, bedtime stories, and whether I’m sitting on the couch next to them on a hard day. Amanda has her own needs, too. The plan can never come at our family’s expense. Some days, being flexible is the plan.
3. Don’t Eat the Kids’ Food
3. Don’t Eat the Kids’ Food
I repeat: don’t. Not the leftover crusts from Maverick’s PBJ. Not the Frosted Mini Wheats in the pantry. Not the stray fries on a toddler’s plate. When I was full-time, this wasn’t a temptation — now it’s a daily battle. The goal is to feed them, not to graze through their meals like a cleanup crew.
4. Throw Food Away
4. Throw Food Away
This one’s tied to the rule above. For some reason, I’ve always felt guilty tossing food. But keeping every leftover or finishing the kids’ plates doesn’t help anyone. If it’s been reheated twice, it’s not a “plan meal.” If it’s on their plate and I’m tempted — toss it.
5. You Don’t Want That Food (You Want Your Goals)
5. You Don’t Want That Food (You Want Your Goals)
It’s easy to think, “I want to eat that.” Sure — in the moment, I do. But I also want other things: strength, health, and self-control. I’m learning to remind myself that I want the long-term win more than the short-term taste. Sometimes I literally say out loud, “I don’t want that,” because in a bigger sense, I don’t.
6. Plan Ahead for Compromising Situations
6. Plan Ahead for Compromising Situations
When I take Mav to the local coffee shop, he gets his favorite treat — those energy no-bake M&M balls. They’re sugar bombs, but they make him happy. I usually eat one with him, because it’s part of the moment. The goal isn’t to skip memories — it’s to plan for them. If I make a healthy treat at home ahead of time, I can bring it along. Then we both get something we enjoy, and I stay on track.
7. Go Hungry (Sometimes)
7. Go Hungry (Sometimes)
This one’s not for everyone, but for me — it’s an important reminder. I don’t have a problem skipping meals. My problem is eating for comfort or out of boredom. When I’m out and the only food options are garbage, I remind myself: it’s okay to be hungry for a bit. I won’t die. In fact, I’ll probably feel better later for waiting.
8. Drink Water
8. Drink Water
Remember water? That stuff’s still around. It’s amazing how easy it is to forget to drink it — but when I do, everything works better. I start my mornings with 16 oz right away and am working on keeping that rhythm through the day.
Simple, boring, effective.
These aren’t rules to obsess over — they’re reminders to come back to when the day feels chaotic. They keep me steady, help me recover faster when I fall off, and remind me why I started this in the first place.
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