Diary of a Habyt babe PT. 8
By Kate Holland - a Habyt member
It's been a few weeks since I started The Habyt, and while I'm far from being a pro, I'm shocked by how well I've mastered my new diet. Things that I used to have to force myself to do are now everyday habits. (The name makes sense now!) However, learning about nutrition and managing your diet can be hard and time consuming and I'm typically very lazy. As a result, I've developed a few Habyt hacks. These are tips and tricks that have helped me navigate the world of macros and my brain from going into overload.
Build a meal arsenal. Before The Habyt, my diet basically consisted of my mom's frozen lasagna and repeat Seamless orders. The first few weeks were a struggle because not only was I monitoring my food intake for the first time, but I was attempting to learn to cook, too. I would get extremely hangry because I didn't know what to eat or how to make it. Meal planning only works for me to an extent because I get bored with food and cannot eat the same thing for lunch three days in a row. I ended up finding 15 recipes that had great "stats" (in terms of macros) and learned how to master them. I printed out these receipts and put them in a folder I keep in one of my kitchen cabinets. I know I'll always have the ingredients for these meals on hand and they are things I'm comfortable cooking (and know won't be a disaster). This took away some of the brain work.
Explore meal services. When I first started attempting to cook, I tried a few meal prep subscription boxes, such as SunBasket and Blue Apron. I quickly gave up because the recipes were way too difficult for a cooking newbie like me. Also, the macros for the meals weren't that great, so it was a lot of effort for a meal that didn't really fit my needs. My coworker, a macro-counting master, recommenced Bite Meals. The service offers fully cooked meals that are super macro-friendly. Each meal is $7-$8, which isn't outrageous. Even if I do serious meal prep, it's hard for me to get the cost of my meals lower than that (granted, I live in Manhattan and pay a premium for groceries). The Bite Meals taste great and have truly made this counting macros thing super easy. They last for a few days in the fridge but you can freeze them, too! The only down side is that it is stunting my cooking growth a bit, but let's face it, it wasn't like I winning Chopped anyway.
Drink flavored seltzer. I've always rolled my eyes at people who are obsessed with LaCroix. (Does hating something because hipsters love it inadvertently make me a hipster?) I finally gave in and LaCroix has truly filled a void in my life. After a meal, I immediately crave something sweet. Instead of turning to junk, I just pop open a LaCroix. It's sweet enough to trick my brain into thinking it's having a treat and the carbonation makes me feel full. If I'm feeling fancy, I splurge for the bougie mixed flavors in the tall cans. Sure, my co-workers now have to deal with my kiwi-watermelon infused burps, but it's a price I'm willing to pay for staying hydrated and feeling full. I also bought an infuser water bottle, which helps me drink more water throughout the day.
Add your friends on MyFitnessPal. You can control how much your friends get to see. They can see things like news feed updates and things like check-in records. Sometimes it's nice to get a like from a friend for something you normally wouldn't have recognized.
Take advantage of the Habyt Facebook group. These girls get it. They've either been there or are there with you. The Facebook group is a great resource for support, advice, and recipes. I've gotten so many good snack ideas from these ladies!
Save quick reference charts on your phone. I found so many awesome macro guides online and through the helpful Habyt docs. There are a bunch of really useful charts that will help you navigate what you should eat if your low on one macro. I saved these charts as photos on my phone and put them in folder so I can reference them all the time. I also screenshot recipes and other food ideas I see on Instagram and save them for later on my phone. I also got really wild one day and saved healthy food locations around me on a list in my map app. It's great when I'm hungry and need something to eat right away but don't want to run the risk of going to the nearest fast food joint.
Measure your servings in advance. I said it before, but I really hate meal prepping. It's not because I don't want to do the work. I just hate eating the same food over and over again. Instead, I've learned to "meal prep" with out actually making any meals. If I find a snack I like, I'll divide the whole bag into servings sizes and put them in individual baggies or containers. That way I can grab the snack and know it's the right portion without having to measure it every time. I also do this with fruit, which I wash and cut all at the same time. I'll measure and freeze the fruit in plastic bags. I measure and divide everything from frozen chicken to dry pasta. I rather do it all in one sitting so I don't have to put much thought into my snacking later on (and yes, I go through a ton of Ziplocs).
Freeze it. I've become a real stickler for avoiding food waste and as a result, I freeze everything. I will freeze a loaf of bread, taking out one slice to thaw at a time. I also like to freeze whole meals, so I can eat them whenever I want without the pressure of the food going bad. My freezer is obnoxiously full, but it's a good way to make the most of the food I buy.
Preselect your meals. If I know that I'm going out to eat that day, I'll plan my other meals to allow for the "splurge." It can be really hard to track meals from restaurants. If possible, I look at the menu beforehand and decide what I want. I'll do my best to plug it into MyFitnessPal and plan the rest of my meals around it. It's not a perfect system, but if you harass the waiter for the macros of a meal at a fancy restaurant, there is a strong chance you'll have to account for the grams of spit that will end up in your food. You're better off doing your homework before you get to the restaurant.
Drink or dessert. I find calculating the macros of alcohol so confusing that I rather avoid drinking all together (that's how much I hate math). In general, I go by the following rule: Kate, would you like to have eat tasty treat or drink a glass of wine? My answer is always treat. I much rather work my macros around dessert than a drink, but understand that this isn't everyone's preference. However, I think it's a good rule to always pick one or the other.