Some things I do to help me stay on track when I am following a program with specific nutrition requirements are:

1) Meal Plan --> You have to know what you are going to eat and how much, if you don't plan, you are more than likely (like, really likely) not going to eat according to the parameters of your programs meal plan guide which will mess up your results.

2) Make your grocery list and shop --> I usually make my meal plan and grocery list on Thursday evening or Friday morning. I hit up Trader Joe's on my way home from dropping Maren off at daycare to get most of our groceries and then sometime before Sunday (typical prep day) I run to Schnucks to get some items that Trader Joe's doesn't always have....

3) Meal prep --> This is KEY people! If you are prepared it is much harder to fail but if you aren't prepared you are setting yourself up to veer off track. It takes me a couple of hours on a Sunday to get my food ready for the week. I used to just prep lunches but lately I have been prepping our proteins for dinner 95% of the time and it has been even more of a time saver. I loved being able to grab lunch quickly when I am at home with Maren since she is usually keeping me busy but it is even better when I don't have to spend hours in the kitchen each night cooking dinner!

4) Print your meal plan --> If you are like me, you might like to cross things off of your "lists" once you have completed them, well I like to do the same thing with my meal plan. Once I eat a certain meal I cross it off, something about doing that makes me feel more accomplished! Not only do I do that but I also print off a tally sheet so I can keep track of my containers as I eat them and my water, yes...I give myself extra work here but I love seeing it all on paper.

Not only that but if there has been a time I have "cheated" or eaten an extra container that wasn't planned (like all the time on my last round of Hammer & Chisel, ha) I would write it out on my tally sheet so I knew what is going in my mouth and if it is messing with my results! For the record, yes, yes, it did mess with my results last time around!

I can't believe this is my final week making a meal plan for our 2nd round of Hammer & Chisel! Week 8! We did it, we are in the home stretch and it feels good!!  Check back next week for final results!