1. Make a Lean Kitchen – Rid your house of all non-approved Lean Foods. Then restock with only Approved Lean Foods.
If we had one recommendation to give then this would be it. Purging the pantry and fridge of all non-approved Lean Foods and restocking with only Approved Lean Foods will increase your likelihood of succeeding by 10 – fold! We are very mindful of what we eat, but we are just like any other normal person that will eat junk food if it is in our vicinity. For example when we visit our mom she will buy Peanut M&Ms because she knows we love them. (We tell her not to, but she never listens). We resist temptation at first, but eventually ALWAYS give in. This strategy also fits in with number 6 because if you purge your house you will want to make sure it is fine to do so with the other household members. This is a must if fat loss is a goal!
2. Start with one Lean Habit at a time and stay consistent with it for 2-4 weeks at a time.
Completely revamping one’s diet and eating habits can be daunting especially if the old habits are very different from the new ones. Many people try to tackle the Lean Habits all at once, which can be fine for a short term goal, but generally doesn’t last long. We have had great success with patients who start with one habit such as switching all beverages to calorie-free and then moving on to adding vegetables or lean meats in every meal. You could also kick start your fat loss by drinking only meal replacements for a week and then starting the habits. Using this method you can choose just one of the Lean Habits and follow it for 2 to 4 weeks, keeping track of each day you were able to follow the habit. Once you are able to consistently hit the 85% mark for two weeks straight (12/14 days) then it is time to add a new habit to follow. Continue this process until you are consistent with all of the Lean Habits.
3. Utilize our Lean Recipes then create your own using the Approved Lean Foods.
For a few years we were gathering our very own recipes to make a Leaner Living cook book. We had a publisher ready to print a few thousand copies when we decided we would rather publish the recipes on our site. Our Lean Recipes were created by us (we even take the pictures ourselves!) and are an essential part of our eating plan. Each recipe follows our Lean Habits so you can be sure what you are eating is Leaner Living approved. We also want to emphasize that you can use our basic Lean Habits and create recipes of your own! Go to different recipe website and just adapt them accordingly to the Lean Habits and voila!
4. Equip your Lean Kitchen – Invest in nice pots, pans, knives, gadgets.
Cooking without the right kitchen equipment is like working on your car/house without the right tools. When we were younger we would try to work on our old Jeep with our dad. I use the word work loosely because it mostly consisted of tearing seats out and putting new ones in (anything more complicated than that then it would go to the shop). In any event we only had a hammer, a screwdriver, and a monkey wrench (My dad would joke and call us 3 guys and a hammer since we just hammered things till they came out) . These tools got the job done, but in a very untimely matter not to mention without a lot of regard to aesthetics. The point is that preparing food will be much easier and much more enjoyable if your kitchen is equipped with the right stuff. Click here to find out the essentials and other helpful gadgets.
5. Preparation is Key – Do weekly shopping/chopping/cooking – Do your “restaurant homework.”
We understand that life is hectic and busy at times (or all of the time), which is why being prepared is crucial for a Leaner Living diet. To be time efficient in the kitchen you can have 1 or 2 days where you do ALL of your cooking and then store single meals in storage containers (Tupperware or Pyrex) for easy access and portability. Start by going to the grocery store and picking up your favorite Approved Lean Foods. You can then chop your vegetables (e.g. bell peppers, cucumber, onions) and store them for later use (e.g. salads, omelets, etc.). At the same fire up the grill / frying pan / oven and throw all of your Approved Lean Meats on/in and cook in bulk. Click here to read more about Leaner Living food preparation.
Another idea is to do your local “restaurant homework” and find a few restaurants in the area that have Leaner Living Approved meals. We can usually figure it out at the restaurant, but it is easiest to go in knowing what you want. Click here to read more about “restaurant homework.”
6. Get a Support System – Get family and friends involved – Join an online forum
We are all influenced by our surroundings whether we like it or not. Studies have shown numerous times that people following a new diet plan, exercise routine, or any other healthy lifestyle habit will be much more successful if their family/significant other is supportive. This is also true with your friends and coworkers. Because of this you should have a talk with those that are closest to you and let them know you serious about changing your habits. Having your friends and family on board with you will make your journey MUCH easier and it can also be a great way for the whole family to get leaner! Another thing you can do is join a forum where everyone has the same goals and is supportive. At the very least this will serve as a place to vent, brag, and just discuss ideas on how to improve.