The two most common questions we get when people first start the New Life Promise plan are...
- How do I adjust the meals if I don't like or can't eat a food?
- What do I eat if I'm out at a restaurant?
This video will answer those questions, teaching you how to make substitutions on the meal plans and how to enjoy eating at a restaurant.
Making Substitutions on the New Life Promise Meal Plans
If you're wondering how do I adjust the meals in the New Life Promise meal plans? I want to first encourage you to try all the meals, even if the foods are things you don't typically eat. You might be pleasantly surprised by the recipes included in these meal plans!
But, if you see a food you cannot eat for some reason - maybe you have a food allergy or intolerance, or you just truly cannot stomach it - here's what you can do:
- If the food you can't eat is a vegetable, swap it for a similar vegetable. Staying within the same color range is a good guideline to follow - this will ensure you're getting a good variety of different vitamins from your vegetable choices.
- If the food you can't eat is a fruit, swap it for another fruit. During the first three weeks of the New Life Promise meal plans, stick to green apples and berries as your fruit choices. You can introduce more fruits in Week 4 and beyond.
- If the food you can't eat is a protein, replace it with another protein. So, if you're not a fan of salmon, you can have chicken instead. Or if you can't find ground chicken, ground turkey would work in its place.
Another option is to swap entire meals. Just make sure you're exchanging a breakfast for a breakfast, a lunch for a lunch, a snack for a snack, or a dinner for a dinner. And while you're following the New Life Promise meal plans, choose ones from the same week you're currently following.
If you have questions about specific substitutions, feel free to ask them in the New Life Promise Facebook group. Not a member yet? All New Life Promise members are welcome! Once you've purchased the program, you can join HERE.
Eating Out While on the New Life Promise Plan
Many people ask, what's the best way to choose something good off the menu? Here's what I do every time I go to a restaurant...
- Start with the protein. I revolve my entire meal around the protein, so the first thing I do is look for a piece of chicken or fish, a turkey burger (no bun), a steak or beef burger (no bun). Don't be afraid to ask your server questions to ensure the protein is not fried, breaded, or served in a heavy sauce or cream sauce.
- Pick a vegetable. That could be a small salad or a side dish (broccoli, spinach, asparagus, etc.). Again, ask the server to make sure the vegetable isn't fried or smothered in sauce or cheese. If it's not, great! If it is, you can always ask if you can have it plain, and most restaurants will be more than happy to accommodate that request.
- Choose a carbohydrate. Good choices here include sweet potato, white potato, butternut squash, rice, or quinoa. Again, pay attention to how these are prepared and skip the ones that are served in a heavy cream sauce or with cheese. Also, be mindful about the portion size - restaurants will usually give you a very big serving, but do your best to stick to about ½ cup of your carbohydrate choice. If you can't find a good, healthy carb, double up on the vegetable instead!
Here's what you don't want to eat...
- The bread basket. I usually ask the server not to bring the bread basket to our table at all. Once you're in maintenance mode, you may choose to enjoy a piece of fresh bread when you go out to eat, but I know I am affected by bread and gluten, so it's not worth it to me to even have it on the table.
Our goal at New Life Promise is to help you turn this way of eating into a healthy lifestyle for yourself. We don't want you to stress about food. We want you to learn about food and figure out what makes your body feel best. We are here to support you and answer your questions along the way.