With another Meal Garden Healthy Eating Bootcamp underway, I’m continuing to learn more about why people are struggling to eat healthy - and what sort of help they’re looking for.
The evidence from our new users is clear: they are looking for a way to get healthy and actually stick with it. Here are the top 5 things we’ve found people are searching for when it comes to getting help for healthier eating:
Devising a rotational menu that suits their entire family’s nutritional and dietary preferences.
Eating together as a family.
Saving money - minimizing food waste and spending less money on takeout.
Losing weight.
A regime they can follow every week that’s simple, but also flexible and not boring!
You’ll notice that some goals are personal, whereas others relate directly to an entire household. Here at Meal Garden, we’re all about making big goals and having the support of others to help you achieve success. In fact, researchers at the American Psychological Association have shown that it’s actually a lot easier to stick with a weight loss plan when you have social support - such as being able to share tips on diet and exercise, and having a buddy to encourage and receive encouragement from.
That’s one of the main reasons why we created our open Facebook group - Meal Planning Made Easy! - as a network for our users to connect and become emotional (& hopefully informative) resources for one another. We were lucky enough to team up with the expert Culinary Nutritionist and our head-cheerleader, Kristine Peacock, from Meals That Matter who's helping us facilitate this venture. Kristine has been able to provide an inspirational helping hand for our community (her delicious recipes she’s sharing on Meal Garden don’t hurt either!).
Take her Sweet Potato Pancakes recipe for example:
Now back to the goals set and sought by our users - chances are many resonate with you as well. After all, getting healthy and organized seems to be on everyone’s minds these days!
But with everyone searching for the next best diet or secret ingredient to make their diets - and therefore lives - more successful and enjoyable...have we ended up losing sense of the plot?
Let’s take a step back and look at what the data says: while internet ads and TV commercials may disagree, the science suggests that there is no single, perfect formula for healthy eating or for losing weight.
WAIT!
We’re not trying to bum you out here...in fact, very much the opposite! See, the thing is, it’s not necessarily the DIET part you’re failing at, it’s the sticking with it part that counts (and arguably the hardest part...unfortunately).
Having a tool to help you make the changes necessary for actually getting into a healthy regime - from planning, right down to execution - is proven to increase your chances of long-term success. Whether it’s shedding those few extra pounds, or just having a well-run family household where healthy food is an enjoyable and easy to incorporate aspect (rather than a chore) - Meal Garden can help.
It’s great to see our users getting a head start and taking advantage of our ready-made meal plan templates, and then plucking up the courage to go-ahead and create their own.
Hey - don’t take my word for it…
“I suggest that you give it a try, because it really does save me a ton of time, money and makes my eating habits more healthy.”
Nicole, a user since April, 2016
