Brili's Curated Courses: Food Planning W/ ADHD Coach Alyssa Shaw
ADHD coach Alyssa Shaw is the expert that is bringing us today's program and we could not be happier with the results. While you can skip to the end and download the routines right away, we encourage you to read this entire article to set yourself up for the most success.
QUICK DISCLAIMER:
ADHD is a complicated diagnosis and presents itself in a million different ways. Just because this is made by someone with experience and presented by Brili, it does not mean it will work 100% of the time. If it does not work for you, DO NOT be discouraged!
You have you own way of doing things so feel free to adapt these routines to your needs!
Some Background
ADHD Coach Alyssa, our expert, loves cooking and for a period in her life she wanted to become a professional cook. Deciding to pursue her passion she went off to cooking school and from the beginning she stood out. Her creative pallet allowed her to put together new and delicious recipes that many had never seen before, they were unique to her!
As Coach Alyssa progressed in her journey she began to notice a few things she had difficulties with...
she was always buying too many ingredients at the grocery store and trying new recipes before she had a chance to work on others...
timing was everything and she often had to reheat components of meals to make sure it was all still hot and ready to serve at the same time...
the final straw was forgetting too many things in the microwave.
As it turns out, Alyssa was going through cooking school with undiagnosed ADHD! After moving on from cooking school, she was diagnosed and the pieces fell into place for her.
The more she learned about ADHD, the more she wanted to help herself and others by creating new techniques to manage and understand ADHD. She pursued a career as an ADHD coach and here we are!
So now that we are all caught up, let's head into the rest of this amazing program!
The 3 Components
This program consists of three downloadable routines that, when applied together, can give you a great introduction to food planning.
If you do not have the Brili app yet download it here, for 30 days COMPLETELY FREE, before moving forward! The routine links below will automatically download the available routines when opened on a Brili device.
Routine 1: Food Planning
This routine sets the tone for the rest of this program! It includes components that get you to externalize the planning process and think ahead.
Step 1: Click and download the routine below on the device you have the Brili app and set it active for the day you have availability to begin trying it out.
Coach Alyssa recommends you consider starting this routine by scheduling it for twice a week. In each routine you can then plan your meals for 2-3 days at a time.
Step 2: Read through the tasks and become familiar with them, edit the names and pictures used. Make them your own!
Using other tools together with Brili like phone reminders, a pen and paper, whiteboard and/or calendar WILL make the app that much more effective. We call it "externalizing"!
To avoid stressing and begin externalizing this routine, set a "food planning day" reminder in your phone for one day before and on the day of this routine so you can be in the right place at the right time to begin.
Step 3: Approach this as a test for how you use Brili and how well routines in general can benefit your nutrition and energy levels.
Coach Alyssa's final recommendation for this routine is too focus on the known benefits. If you come to understand that planning can save you money, reduce stress and ensure you have a full stomach, the more likely you will be to apply this routine in your day to day!
Routine 2: Preparing Your Meal
This routine is your food planning in action, try making the process of cooking your meal a little more fun and productive!
Step 1: Download this routine below and set it active for the days of the week you would like to cook your planned meals.
As it stands, this routine includes only dinner but you can duplicate it for other meals as you progress. Starting with dinner and working up to the other meals can give you time to figure out what works best for you.
Step 2: Set your preferences for wording, visuals, star values and timing. Make it fun!
Try not to give yourself a lot of stars for tasks that come too easily. Find the things you have more trouble with and set higher star values for them.
Step 3: Research the benefits of eating regularly so you know what could be expected from getting a routine like this done.
As ADHD Coach Alyssa Shaw so expertly explains ,"(for many with ADHD) meals come at a time when our executive function gas tank is empty", so fill them up regularly to ensure the tank never runs too low!
Routine 3: The Inevitable Fail Safe
Hey, we get it, routines are not going to work 100% of the time. There is so much that can happen in a given day that can throw you off your schedule. This routine is for those middle of the week moments, "I have no FOOOD!"
Step 1: Download this routine below and set it as inactive until you need it!
Step 2: Put the motivational messages in your own words, set travel durations based on how long it takes you etc.
Step 3: Understand and appreciate that you have a backup plan in the inevitable case that things just don't go according to plan. Try to not use this routine TOO much, but appreciate that it still gets the job done!
Coach Alyssa Has A Few Key Questions...
1. How much time do you have available for this? It could be neat to write how much time each routine takes as it is and add/remove tasks to get to the ideal routine length you are looking for.
2. How many other habits are you currently implementing? Think about your current work load to ensure that this won't be overwhelming and possibly effect other habits you are working on.
It is always a good idea to start slow and then work your way up. You wouldn't start off by running a big 50k race, you start with 2 then 5 then 10, and work your way up. It's the same thing with planning meals. Maybe you can only realistically plan for 1 meal right now. THAT IS OKAY!! Figure out how to plan 1 meal and then work your way up to 7.