Texas Southern University alumna Jayvin Washington had a vision for helping her community make healthier choices, resulting in a new meal subscription service! Get the full story from Anne Brockman at Tulsa People below.
If you’re one of the millions of Americans resolving to make healthier choices in the new year, a buzzworthy habit is meal planning.
It’s a habit familiar to Jayvin Washington. A graduate of Texas Southern University with a degree in food and nutrition science, the Booker T. Washington High School alumna originally wanted to become a pharmacist. Working as a pharmacy tech in college, Washington realized many of her customers could get off medications for hypertension, diabetes or high cholesterol by changing their lifestyle.
“I felt like I wasn’t going to be successful with changing someone’s life in that role,” she says. After graduation she founded meal subscription service BiteWay in July 2018. She started with one customer, and now has nearly 450 individuals awaiting her brand’s relaunch later this month.
Washington and her business participated in the first cohort of ACT Tulsa, an entrepreneurial think tank. It helped her expand her business parameters and goals as an owner and for her clients, which was the reason behind the brief hiatus. “Going into 2022 is going to be like nothing I’ve ever imagined,” she says.
BiteWay customers can choose from over 30 meals with various meal plan subscriptions, order at bite-way.com, and portioned and packaged meals will be delivered.
Washington’s recommendations for those considering meal planning in 2022:
Talk to a professional. Whether that’s your physician or a registered dietician, discuss what your goals should be.
Set a goal. “Figure out your why,” she says. “We always have a reason or a why for what we do — is it weight loss; is it weight gain; or do you just want to eat healthier?” Washington encourages to set a realistic goal — no one should be losing 10 pounds in a week.
Make a plan. “I encourage people to create a menu,” she says, recommending Pinterest or food blogs for meal ideas.
Create a budget. A common reason Washington hears from those she’s helping is the cost associated with meal planning. “Whether you’re single, or you have a family of six, you always can create a budget; it’s just taking the time to do it,” she says. “We make time for what we want to make time for.”
Add movement. Any movement — whether that’s walking around the block, having a dance party in the living room or taking part in a yoga class.
Eat the darn cookie. “We always try to restrict our favorite foods, but it’s just going to make us want to eat them even more and overindulge,” she says. Healthy eating is about moderation, she adds.
