Plan the Week Challenge!!

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Let's take Sunday to really plan and prepare all of our meals for this coming week. We're getting ready to start week 3 of the challenge and it's easy to fall into a "rut" here. It's time to step up our game and set ourselves up for success. Once you have your plan, tell us what it is!

Come on friends - let's make the next week our best week yet!!

Replies

  • garlic7girl
    garlic7girl Posts: 2,236 Member
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    Well, for me going to the grocery store is crucial! If I don't have it I won't eat it (get something else and usually not good for me). So going and getting my apples and Stevia etc helps me stay focused.
    I do try and plan my workouts but like this past week sometimes the best plans can be 'broken' so for me trying to have a back up plan like Plan A, B and possible a C helps esp me and my warped thinking...at least I tried!

    I really do need to get my apples though!
  • laf0195
    laf0195 Posts: 71 Member
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    I wrote out a huge grocery list this week, so I'm sure I have plenty of healthy choices to eat! I'm trying to eat more whole foods this week (which I struggled with last week because we hadn't been to the store in so long! ), so I'll be cutting up fruits and veg to take with me in the mornings, and cooking lean meats as healthy as I can, even if it means making my dinner separate from my family's. My workouts are all planned out, Just gotta stick to the plan. This is going to be a great week! I can feel it!
  • 04hoopsgal73
    04hoopsgal73 Posts: 890 Member
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    I need some apples, too. I have an idea of the week & we make a menu but I like the idea of having a Plan B as garlic7girl just said.

    If Plan A is scrapped I find it easier to go for a duplicate meal that I’d have for lunch. We don’t have kids at home anymore so this quick solution wouldn’t go over as big if we did.

    My main tip is to make a Basic Shopping List that you will use weekly. I listed all our favorites and frequent foods which are healthy and I want to use for menus. I just print it out & go and keep a copy in my car.

    It has fresh produce & protein & staples. It helps us stay tracked on buying what we need. Some things like fish we buy both fresh & frozen.

    Lately, ’Im trying a set menu for breakfast & lunch to see if it helps my goals of lowering my fat & increasing protein. Seems to have worked the first week.

    Also the pre log of the next day tip you suggested is helping, too.
  • elescott
    elescott Posts: 22 Member
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    Totally fell off the wagon with a bag of chocolate chips last night and tonight... I will blame hormones (the men have it lucky!)

    Will hit the store tomorrow. The hubs is traveling all week so it's too easy to be lazy and eat crap or go to Chickfila.

    By the way, go see the Les Mis movie!! It was awesome, but intense - a tear jerker for sure.
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
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    I spent the afternoon in the kitchen getting ready for the week. I have a chicken and rice soup stuffed with mushrooms, butternut squash, and leeks. I also have a black bean/sweet potato/turkey chili ready and pre-measured and also two servings of a baked tuna filet. My breakfast will be the same each day and I have all the stuff I need for that. Dinner tomorrow and probably the next day will be a spicy grilled shrimp with mango, quinoa, and spaghetti squash.

    And as always, I have a good supply of fruit and veggies at home to throw into the mix. Kiwi, apples, pomegranate, pear, spinach, butternut squash (my new favorite), spaghetti squash.......Oh and I can't forget about the seeds and nuts! Almond, walnut, peanut, sunflower and pumpkin!
  • go3gurl2go1
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    I need to pick up a few more things at the grocery store, but I plan on doing it tomorrow with my sister. She's going to stay with me all week, so if she sees how healthy I'm eating, maybe she'll pick up a health habit or two :)

    I didn't workout as much as I wanted to last week (boo on colds!), so this week I'm going to get back to it and prepare some good circuits I can do at home and maybe look up a couple workouts online.

    The best thing I picked up from being sick was drinking so many fluids. Will try and carry that on next week!

    Good Luck Everyone!!!
  • bikinisuited
    bikinisuited Posts: 881 Member
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    I certainly need to plan all my meals and stay focus. Exercise routine is great on my part but diet wise, need more consistency. Great week everyone and let's keep if going!!!!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • Scrasey2
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    I plan all mine & Hubby's meals on a Sunday evening and pin the weekly menu on the fridge.

    Monday I go to the wet market for fresh fruit, veg, chicken and beef, Then I go to supermarket with a list (most important!) for other things.

    I fill my food diary in a day in advance then just add snacks and exercise on the actual day.

    This has worked brilliantly for me.
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
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    I need veggies, greek yogurt, & turkey burger.
  • oAshlio
    oAshlio Posts: 44 Member
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    We were short on money this week so I planned our meals but they had to be bought from the Dollar store. One thing I realized is even though the dollar tree has filling meals for a dollar each, even just the boxed stuff, they make up for it n calories. Holy cow! So I am just going to have to watch what I eat during the day and exercise well!

    Didnt get many snacks foods this week but think I might start getting, even if its just the canned stuff, fruits like oranges and pineapple to eat in the morning or for lunch for energy and then veggies to snack on and then I will have my meat and stuff at dinner. Once we get the car fixed we will have more money to spend on food so we can go back to the nice and healthy things with low calories and cooked veggies for sides!
  • Dianafrance8
    Dianafrance8 Posts: 126 Member
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    I am cooking lots of low fat proteins like chicken, tilapia, hb eggs and egg white muffin quiches . I weight them into containers, write the calories and carbs on the package and I'm ready to go.

    I try and do this with fruits, veggies and dip, healthy lunchables, my own trail mixes, my own salad dressings, my own fruit and yogurt, etc.

    I agree with everyone, that by shopping and having great choices available , we are more successful.

    Thanks for everyone's ideas
  • irishjune
    irishjune Posts: 42 Member
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    Got the shipping in yesterday - yay! Making sure I get to the store and stock up on good supplies is as big a challenge as getting in a workout as far as I'm concerned. I don't like to map out all my meals for specific days (not a sustainable strategy for me), but sketching out my options for my week when I shop really helps.

    Our last planning challenge got me to start logging a meal or two ahead. Even if I just enter my meal right before I eat it, I do better at balancing out my macros to what seems to work best for my body.

    Keep it up, everybody - we can do this!
  • mommy2ajs
    mommy2ajs Posts: 1,319 Member
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    Did the grocery shopping yesterday and stocked up on yogurt, fruit and veggies. I also planned the meals for the week which is really important for me since I am out four nights this week taking my oldest to her programs.

    Breakfast for me is generally the same thing every morning since it is quick and easy. This week I am trying to figure out the best time to do my workout. I use to do it during my son's nap time but since he no longer naps I need to find an hour to myself to workout.
  • zoeygl
    zoeygl Posts: 18 Member
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    Will eat more veggies and fruit and of course my favorite, greek yogurt! Have to figure in some variety and spice so when I do eat it is a delicious meal and satisfying! Will also include cycling in on my exercise as I tried it yesterday and was surprised how much I liked it! Also, less sitting on the couch :blushing: and being more productive when I am home:wink: !
  • MrsZippy34
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    I will be taking my breakfast, lunch, and snacks with me to work this week so that I am not trying to figure out what do do each day, and then I am making sure I am going to the gym every day this week got to get back in full force!
  • Katacheese
    Katacheese Posts: 112 Member
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    I tend to plan out my meals pretty well for the work week. Since I work out pretty much every evening, I did all of my cooking this weekend and threw it all in the freezer. I have to be more careful on the weekend though and I ended up doing a bit more sampling of my cooking than was stricktly necessary. Oh well.
  • katrin25
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    Pre planning works for me. I have lots of lean protein, protein bars, fresh fruits and veggies in the fridge. I don't buy any junk food bc if it's in the house, we'll eat it.
    Nights are especially hard to stay focused. I try to work out at least 5 times a week, but working out after a long day at work is challenging; I feel very hungry at night. So it is a challenge to stay on track. Late night snacking is my down fall; I gained 100 lbs because of mindless late-night snacking. So just keeping healthy food in the house and going to bed early helps me a lot.
  • floridapanthergirl
    floridapanthergirl Posts: 87 Member
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    II did all my grocery shopping this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday and cooked a large turkey breast sunday afternoon. this morning I made an egg dish and cut it into six breakfast meals. I also packed up a box of high carb food and gave it to my friend who helps me with gardening. He was happy to get it. I am trying some low carb deserts: cheese cake and jello with cream and that makes me feel less deprived. I am also getting clear about what is a waste of my carb grams and those foods are not being replaced in my pantry, and are slowly disappearing from my kitchen. I have planned ahead and logged at least two days. I now have protein shake fixings at work. I am taking my meals to work now which is much more economical. I am learning how to use beans in my meal plans, did that three times this past week and some of it was yummy. I cut up peppers and onions and have them in a plastic bag in the fridge ready for meals. I found a low carb salad dressing that I like and bought a bottle. I took care of the salad greens in the garden so they will continue to be available for a while longer and I packed up two pieces of clothing that are now too big. Wow! I really did a lot! Thanks for the opportunity to share!
  • Dianafrance8
    Dianafrance8 Posts: 126 Member
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    II did all my grocery shopping this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday and cooked a large turkey breast sunday afternoon. this morning I made an egg dish and cut it into six breakfast meals. I also packed up a box of high carb food and gave it to my friend who helps me with gardening. He was happy to get it. I am trying some low carb deserts: cheese cake and jello with cream and that makes me feel less deprived. I am also getting clear about what is a waste of my carb grams and those foods are not being replaced in my pantry, and are slowly disappearing from my kitchen. I have planned ahead and logged at least two days. I now have protein shake fixings at work. I am taking my meals to work now which is much more economical. I am learning how to use beans in my meal plans, did that three times this past week and some of it was yummy. I cut up peppers and onions and have them in a plastic bag in the fridge ready for meals. I found a low carb salad dressing that I like and bought a bottle. I took care of the salad greens in the garden so they will continue to be available for a while longer and I packed up two pieces of clothing that are now too big. Wow! I really did a lot! Thanks for the opportunity to share!
  • Dianafrance8
    Dianafrance8 Posts: 126 Member
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    Looks like you made giant strides this week in creating a kitchen that will help you succeed. All that work burns calories too. I worked for probably 3 hours in prep and packaging. I also tried 2 new recipes this week. I'm feeling victorious before the week even starts