Tip for success - Plan Ahead

smalla
smalla Posts: 11
edited September 18 in Food and Nutrition
Hi everybody. Thought I would let you in on something that has been working for me and it's easy.

I have never had weight problems until recently....I used to run marathons, run long distance competitively and compete in cross-country skiing. Then, I turned 36, started taking medication for high blood pressure and hypothyroidism, and now, it seems like a constant struggle!

I had no concept of how many calories I was actually eating until I sat down to enter them for the day using this web site and, then, I was horrified. I was probably overeating by 50 to 75% of where I was supposed to be. :noway: Not to mention I had no concept of proper portion sizes either - I just ate until I was full (doesn't help that I would scarf my food down in 10 seconds flat).

But, there may be hope. What's the secret? Plan ahead. I started planning my lunch and dinner menu for the entire week on Sundays. I've also been ripping out great, low calorie, balanced meal recipes out of magazines (Shape, Oxygen, Chatelaine, etc.). Gets rid of the boredom of cooking - my husband and I actually look forward to trying something new for dinner every night. Once my menu is written up for the week, I go grocery shopping and buy only what I intend to make for the week. That's half the planning.

The other half is that I started planning what I was going to eat each day the night before. I would go into my food page and enter everything for every meal, including snacks, that I intended to eat. Then I would pack my lunch and snacks for work the next day based on the day's menu. I made sure that my daily menu met the calorie count that I was supposed to achieve. Then, each day, I would only eat what was on the list. If it wasn't on the list, it didn't go in my mouth. That's especially hard when there are cookies and chocolate and muffins sitting around the office (:sad:) but you just have to be strong. When I cheated, I noticed it. But when I followed it, it worked.

So there's my helpful tip. Hope it helps you! Good luck!!

Replies

  • smalla
    smalla Posts: 11
    Hi everybody. Thought I would let you in on something that has been working for me and it's easy.

    I have never had weight problems until recently....I used to run marathons, run long distance competitively and compete in cross-country skiing. Then, I turned 36, started taking medication for high blood pressure and hypothyroidism, and now, it seems like a constant struggle!

    I had no concept of how many calories I was actually eating until I sat down to enter them for the day using this web site and, then, I was horrified. I was probably overeating by 50 to 75% of where I was supposed to be. :noway: Not to mention I had no concept of proper portion sizes either - I just ate until I was full (doesn't help that I would scarf my food down in 10 seconds flat).

    But, there may be hope. What's the secret? Plan ahead. I started planning my lunch and dinner menu for the entire week on Sundays. I've also been ripping out great, low calorie, balanced meal recipes out of magazines (Shape, Oxygen, Chatelaine, etc.). Gets rid of the boredom of cooking - my husband and I actually look forward to trying something new for dinner every night. Once my menu is written up for the week, I go grocery shopping and buy only what I intend to make for the week. That's half the planning.

    The other half is that I started planning what I was going to eat each day the night before. I would go into my food page and enter everything for every meal, including snacks, that I intended to eat. Then I would pack my lunch and snacks for work the next day based on the day's menu. I made sure that my daily menu met the calorie count that I was supposed to achieve. Then, each day, I would only eat what was on the list. If it wasn't on the list, it didn't go in my mouth. That's especially hard when there are cookies and chocolate and muffins sitting around the office (:sad:) but you just have to be strong. When I cheated, I noticed it. But when I followed it, it worked.

    So there's my helpful tip. Hope it helps you! Good luck!!
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    Good tip! I find the planning helpful also, but I love the idea of hunting down the new recipes!
    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • lowsam
    lowsam Posts: 21
    I totally agree!! Most mornings i get up and plan my entire day, and put it in my food diary. This helps me stay on track, and not over eat.

    Lisa
  • catlover
    catlover Posts: 389
    We've had roommates for the past 8 months and I can't believe the difference in our eating now that they are gone. I went shopping today because hubby is coming home for the week end. I had to do a lot of label reading because I really had forgotten a lot of things. I'm hoping that not sharing the cooking with people who are super skinny and don't think about calories will make a difference this month on the scale. Planning, planning, planning can pay off and keep us from reaching for so many of the high calorie snacks we are used to having.
  • babyhippo
    babyhippo Posts: 247
    I absolutely agree. I plan my meals out every morning for the entire day. It is the key to staying within your calories.
    My rule: If it's not on the list.....don't eat it!
  • peej76
    peej76 Posts: 1,250 Member
    I completely agree with you. I've only been on this site for a week now and I find if I log my food entries first thing in the morning, not only can I play with the list so that I can meet my calorie intake before going over, it keeps me on track. I also track my workouts first thing then I know I have to do exactly what I recorded, even if I don't feel like it if it's tracked I'm more apt to do it!! It's like being written in stone no changes allowed once I've decided what I will eat and how much I will workout during the day!! Today's a little different because I'm not going to be home most of the day, so we'll be eating on the run, but I'll be sure to make healthy choices, plus tonight there's sure to be lots of dancing so I'll be able to take that into account as well!
  • iojoi
    iojoi Posts: 378 Member
    I agree I always put in my normal snacks of drinks and sugar and my milk allowance so I know what I have left for the day and u can go back to them if they need adjustments

    and if I have definate meals planned they go in as well in the morning
    tonight i am going out for a drink so thats already on there too
    doing that makes me realistic and sometimes i realize i need to cut back on something i had planned
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
    Today I am going to a Chinese buffet place for lunch so I had a light but healthy breakfast and I am planning on choosing healthier foods and only take one bite of things I love such as egg rolls and some of the desserts. Wish me luck!!!! :laugh:

    I have done 90 minutes of house cleaning increasing my allowance by 228 cals and I am planning on keep cleaning tonight. We have company coming over on Monday!!

    Have a great Saturday!!!!!
  • auntkaren
    auntkaren Posts: 1,490 Member
    Thanks for the good advice. Maybe when you have time you can share some of your recipes on here.:happy:
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