When you fail to plan, plan to fail.
It’s time for me to go back to WW 101. I’ve been on WW Online since April 13, 2004, but lord knows I could use a refresher.
What I did then that worked so well was to simply plan my meals. This doesn’t mean I was obsessive and wed to the plans (things happen, surprise lunches, etc), but they did help me form my day. In fact, I used to post on the Daily Menu Thread on the Core Board, for anyone who knows what I’m talking about!
The truth is, knowing what I had planned helped me avoid mid-day “impulsive” buys or mindless snacking at night.
It kept me on track. Meal planning works. I know it because it helped me lose weight way back when.
And I’m realizing I used to view food budget through the lens of my debit account … but lately I’ve been viewing it like a credit card. And it’s showing. I’ve run myself into “food debt” and it’s just not good.
So today, that is my goal — to simply plan my meals and stick to it. If I plan out a nutritious day, I won’t end up with a bag of Chex mix in my hands — there won’t be room for it. Likewise, I won’t end up with next to no Points for dinner and then end up over-eating anyway because I was hungry.
Just wanted to share …
Let There Be Light 
Sounds like a good plan 🙂 Meal planning always helps me. I like the structure. I hope one day I can trust myself to eat intuitively, but I’m sort of prepared for the fact that I may always need a fallback plan when things get chaotic or when I’m having a difficult time with emotions (whether it’s stress, busy-ness, sadness, anger, loneliness, whatever). You sound motivated! I think it’s great 🙂
Meal planning is key for me. Without structure, things can get a little crazy in my world. Good for you!
Thanks ladies! What a great day! I got in a nice moderate cardio workout, shoveled for strength, and stuck to 22 pts (21 is my target). Soooooo … feeling good!
lissa, if planning is the way to go for you, then there is no failure here! there is no rule in life that says we have to “eat intuitively” and that planning our diets is some kind of disorder or failure.
if this is what works for you, and it helps and doesnt harm, it is success. all the best lissa!
Clare, I sooooo needed to hear that! Intuitive eating just isn’t me, and maybe that’s ok. I flourish within boundaries; Dr G even told me that. Why fight it?!
way to go with figuring what is best for you!
i am a big proponent of the food plan as well. leaves little to chance and while it is the one sense a controlling behavior, it is also a freeing behavior. with a plan, there is no need to think about what you are going eat, it’s already planned and that is freeing.
good luck!
I am trying a delicate balance of tracking and intuitive eating. I know in true IE sense no tracking is good but as someone that tends towards anxiety in general, I do find tracking brings me some calm. I do eat intuitively, meaning paying close attention to hunger/fullness signals, nothing is off limits, food is not good or bad, really being mindful of what I want to eat, how it makes me feel, etc. I do not limit myself to my calorie range if truly hungry nor do I eat just to hit some quota. To me, this feels like the best of both worlds.
hi lara, i love what you wrote! as a 30+ year compulsive eater who has been binge-free for just over 2 years, i have just started dabbling in IE, but i’m still a calorie counter. one day at a time.
That’s great, Lara!
Hello! Similar to Lara, I tend toward anxiety and have learned to embrace flexible structure. I find cooking is my way of meal planning. If I know I have a couple very flavorful, hearty soups and stews, and salad makings, fruit, etc at the ready, I have some choice about what I eat, so it is not planned. Then I track points post-meal. Oddly enough, this structure does not stress me out or make me feel bingey or get depressed. Which is good cause I anticipate I’ll need to do it forever (like your checkbook analogy)
Divert help me to create pool