Having a Plan

Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan.
~Tom Landry

Many people don't like to plan their meals or what they're going to eat. Instead they go about their day and grab whatever is available when hunger strikes. A lot of times we justify it in our minds by thinking: "Hey I'm busy, I don't have time to worry about another thing," or "It's not my fault I had to eat unhealthy food. I didn't have any other options. It was out of my control."

If you're trying to make a change in your nutrition, the importance of planning cannot be underestimated. To quote a chapter in Debbie Danowski's book The Emotional Eater's Book of Inspiration, "It is best to decide what to eat when you are full." Why you ask? Because when you're starving and ready to gnaw on your desk, it's much harder to make healthy choices when anything and everything looks delicious.

Now before you start throwing things at your computer screen and saying things like "Planning - she thinks I have time to plan. Does she know all the things I have to worry about?" You may be thinking, "I don't want to plan. I just want to eat whatever I want when I want."

To quote a passage from Debbie's book:

The truth is that you do have every right to eat anything at any time. But the question to ask yourself is how well has that been working for you? Are your eating patterns the way you want them to be? Is your life happy? Do you feel peaceful? Is your body a size you're comfortable with? In short, is this what you want for yourself?

If you're not happy with your life then the only solution is to try doing things differently. It's just that simple. There is no other way to change.

If you really want to make a change, don't allow yourself the excuse that you don't have time to plan. Take a few minutes to plan out at least a few meals and snacks. Give it a try. And if you need more personalized plans and support, I'm always here to help.