Planning

Well friends, I did pretty darn good at last week's challenge! While trying to think up my meals so I didn't miss any, I remembered to the days when I actually set a weekly menu so I didn't have to think about it. Seeing as I'm going to my parent's house this weekend and really, really, really don't want to gain weight I'm going to make this week's challenge about planning.

Most diet/exercise programs are more successful if you think ahead to what you're going to eat and when you're going to exercise... If we leave it to the last minute, more than likely our decision will not be as healthy. So, right this very minute, get out a paper and pen and start planning. Plan when your meals will be, when you'll exercise and then fill in the blanks with what you'll eat and what kind of exercise you'll do.

When I started menu planning, I was a bit overwhelmed until I read a suggestion by Dr. Oz. He said to keep most of your meals the same and have one meal a day that you change (so you don't get bored). Instead of eating the same breakfast, lunch, and snacks everyday and changing dinner, I will alternate which meal I'm switching up each day. This suggestion also makes preparing easier... when you prepare a meal(s), just make enough for what you need that week. Obviously, this plan is a little more difficult for those of you with families, but just having a menu of any sort will help save you money at the grocery store, stress at dinner time, and will help to keep you from ordering pizza because you couldn't think of what to have.

After you have 4 weeks worth of menus, you'll have an entire month that you can recycle... How great is that?!!! Have fun with your planning :)