Organizing to Lose Weight, Setting Goals, Weekly Meal Plans: 2011- Why I'll never use these again.

UPDATE - July 2011

5 years and over 100 pounds shed I've learned many things.

1. Menu planning and tracking doesn't work. They distract you from the real issue:  Your relationship with food and every about and connected to food. 
2. Diets don't work.  They are too focussed on "controlling" "restricting" and "telling you exactly what to do".  The unintended consequences set you up for disordered and / or addictive eating. 
3. It's all about learning to LOVE your food and listening to your body. 
4. The most fun way to eat is to invent recipes on the fly using the healthy ingredients you keep on hand.  No need to menu plan!  It's more like strategizing to have an environment that supports healthy eating.  

 

This post is part of my digital trail...It shows me how far I have come in my evolution.  I would NEVER have written this in 2011.  

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As part of my "Organizing to Lose Weight" focus this month, I'm working on a few goals. 

1.  Menu Planning & Tracking my progress

2.  Eating Healthier

3.  Walking More

I know how, I have the tools...but I've been slacking off! This post by Laura, the Organizing had given me renewed motivation to plan & track what I'm eating! 

My favorites of her 13 reasons are:

3. I always have the ingredients in the house for whatever I'm making because I make up my menu plan before going grocery shopping.

6. I save money by planning my weekly menu around what is on sale that particular week.

7. I save time by planning quick and easy meals (especially crockpot meals which can be prepared in the morning when I'm not rushed and have more energy). - (Ariane's Note - Though I do this on weekends or evenings. - I use my mornings for writing.)

9. Helps me to avoid last minute unhealthy desperation meals.

Read the rest here:

http://orgjunkie.blogspot.com/2007/01/thursday-thirteen.html

This week, in addition to Planning & Tracking what I eat (& prepping for my speaking engagement on Monday) my healthy eating goals are to:

• Make a couple healthy "stoups" (stews / soups) ala Rachael Ray this weekend & freeze them in portions so I'll have healthy food available at all times- Split Pea & Lentil
• Eat till I'm not hungry and stop before I get full - This won't be easy
• Not use butter & get used to what food really tastes like!  - this will be the hardest part - but it will help with the above.  I've found that when food has butter on it, I eat more and crave it more. So, I've quit my sugar & the sweet tooth is at bay...now it's time to work on the "fat tooth" and let go of another clutter food - butter!! 

Wish me luck!  : )

Comments

[Wendy Piersall]

Bravo! What great healthy eating goals! I love them!! ;)

[Laura]

Hi Ariane,
I hear you about staying on track...it is so hard and I would be lost without planned meals. I like your idea of preparing some meals on the weekend and freezing them. I too have a sugar addiction to curb.
Have a great weekend!
Laura

[Char]

Menu planning is the only way we make it through the week without unnecessary stops at fast food places.

I am also trying to change my eating habits and get walking more, but it is just a constant effort.

[Michele]

My feeling for "full" is so out of whack, I won't try to figure it out right now. Instead, I eat from small plates. I prepare snacks in tiny portions, and eat slowly. I drink more water.
Our bodies have fat clutter. I'm ready to purge! It's time for it to match my home and my mind! We can do this!

[Ariane Benefit]

Thank you all so much for your support! (In spite of all the typos I made in the above post.) It's so nice to know I'm not alone in this struggle.

Wendy,
thanks for your support and encouragement...I love being in your Master Mind group!

Char,
I hear you about walking more - it's not easy, especially in the winter, but I'm trying!

Laura,
I've been off sugar & gluten for a year now...and lately I've been eating things with both in them again. Nothing like I used to, and I'm not adding sugar, but a couple times a week, I'm eating stuff like sweetened cereal. Just because it's fast. And I can feel the difference! I highly recommend the book Sugar Shock. Stopping sugar improved my life dramatically. One of these days, I post in depth about it. : )

Michele,

You are so right about the small plates. As part of actually "organizing to lose weight" I'm thinking about packing away all my larger plates and bowls and putting them up in the attic. Honestly what passes for a cereal bowl should probably be a serving dish!

Hugz to you all!

Ariane

[Jessica Duquette]

Hey, dear sister, once again we are on the same track! I am getting off the sugar habit and taking care of myself through food starting now, as well. Thanks for the inspiration!

hugs,

Jessica

[Ariane Benefit]

UPDATE - July 2011

This post is part of my digital trail...It shows me how far I have come in my evolution. I would NEVER have written this in 2011.

5 years later and over 100 pounds shed I've learned many things.

See my update for why I'll never bother to menu plan again.