Planning = Success

I think the idea of Planning = Success can be true for so many aspects of life, but for right now I am focusing on planning my food for the week. 

First let me say that I have an unhealthy relationship with food. For example I often use food as a way to cope, or as a reward after a good workout. But after working hard in the gym for an hour, it is not the best idea to eat half a bag of chips. Sort of defeats the whole purpose! Then there is usually a feeling of guilt that follows, usually followed by eating the rest of the chips because you are now depressed. It is a vicious cycle.

To avoid these bad habits over the next 30 days I knew I had to do some planning. So before even going to the grocery store I had to brainstorm on what I needed to get me through the week. Some stuff I do get bulk and lasts more than the week, but I don't want the fruits and veggies to go bad before I will eat them hence the week time. Also my list of ideas are all based on me individually, I know people with kids or things such as dietary needs, you will have to consider different things. 

Brainstorm before store-

• Do you have something for breakfast? (do not skip!)
• Ready to go snacks? Something easy to grab if I need a fix after Martial Arts or in the car.
• What main dish do you want, and what dishes can you make out of it? I get bored after a few meals of something, so knowing what other meals I can make ahead of time really helps (especially since I am culinary challenged and do not know how to wing it).
• FRUITS AND VEGETABLES! Just enough for the week, but more than what I used to eat in the past... a lot more. 
• What healthy snack can I have if I have a sweet tooth? Sometimes you might want something sweet, and instead of depriving myself of it then raiding the candy machine at work why not get a healthy solution; for example I opted for sugar free jello. 

From this I easily made a list I would not stray from at the store (but the ice cream sure did look tempting), plus it also helped that I gave myself a budget for the month so I could only buy what I came in for. 

My first trip this week was a success and yesterday I prepared my meals for the next few days. There are cooked chicken breasts, quinoa, and a big container of cooked vegetables. To help from overeating I prepackaged meals in Tupperware so they are a quick grab before work; this will stop me too from saying I don't have time to make a lunch and grab something fast-food on the way in to work (sorry Subway and Wendy's I will miss you).

I will share some of the other tips I have gotten online from other sources over the month, and if you have any suggestions please share I would love to hear them!