I plan my meals on a weekly and daily basis. The other day I realized that meal planning is now a lifelong habit. I am committed to doing this work for the rest of my life. I don’t foresee a reason to ever stop.
Here are my reasons:
This practice has helped me to lose and keep off 100 pounds.
Planning my meals ahead of time makes me the authority on what I eat. I decide what my body needs for optimal health. I also decide what exception meals and joy foods I both want and need to sustain my healthy way of life without deprivation.
I make these decisions ahead of time. That means I put the most sophisticated part of my brain, the prefrontal cortex, in charge. I am not at the mercy of what sounds good in the moment. Two and one-half years into this process, if given an opportunity, my primitive brain, the part that wants to keep me safe and comfortable with the least amount of effort, will still seek out foods that don’t serve me in amounts that don’t do me any favors.
When I take the time to plan out my week and my days, I can move forward with confidence. I am certain of what I am going to eat. I don’t spend unnecessary mental and emotional energy wondering what I am going to eat next, how much, if it’s good for me, if I’m “cheating,” or if I’m going to go off the deep end, binge, and live to regret it later. I already know. If I get a thought that a latte would be nice, or that I deserve to eat French fries, I gently remind myself that I made a commitment to eat something else. If I really, really want the food or drink that has just popped into my head, I know that I can plan to have it the next day or the next week. I just don’t have that food in that moment. I have it because I have consciously chosen to have it… later. Whenever I do this, I am developing the habit of honoring my decisions and being accountable to myself.
I look forward to creating my meal plans. I can reflect on what went well during the previous week as well as what didn’t, and decide to keep things or make changes.
Some questions I ask myself are:
Did I enjoy my meals? Why or why not?
Did my meals satisfy my hunger and prevent cravings? Why or why not?
Am I still interested in eating these foods or am I tired of them? (SIde note: I am someone who can eat the same thing day after day, up to a certain point. This practice simplifies my planning. However, when I’m done, I’m done.)
Next, I ask my body what it wants. Really, I give myself some time to ask and listen. My body knows what it wants. Sometimes, I don’t want animal protein of any kind. Sometimes, I want eggs. Sometimes I want nuts and beans. Occasionally, I want chicken or salmon. On a one-off, I want cottage cheese. I know these things because I pause, ask myself, “What do you want to eat?” and then give myself time to answer. Often the first answer is what I don’t want. “No more chicken,” I might say, or, “I’m tired of salads.” If I wait, my mind and body will shift to what I do want. “Eggs with spinach, tomatoes, and feta,” might be the call. Or, “Fruit salad, please.” Or, “We haven’t had asparagus in a while.”
Then I ask myself what joy foods sound good this week. Is there an exception meal that I want to eat? Often, the answer is, “Bread. I want bread.” So I plan on bread.
While I avoid sugar and flour in a general way, I don’t eliminate either of them completely. It’s been important to me that I learn how to enjoy foods without overindulging or obsessing. I have developed the skills of anticipating, eating and enjoying food, and then moving on. Joy foods are fun, but they are neither the answers to problems or substitutes for feeling my emotions.
The weekly plan is an overview. Like an itinerary. I know where I’m going. The weekly plan helps me with my grocery shopping. I know what foods to purchase so that I am prepared for my week.
My daily, 24 hour plans are more specific. I write my daily plans the night before. I look at my weekly plan to see what I am doing. I ask myself if I need to change anything for the next day. If I wanted a food the day before but chose not to eat it because it wasn’t on my plan, I decide if I still want it. If I do, I add it to the plan. If I don’t, I move on.
If I think I might forget what I planned for the day, I take a photo of it on my phone. No excuses for not knowing and not following the plan.
Assessment without judgment is critical.
At the end of the day, I assess how I did in following my food plan.
Did I follow it? Why or why not?
Did I eat until I was satisfied and energetic, or did I eat beyond that? Or did I not eat enough? Why or why not?
I ask myself these questions with curiosity, not judgment.
I’m not checking in with myself to see if I was “good” that day.
I check in to see what is working and what needs my attention.
If I’m not following my plan, I want to know why. Is it the food choices? Or, is it my thoughts and feelings instead?
Where do I need to devote my attention and do work? Is it on my physical needs and commitment to my decisions and myself, or do I need to pay attention to my thoughts and how I am feeling.
This process, when done with the intent to better understand my physical, mental, and emotional needs, is a genuine act of self-respect, self-love, and self-care. I am able to look at myself with honesty and compassion, and make decisions to better my life.