 "Food plan" will work better than "diet"
When discussing nutritional choices I avoid using the word “diet” and use the phrase “food plan” instead. The word “plan” really sums up the key to attaining healthy goals.
Menu planning can make or break a food plan. We've all seen the ads that tout “Beef, it's what's for dinner.” There is a reason this ad campaign is successful. “What's for dinner?” can be the most stressful dilemma of the day. Back when I didn't regularly plan meals, my mood on a particular day was often colored by whether or not I knew what I was going to make for dinner that night. I'm sure that many people can empathize with this. Just eliminating the daily stress of having to answer that question can give a boost to your weight loss progress, but meal planning can help in other ways as well.
When you know what you are going to have for dinner, you can plan your calories more accurately during the rest of the day. For many folks, dinner is often the largest meal of the day. Even a balanced, home-cooked meal can make or break your daily calorie count. If you know you are going to have a heavier dinner, you can adjust your lunch or snacks. If you know you are going out to lunch on a particular day, you can plan a lighter dinner that night.
Lack of regular meal planning easily leads to quick and unhealthy decisions. When faced with what to feed the family and nothing has been planned, purchased or defrosted, a quick trip to the drive-thru or a phone call for pizza delivery is often the chosen solution. This is okay once in a while. In fact, when you know the evening is going to be full, you can plan a fast food or pizza dinner. When you do this, giving yourself permission ahead of time, you are much more likely to make the better menu choices and eat less. You also can plan to eat a bit lighter during the rest of the day.
Making meal plans doesn't have to be a highly organized process. I make a plan once each week. I write down the meals on a piece of paper and save it, keeping a few weeks worth at a time. This provides a good reference and helps me to avoid repeating the same meals too soon. Having the same meals regularly is fine as long as you have at least a two to three week rotation.
Meal plans can help you make your shopping list. And shopping lists will help you avoid impulse purchases, saving both calories and money.
Do yourself a favor this week. Take a few minutes, review your calendar and make a meal plan. You may be surprised at the difference it can make.
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