Preparation

Isn't the Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared"? It is actually. Thank goodness for Google!

It's such a simple motto to think of but difficult to put into practice. Preparation requires time, forethought, time, shopping, time. . .you get the picture. Who has time to do all this?

You will have to find time if you're on this journey for life. Granted, some weeks are better/worse than others, but I do believe that once you get into the habit, it becomes easier and just like second nature. And, just like a few days ago when I posted; baby steps. Small, significant changes daily.

I typically eat the same foods with little variation. We had chicken three nights in a row last week! Granted, they were all very different recipes, but good 'ol chicken, nonetheless. I've gotten into the habit of making a little extra dinner so there are leftovers for lunch the next day and a little extra for later in the week when the thought of making another meal is too much to handle. By Thursday or Friday, the kitchen is the last place I want to be. so we pull out the fridge contents and dig in! It's been very effective in numerous ways!

Even though we may eat similar foods weekly, we still need to plan, shop, chop, cook and eat! There are many ideas about 'once-a-month-cooking' styles. I haven't quite gotten there yet, but I was raised by a woman and now live with one who did this years ago. Every few weeks veggies get chopped and either frozen or placed in the fridge for lunches. Chicken gets pounded, boiled, weighed, bagged and frozen. Recently tomatoes were dried and canned as well as frozen. These simple steps save a lot of time later in the week. But again, it comes down to menu planning. I can't decide Sunday what I'll want to eat on Thursday (leftovers apparently). Debcat has taken to writing out a weekly menu that I take liberties with. Schedules change, tastes change, but we have a map to get us where we need to go. We can plan out Points and work-outs accordingly. It has helped us SO much! I may not feel like chicken on Monday, so I'll pull the pork from Wednesday and fix that instead. As long you have a PLAN, you're setting yourself up for success. I stole that from Starbucks! But it's been the motto the past 2 weeks.

Set yourself up for success. Plan for it. Envision it. If you mess up one day, that's okay. Get back on the wagon and move on. You plan for a trip. You don't just show up in Greece and expect it to be wonderful. You save, plan, research, get informed and then make the leap. Same with this area of your life. Plan. Save, research and make the informed changes. You can do it!

Change

"I will change...gradually" is the monthly mantra from September's issue of Shape magazine (thank you for the subscription, btw, mystery gift giver!). I agree with this statement, for the most part.

When I first embarked on this journey for the ump-teenth time in 2007, I had to make small changes. My personal mantra was "Do more today than yesterday". I would park farther away at the shopping center, bring my lunch to work or take the stairs. I would do more today than I did yesterday and eventually, it worked it's way into a normal part of my lifestyle. With that said, I also believe once you've made substantial changes and you fall off the wagon, you don't need to start with baby steps again. You've proven to yourself that you're capable of change and therefore, you should jump right back in and get on with it!

When it comes to food, the same holds true. I didn't' start off buying fat free (FF) cheese (which I still refuse to purchase), FF ice cream, high fiber bread, etc. There were small changes; low fat (LF) cheese, WW chocolate snacks, WW yogurt and my new favorite Better N' Peanut ButterThere is NO WAY I could have sustained weight loss and lifestyle changes if I made these dietary changes at the same time. They had to evolve. My friend, Debcat, and I were discussing how over time your taste buds change. Don't get me wrong, I still love high fat foods and the occasional In-N-Out, but they are too rich for me now. I had In-N-Out last week with my mom and sis and boy, was I paying for it! The overall message here is that it takes time for your body to change too and accept the different tastes of the new foods you're introducing. I would take chocolate cake made with yogurt or applesauce over one with eggs and oil now. I can't believe I just said that either!

Do more today than yesterday and start filling your fridge and cupboards with LF, high fiber items. Slowly. . . but steadily and consistently!