Let's acknowledge the elephant in my room. I'm just back from group, not my usual one but I'm out tomorrow and the elephant wasn't as big as I expected. One and a half pounds on but I weighed a day early and in the evening rather than first thing in the morning. Phew.
If I don't post tomorrow evening, I'll post Saturday morning instead.
Yesterday I went on about planning - what it means for me and why I plan. But how does this work in reality, how do I approach it?
Beforehand:
Often, my planning starts the week before or even earlier. Maybe I find a recipe I want to try, something on FaceBook for example, or I've found something while specifically looking. If the current week is proper planned (and it usually is) and I don't want to sub anything, I jot it down for the following week.
Sometimes I do sub and the meal that goes off the plan gets added to the following week.
Sometimes I have leftovers that go into the freezer and that gets jotted down too.
Sometimes I do sub and the meal that goes off the plan gets added to the following week.
Sometimes I have leftovers that go into the freezer and that gets jotted down too.
So by the time I sit down to properly plan, the grid for the next week (you saw that on yesterday's post) has several ideas or whole meals jotted at the bottom.
The planning structure:
I specifically set time aside to plan. It takes a max of half an hour and saves me time over and over again the following week. Doing all at once gives me a better overall picture too.
So . . . I have a blank grid with stuff jotted at the bottom. I start by noting any meals out, things happening and so on. Then I think about my healthy extra B for the day - what I will use it for and which meal. Then I think cheese - that's my As - because I rarely have milk and love cheese. Are the As and the B going to go together like in a toastie or separately like waffles and then a cheesy pasta bake.
Then I plan my evening meals as they're usually the biggest meals of the day and, usually, anything jotted under the grid relates to main meals.
Then I plan my evening meals as they're usually the biggest meals of the day and, usually, anything jotted under the grid relates to main meals.
Then I work out breakfasts (easy) and lunches (less easy) for the gaps.
I don't have to think about speed food - I have loads and loads of fruit and veg and it is never a problem, ever.
I don't have to think about speed food - I have loads and loads of fruit and veg and it is never a problem, ever.
Nutrition wise, I don't really worry. I know I have enough protein, the As and Bs reassure, I'm rarely short on fibre and I reckon if I'm eating from a reasonably wide range of real, fresh foods and cooking from scratch, it's all going to pan out in the longer term.
So no stress regarding macros or whatever they're called nowadays.
As for syns, I use them within meals, almost 100% of the time. Snacks are in the daytime and tend to be fruit deferred from the previous meal. So I identify where the syns are - mayo, salad cream, seeds, avocado, olive oil . . . trying to focus in healthy fats where I can.
Apart from holiday situations, be it Easter, Christmas, seaside, whatever, I have cut out choccy and savoury 'snacks' almost entirely and feel loads better for it. I wonder why I go back to them from time to time, knowing the consequences.
So there's no column on the planning grid for 'snacks'.
Apart from holiday situations, be it Easter, Christmas, seaside, whatever, I have cut out choccy and savoury 'snacks' almost entirely and feel loads better for it. I wonder why I go back to them from time to time, knowing the consequences.
So there's no column on the planning grid for 'snacks'.
Review/Reflect:
Basically, this boils down to
did I enjoy it?
would I have it again?
was it simple?
did it satisfy?
And that's that. It's the way it flows naturally for me that makes it easily achievable and helps such a lot. The only other thing I can say is that doing this early informs my shopping list which I tend to do on Friday after group. The 'new week' starts on Saturday.
And, the above waffle to the contrary, it is quick and easy and removes any potential stress and uncertainty from the week. Once it's done, that's it - sorted!
And, the above waffle to the contrary, it is quick and easy and removes any potential stress and uncertainty from the week. Once it's done, that's it - sorted!
Do you plan? How do you tackle it? What works for you?
What I ate today on Slimming World:
Before SET online, I had an apple for a bit of energy.
One healthy extra B and two syns.
Half a healthy extra A. I'm not worrying about the bit of cheese in the meatballs as I counted that yesterday.
Stuffed peppers and, for something to quick and easy, it was really nice.
Later on, I had an easy peeler.
One healthy extra A for cheese, two syns for a bit of chorizo and one syn for some brown sauce.
Summary:
two healthy extra As
one healthy extra B
five syns
Tomorrow's meal plans:
Tomorrow (Friday) is going to have to be off plan as I have an afternoon tea thing happening and that will be pretty ooops! I intend to enjoy it very much.
B: fruit
Probably something like an apple, an orange and a banana
B: fruit
Probably something like an apple, an orange and a banana
SW: syn free
L: The afternoon tea
SW: I truly have no idea at all.
D: omelette and salad; fruit
L: The afternoon tea
SW: I truly have no idea at all.
D: omelette and salad; fruit
Keeping this simple and light as I will be weary and disinclined to do much cooking. Of course, I might have bought something while out, who knows?
SW: hopefully, just one syn for some salad cream or mayo
Exercise: I'll be on my feet for much of today so the step count will be good and high!
Exercise: I'll be on my feet for much of today so the step count will be good and high!
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