Since I live on Central European Time, I always miss Brad's #7daychip twitter chats. Here are my responses from last night's chat on healthy eating. Really good topic choice, Brad!
Q1: On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best) how well does you eating plan integrate with your life? Why?
I'd give it a 9. I've been eating this way for almost 2 years now, so I don't think I could go back completely back to the way I ate before, even if I do backslide occasionally. I think it's integrated so well because my life is now focused on being healthy and doing healthy activities, and eating well and cooking for me and my family has become a big priority.
Q2: When do you plan your meals/menu (weekly/daily/night before/morning off, meal by meal)?
I tend to have a general idea for the week and like to pre-cook multiple servings of things since I live alone here in France. Then, the night before I pre-track what I think the next day will look like, though it very often changes.
Q3: What part of integrating good eating into your life do you find most challenging? Why?
Going to parties or going out with friends. I have really bad control when I'm around 'graze-y' food and don't see what I'm putting into my mouth all together on a plate. I also need to work on not gauging what/how much I eat based on what the others around me are doing.
Q4: Do you food shop in a manner that makes healthy eating easier? If so, what do you do?
I stock up on healthy fruits and vegetables several times a week as well as pre-planned healthy meals. I also do not keep anything in my house (usually) that is unhealthy for me so even if I do have a desire to binge at home, the worst I can do is yogurt and a banana or something similar.
Q5: Do you pre pack meals? If you do, when do you do it during the day?
When I pre-cook meals, I pre-pack them into individual servings so I know exactly how many calories each serving is and so they're ready to go. I also pack my lunch every day and do that every morning before work.
Q6: What meal is most likely to cause you trouble when it comes to keeping to your plan (due to scheduling/work/etc)?
Usually evenings are hardest for me. Either I get home from work starving, or I sometimes I eat my healthy dinner and then get invited out and end up with more calories than I'd planned for. I am working on this last bit by limiting myself to one glass of wine... even by going so far as to only take enough to buy ONE glass!
Q7: Do you regularly hold yourself back from optimal success due to poor planning? If so, why do you do so?
I don't think so. I regularly plan... it's just keeping to it that is hard for me.
Q8: Do you ever sabotage you own planning?
I was going to say no, but you're right sabotage is the right word for days when I knowingly throw my plan and my weekly goals out the window and either go off my eating plan or don't exercise, etc. I have yet to have a full week where I stick to all my goals, so I am really trying to work on that.
Q9: If you were going to give a tip to someone about fitting good eating into your life, what would it be?
Get excited about it and get the other people in your life excited about it. When I first started WW in 2009, I spent an entire summer trying new cookbooks and new recipes and learning how to cook healthy. Now, I have tips and tricks and my family (namely Jon) really loves my cooking and that we both can eat healthy together. It really helps to have the full support of my family and friends when I make and bring lighter foods to get together (ex: black bean brownies) or come to a big family meal at an Italian restaurant and have already scoured the menu and meticulously planned what I was going to order (real life event). Plus, your new excitement is contagious and over the past year, a lot of other family members or close friends have hopped on the bandwagon too after seeing how happy and healthy I was getting!
Alrighty, on that note, off to make some healthy choices... and wake up Jon so we can go sightseeing in Avignon (and picnic) today!
