Day 4.3: The Benefits of Planning Ahead

I have done something completely out of character...I made a 10 day meal plan: breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner.  I shopped once, and hopefully I don't have to go to the grocery store for at least 5 days.  We'll see...

The benefits I see coming from this strange action on my part are: not scrambling to think of something to make at 4:30 pm and having no meat defrosted; branching out and adding variety to our menu; having vegetables on hand to eat as side dishes; having healthy and planned snacks when the kids get home; having a dessert planned for Sunday to look forward to and be ready for; save money (although I'm skeptical).

Planning ahead helps us live our lives to a fuller extent, being able to focus beyond the now and the immediate.  It helps us be proactive instead of reactionary.  Reacting is the enemy of many things, including healthy dieting.

It seems as though every time I try to meal plan I end up spending twice as much as random-shopping.  But random shopping gets so aggravating and I end up at the grocery store at least 3 times a week.  Which has to end.  Smith's is my Cheers...very sad.

I made this spreadsheet so that each ingredient gets used more than once so nothing goes to waste.  Before you start thinking how awesome I am, remember: I am the world's greatest imitator.  I found the idea on a blog.  I couldn't tell you what blog because I found it in a blog-fog.  You know, where you click and click and click through hundreds of blogs, lost in the organizational prowess and beauty and skill of strangers' lives?  Just google "meal planning spreadsheet", there are a million out there.  Anyway...I'm trying it.  I think this will go hand in hand with eating three square meal a day.  Don't ask me why it's taken me 17 married years to try this in earnest.

Yesterday I did great!  I ate my meals, I avoided easy-to-grab snacks like peanut butter and bread, crackers, or leftover cheesy eggs.  I had an apple when my sweet tooth hit, and I jumped at Get Air for an hour.  I was in heaven.  It was so nice to get a good workout doing something fun with my kids.  And it was hard.  My upper back is sore today; not legs, but back.  Obviously this is an area I need to work more often.

How was your day?  Did you stick to your plan?  Did you beat your weakness into submission?  Did you strengthen your body in some way?  Did you clear your mind and live happy?

I did, and boy does my house look like it.