Planning Key to Positive Change

Planning – to me this is one of the KEY components of weight loss/weight maintenance and overall healthy living.

Planning saves you money and calories. Oh, and it makes your life a whole lot easier – less stressful, more organized and is more likely to included a balanced meal.

But newsflash – this doesn’t happen on its own – it all starts With-U:

1. Figure out what you like to eat – ask your family.

2. Create a menu plan – using healthy cooking books or some of the following sites online for low-cal/healthy menus:
http://www.cookinglight.com/
http://lowcaloriecooking.about.com/
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/low-calorie

3. Create a shopping list for the week or even an entire month.

4. Look for items on sale and stock up in anticipation of the monthly menu.

5. Don’t deviate from the menu and buy “extra snacks” or “just in case”! You know what I’m talking about.

Then start saving and losing! These small changes in your routine will start to make healthy living a no-brainer.

And BIG BONUS, Strippers – you won’t feel bloated because you’ve eaten junk because you didn’t have a plan.

Check out these articles on the effectiveness of making small behavior modifications:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14567154?dopt=Abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15672889?dopt=Abstract

And this amazing “Good Morning America” piece on a Texas mom who planned every meal for an entire year!
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Parenting/mom-plans-meals-entire-year/story?id=9618348

Rough-Fit folks, visit for more information on our ongoing STRIP Challenge and to get signed up for our spring WOW Challenge! http://www.with-u.us/public/wellnesschallenge/wellnesschallenge.html