Be prepared

Diets are NOT easy!

If they were, we would have a country of happy people at their ideal weight frolicking in fields of butterflies and unicorns. So, now that we have grasped that harsh reality, how do we make this goal attainable?  “Be Prepared,” the motto of the Scouts, should also be the motto for dieters. Nothing kills a diet faster than a hunger attack hitting and nothing healthy around to eat. At that point, the mind goes into auto-pilot and searches for the quickest way to satisfy that monster. We will pop the nearest food into our mouths as quickly as possible – the good, the bad and even the ugly. So, if we are prepared, we can make sure we only have the GOOD around.

The first step, go through your cupboards and get rid of the bad and the ugly. If you have chips and candy on hand, it will get eaten. Why take the chance? Dump that evil! Load your refrigerator and cupboards with lots of fruits and veggies. BUT, make sure that they are cut, cleaned and ready to eat. You will choose easy over healthy. Avoid this by taking the time to have everything ready to go. Make individual portions and put in bags and containers for an on-the-go snack or to have something at work. Make sure you have snacks for the evening; this is when most mindless eating occurs. BE PREPARED!

Our hungry brain has endless excuses ready to block our success. I’m not sure what to make. There’s nothing to eat. I don’t feel like making anything. I don’t have time to stop at the store. Let’s just go out to eat or order take-out, etc., etc., etc...

As we go about our hours and days, our mood and willpower fluctuates. Grasp that moment when you are feeling confident about your goals and work on BEING PREPARED. Write down your meal plan for the week and make sure you have everything ready to go. (Need some ideas? Checkout the recipes section of my website!) Do as much advance preparation as possible so it will be so much easier, especially after a long day, to stick to your health and fitness plan.

Success is a motivator for continued success. Each successful healthy meal or instance of beating that hunger monster only helps in boosting your resolve to reach your goals. So, like the Scouts, BE PREPARED!