I've learned that the key for me is cooking ahead on Sundays and planning my days ahead of time. Any other way, I just end up reaching for the first thing I see. The irony is that we really don't keep any junk in our house, but as we all know, you can overdo it on healthy foods just as easy.

Today I'm spending HOURS in the kitchen cooking for the week ahead. Part of why I need to do that is I have celiac disease and can't just go grab a sandwich. I'm also traveling one day coming up this week and want to bring healthy stuff with me rather than risk eating out and getting accidental gluten. (cross contamination is a big issue for us celiacs and I've been hit 3 times lately and it's NOT cool.)

So I made a big pan of roasted yams, asparagus and onions, plus a big bowl of sauteed mushrooms, zuch, bell peppers, onions and spinach and used half of that to make mini fritatas in a jumbo muffin loaf (my saving grace at breakfast.)

Next I'll make a batch of sauteed eggplant, mushrooms, zuch and spinach and make a low fat gluten free lasagna with that.

I'll also make a batch of low fat high fiber muffins to have with the fritatas for breakfast this week.

It's a lot, yes, but it means we'll have ample healthy options this week and I can go on my quick overnight trip and not freak out.

Days like this REALLY make me feel in control and just super alive. What parts of your routine make you feel in control?

For me, it's planning out my week. I'm in college, so I'm tempted to grab fast food...bad idea, so I literally write everything: apple, PJ sandwich for lunch...etc. Plus, I plan my workouts too. I record everything. I feel in control when I follow (which is most of the time) my schedule. But writing everything for me sets it in stone.

The best days for me are the ones where I can workout in the morning before my day really starts. It energizes me and motivates me to make the right choices for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, this hasn't happened much lately. So, I guess I'll have to take new suggestions from you guys!

I agree alliesarang, working out right away sets the stage for a good day because it seems we're less likely to blow it later. I rarely find myself saying "well, I worked out so I can have this candy bar." It's more like, "Well, I worked out so I don't want to mess that up with this candy bar."

For the past few years I didn't have to be at work until 10, so that allowed me to get up at a time of day that felt somewhat human and workout. Now, we've changed and are all getting there at 9. So rather than just drop my workout, I'm getting up at 5:30.

I always said there is NO WAY I could ever get up before 7. Like, don't even talk to me about it, it's NOT going to happen. But, when it came down to either gaining weight or getting up before 7, I decided I'm more important. So, I do it.

What I did was just get up 15 minutes earlier for one week, then another 15 minutes earlier the next until you are more comfortable getting up at the time you need to. Otherwise, you'll be resentful of yourSELF for making you get up early and that's not a good battle to be involved in.

I feel in control when I am not hungry Trouble is I get hungry too often! Just had some great help with my breakfasts and what with the Spring Clean (pardon the swearing ) added to a bit of decorating coming up next month I hope to lose some weight at last. When I am doing these kind of jobs I can avoid temptation easier than just the normal day-to-day things.
When it is coming off it seems easier for me to keep it on a roll but beginning is hard. I keep troughing on the water

Having at least a few dishes in the fridge that I can make meals from help me stay on the foods I need to eat (I am diabetic). So I do prepare food in advance.

I take food with me when I am out shopping or know I will be out for more that 3 or 4 hours. I have a lunch sack with all I may need to eat and something to drink.

I prepare a large pitcher of herbal tea every morning so that I have something cool to drink all day. This has helped me kick the soda pop habit.

I have switched from "desserts" to an evening cup of coffee with cream. It is such a wonderful treat.

I feel in control when I honor my hunger by eating, by how my body feels and by the good feelings of making wise choices that benefit my weight loss.

I feel in control when I plan what I'm going to eat. I also set myself tiny goals like walking from the train station to uni at least 1 day a week instead of getting the bus. Its about an hours walk so even though I don't have time to do it everyday, I find time to do it at least once every week.

i also feel more in control when I have a plan of what I am going to eat for the full days. Also when Im not at work i try to ensure that i have enough activities planned throughout the day to prevent me from becoming bored or stressed and binging. Knowing when i am likely to want to binge helps me to plan things in advance to prevent this happening.

Writing in my little manual journal makes me feel in control. I notice when I am not consistent my eating is all over the place. I write down my menu for the day (cal/carbs), my weight for the day, and how what I'm feeling regarding my eating.

Planning ahead also makes me feel in control, I am usually an organized person and knowing ahead of time what I plan to eat falls into that realm.

It's my state of mind, not just having a plan or a fridge full of pre-made food. (Although if I have neither, it definitely can hurt me if I'm already in a precarious place & teetering.)

It has to do with my self-image & my confidence in myself.

If I feel competent, and up to doing all that is asked of me during the day, then I have a sense of mastery & it carries over into exercise & eating. I feel like no matter what you throw at me, I can catch it or hit it back. I'm like: Nothing in the fridge? No problem, I'll stop at the grocery store on the way home, get a piece of fish to bake quickly & now that I think of it, I have frozen veggies put away that I can heat up & a sweet potato I can nuke. Can't get to the gym tomorrow night? No problem, I'll get up earlier & get there in the morning.

But if I'm shaken, and feel overwhelmed, like I can't possibly do all that's asked of me, or even a portion, and that I'm going to be shamed & blamed & somehow dinged for not doing what I'm supposed to --

Then I'm all a-tremble with anxiety, and need soothing, and every obstacle that comes my way looks insurmountable. I've got so much work to do, how do THEY expect me to get to the gym, too? I'm so put upon, I shouldn't be expected to cook, on top of everything else, so I DESERVE TO eat something fast & junky. In fact, because I am the most victimized person in the world, and my life is harder than everyone else's, I DESERVE TO EAT unlimited amounts of [whatever binge food comes to mind].

How to get hold of that feeling of competence & self-assuredness, and once I have it, how to hang onto it --

That's my life's work.

From thence, planning & behaving in healthy ways seems to follow naturally.

I feel in control when I allow myself freedom from thoughts of restriction or obligation, food-related or otherwise. I am fortunate in that I have historically always handled stress and pressure very calmly. Put off writing a research paper until 24 hours before deadline? No problem, I'll go to the library and switch off my phone and drink a lot of espresso. Lost my purse containing all my valuables and missing a flight across the world? Welp, this sucks, I'd better go to the police to report it, I can cry later.

The same cucumber-cool attitude should, then, logically apply to food and weight and things. If I don't freak out, I'll get done what needs to get done. Setting goal numbers and deadlines and things doesn't motivate me so much as just make me upset that I might not reach them, which leads to self-sabotage and dark places.