[Lizagna]

Hi FC-ers!

I just Googled for "online weight loss support" and found 3FC. I'm doing WW, but not doing it all that well. I do fine on exercise, but I can out-eat any number of calories I burn. I think the key is planning what I eat--and planning for the times I want to do it badly so the pre-decision is made. Not "Will I or won't I?"

Contrary to Disney's claims, what I've read so far would indicate that 3FC is the happiest place on earth. I'm happy to be here.

Liz

[amandie]

Haha, you are so funny! I can tell you will fit in just fine here.

to 3FC!

As for WW, I totally get ya. I can blow through at least half of my weekly points in a day along with my daily but I have learned that makes me a grumpy person for the rest of the week with less weekly points to use so been reining that in somewhat.

[bethFromDayton]

Welcome!

I've found that planning is key for me, and that it's easier on workdays than weekends. (Not that weekends aren't wonderful anyway.)

I have a process that I follow now--I'm just about 2 months into it.

1. Sunday night, I fill in a grid for the week of the breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, and afternoon snack I'm going to have. Some of these are general, such as "fruit" or "rice" or "frozen meal" (for lunches), and others are more specific: "Rotisserie Chicken" or "Lemon piccata chicken", "ribeye"
2. Also Sunday night, I enter the grocery list into the OurGroceries app (a great app, btw)
3. Every night before a workday, usually while preparing dinner or doing cleanup, I make the next day's lunch and prepare anything I need for breakfast.
4. Every night, before going to bed, I enter my next day's plan into MyFitnessPal--quantities and specifics. I adjust, as needed, if my calories are too high or my carb percentage or protein and fiber grams don't work.
5. During the day, I update MyFitnessPal (MFP) with any changes I've made. I hardly change anything on weekdays--weekends are another story :-(.
6. Monday after work, I go to the grocery store and shop for everything I put on the list.
7. Thursday after work, I run to the grocery store (if needed) for produce and/or dairy and/or deli meat for the weekend

Repeat. This sounds like a lot of time and work, but it really isn't that bad. The first time I did step 1, it did take a while, but now it's down to 10 minutes to plan the meals and create the grocery list. I could have easily spent 10 minutes in an evening figuring out what I was going to make for dinner!

I'm not a morning early-riser, so having lunch done the day before is crucial to my bringing lunch to work, as is having everything ready for breakfast (such as already having chopped up the fruit I'm going to have) For the last 9 weeks, I've brought lunch (instead of buying it at the canteen) every day. (And I keep a spare frozen meal in the freezer at work, which helped the two times I forgot to bring my planned lunch.)

Dieting is hard. It takes time and effort. I balked and balked at planning to this detail--and now I'm a convert.

I also am saving money. Yes, I buy more fresh fruit and veggies--and don't even look at their prices. However, we no longer go out to dinner 3-5 times a week, lunch on Saturday and Sunday, or stop for breakfast at a fast food place on the way into work--and I don't buy extra food I'm not going to use. By that, I mean that since I have the week's menu when I create my shopping list, I don't buy a cut of meat without knowing how and when I'm going to cook it, or side dishes that "look good"--I'm buying towards a plan and so I only buy what we're about to eat.

Welcome!

[Mozzy]

Welcome and good luck on your journey!!!

[Lizagna]

Thanks so much for the warm welcome. Beth (and I just saw you in the Beck group!), thanks so much for taking the time to share your process. I truly appreciate it. And you're right--planning is key. I will learn from your lesson plan.

xo
Liz