When I first started dieting I was taking two or three hours out of my day to plan and figure our how to put myself through my daily diet routine each day. This included planning my meals, logging them, figuring out the calories count of any dish that did not already have a nutritional count, blogging, figuring out my exercise cals, and counting my carbs since I was still on insulin. I also will include in this time the amount of time I spent reading articles, books, talking to people, and blogging which increased my learning about how to diet. This was critical in those early stages of my diet, but the truth is, it is probably just as critical now at the stage I find myself in now.

The stage I find myself now is that dangerous slowly gain it back stage unless I get back on the program stage. Oh, I have changed my eating patterns enough in the kinds of foods I now eat. That at least I am satisfies to say has become a victory. It is the over eating pattern. The pattern of wanting more snacks than I am allowed and being satisfied with the amount of calories I can have in a days time that gets me now. I still find myself eating mindlessly without even realizing I am doing it. There are so many patterns of eating that I have discovered I haven't beaten, that getting back to a strict pattern would be beneficial to me. It might even break some of these patterns I have noticed that I have these past few months. Pre-planning my food can break some of these patterns or at least make me more aware when I start to do some of these odd behavior patterns that have enabled me to get to where I am today. Here are a few behaviors and why pre planning will help me.

Looking into the refrigerator for something to eat not really knowing what I really want to eat, especially at times when I should not eat. Ever do this. I think you can see why pre planning your day will cut down on this. Going for unplanned snacks...well if you know what snacks you have planned for the day and have even set them aside already, you won't go through the pantry looking. Here's one that get's me every time. Tasting all the food I bring home from the grocery store as I put it up. I can eat a meal by the time I put up my groceries ! Well, I don't know if pre-planning will help me here because it never has, but in the past it has helped cut down on it because I know all the snacks are destined for certain days and if I eat them now I won't have them for latter.

It's hard for me to take time out for me sometimes, especially when I start getting busy and everyone wants me to do something for them. Many of you have outside if the home jobs and have even more pressure on you to be the do every thing and be every thing to every body. Getting our weight down to our family for some of you is not understood. Thankfully my husband is behind me all the way. He knows it takes this time for me to diet especially since we can't afford for me to go to Weight Watchers or some special medical program. I have chosen this online program and my dietitian because it was the most economical way for me to go. It also has been pretty time consuming because I have had to do a lot of the planning myself on the diet part, but I have learned because of it. I can now tell you how many carbs is in a food, the fat content of a lot of foods, the calorie content etc. I know my own personal food ratios, understand exercise calories better ( which is why I really have gained five pounds in the past 4 months ! ). So, what I am saying is this, it's worth it to take time out for yourself and for your diet. It does take time. Not a day goes by that I don't seek out an article on the net here or there or a blog to help me out. I myself am beginning not to feel so guilty about spending so much time on myself. It's a balance thing I know, but in this case a little time is OK.