How to be organized

I'm back from work early and still don't want to work on my thesis, so as I eat lunch I'm going to write up a few tips for how to be more organized in your approach to health.

It can all be summarized with one word: Routine.

Grocery Shopping

• Spend quality time on your grocery list. Rather than a quick scribble before you head to the store, take some time to think about what you would really enjoy eating this week. I like to jot down ideas and/or pin recipes throughout the week, as well as looking through a few favorite recipe books.
• Work out the calories for new recipes to make sure, if you are doing something more indulgent, that you balance it with lighter meals. You'd be surprised by how many meals are labelled as healthy which are still 600-700 calories.
• If you won't have time to cook everything at once, check that your list has options for food that can be frozen. Be sure to have tupperware/freezer bags available.
• Check your cupboards and fridge for existing ingredients before going to buy more. Think about your budget considerations.
• Yay, it's time to go shopping! Who wants to go to the Farmers Market?? Just keep me away from that peanut brittle... At the store, stick to the list. If there is something on sale that you are sure you will use eventually (such as canned goods), go ahead, but do try to stay away from impulse buying. I also like to make a mental note of what's cheaper at various stores.
• I'm not sure how it will fit with your lives, but I strongly recommend going to the store on the same day each week. This will mean that you don't put it off, run out of food (necessitating a run to Chick-fil-A) and end up going in a rush.
• Also don't go to the store hungry. No no no. This only ends in donuts.

Batch Cooking/Planning

• Batch cooking is everything. Make loads of portions, stick it in the freezer, and you have instant meals FOREVER. Sort of.
• But don't just batch cook ONCE, do it for everything! Batch cook/prepare as many meals as you can once you get home from the grocery store. I went shopping on Sunday, and afterwards I made both dinners for the week, my lunch for the week, and morning/afternoon snacks for the week. All I have to do is get them out of the large tupperwares into a smaller one to take with me for the day!
• Some things, like salads and smoothies, can't really be made up all at once, so I try not to have too many of those kinds of meals in one week.
• Plan out which days you're going to have what. If you have extra at the end, you can still freeze it and go to the grocery store on your regular day as planned.
• Track your meals ahead of time so that you can also plan for calories.

The Night Before

• I like mornings more than most people. After all, I manage to get up, work out and have breakfast before many people are even awake. But that doesn't mean I feel organized enough to do EVERYTHING at that time. So I don't. I always pack my lunch the night before. If I'm going to have a sandwich, I make it the night before and put it in the fridge. I put things into smaller tupperware and check that there is clean silverware. I put fruit and snacks on the counter or on top of my lunch in the fridge. All I have to do is make my smoothie in the morning plus grab water/a hot drink.
• The night before doesn't mean the second before I get into bed. I tend to get to it straight after dinner, while I'm still active enough to be washing dishes and putting things away. If I leave it past 9pm I will likely just think it's something I can handle the next day. Ha ha ha, no.
• Pack your book bag and gym stuff too. You will feel your mother smiling all the way from England.

Snackies

• I don't like to keep a ton of snacks around, because, well, I just eat them all. But if you like to have an assortment rather than just one option, think of keeping fresh fruit, cut up and bagged, in the fridge, or maybe some fresh veggies and hummus.
• You can make your own trail mix (or buy one - but look at the ingredients!) of various nuts, seeds, dried fruit and chocolate, and make it into individual portions to grab and go. I just made flapjacks, which I wrapped up individually, and put some into the freezer out of temptation's reach.
• Did I mention keeping a food journal? Also eating on a schedule will help, especially trying to have your last meal around 7pm for maximum digestion during sleep.

Exercise

• My advice here is much the same as with food. Pick your exercise days ahead of time, rather than relying on when the mood strikes you (it most likely won't). Also get into a routine of working out at the same time each day. It feels normal to me now to get up and work out - so much so that I feel confused at the weekend - which was just from doing it over and over again. If you want to work out when you get home from work, commit to a time you will start by every day.
• But I do recommend morning workouts! I know everyone thinks I'm Satan for the very suggestion, but it really does give you such a boost for the day, plus it's over and done with quickly, and it's extra motivation to eat healthy stuff as you've already started the day so well. Think about trying it one weekend day, then build up to trying one weekday. You never know unless you try, and you may be pleasantly surprised.
• Regardless of when you work out, keep your clothes clean and put them, plus DVDs/weights in view for when you're going to exercise. Put them out before you go to work, or before you go to bed, depending on when you need them for.
• Keep a workout chart to tick off, for Ripped in 30 or shorter ones like Blogilates - something that both keeps you accountable AND brings you joy when you complete it.
• Choose exercise that you truly enjoy. I think that's the real key. Some people love lifting weights and running on a treadmill for half an hour. It's not my thing, so I stick to home DVDs, jogging outside, and fitness classes with friends. That's what I love so I know I can keep doing it. I look forward to it! Try out lots of things, from DVDs to classes, to swimming, to a gym session, to even just walking around a park. There are lots of ways to stay active, you just have to find what's right for you.

Portion Control and Intuitive Eating

I've just finished my Ripped in 30 workout of the day, and as I'm letting my body cool down I figured I would write a post. We've talked a couple of times about portion control. Knowing when to say "no" to more food is something that a lot of people struggle with, yet it is one of the most important aspects of a healthy lifestyle.

Growing up, I was always told to finish what was on my plate - otherwise no dessert! I think this is the same for a lot of kids, and it means that we have it ingrained in us to finish everything, no matter the serving size. I've already said that my family favored large portions, so the total effect was that I never learned what was the right amount of food for me. Looking back, I think I ate 3 or 4 times the amount of pasta that I would these days.

There are many people who fundamentally disagree with the idea that we should watch calories in order to lose weight. Some of the arguments against calorie-counting include the fact that it can lead to an obsession with food/weight, it doesn't necessarily encourage people to choose whole, plant-based foods instead of chemically-altered "low fat" products, and it doesn't teach us to learn how to pay attention to your hunger signals ("intuitive eating").

Personally, I think it is useful to keep calories in mind when you're losing weight, so long as you keep the drawbacks in mind. So I don't obsess about the actual number of calories, I just try to eat 1200-1500 most days, and ideally I have a lighter and a heavier day for a treat. My body is fine with this, because so much of my diet is plant-based and I get regular exercise. I implore you to spend much more time thinking about the quality of your food than the quantity.

With that said, it leaves us with the last point: how do we learn to eat intuitively? It seems like some people are born with the ability, content to say no to a slice a cake if they're just not feeling it right then. I was never like that, but I have learned to attack the desire from all angles: It's not in my calorie plan today, I don't want to undo my workout, and if I'm being honest, I'm not actually close-to-starving hungry, so no thanks. Of course, I don't live a life devoid of treats, and it's easy to incorporate them into a healthy diet. I like to splurge once a week on anything I want rather than trying to factor in something small each day, but that's jut my preference. Remember that there are no "good" or "bad" foods, but it's better for us to have everything in moderation.

Eating intuitively is a skill that we can all develop. It means rather than always answering "Yes please!" to a treat or extra portion, to take a moment to think, "But do I really want this?" You will be surprised to find that, over time, just asking yourself the question will allow you to say no. Here are some more tips:

• Ask yourself, "On a scale of 1-10, how hungry am I?"
• If you have already eaten, give yourself 15-30 minutes to digest it first. Sip some water. Often the impulse will pass.
• Ask yourself, "Am I truly hungry, or am I feeling something else?" If you feel stressed, tired or upset, find something else to do other than eat - take a nap, shower, go for a walk, read a book, call a friend.
• If you are craving a food that doesn't fit with your calorie requirements that day, promise yourself you'll have it as a treat another time when you can. I keep a mental checklist of good food that I want to try out once a week. Never tell yourself, "I'm on a diet, I can't have it!" You can have it, you just don't want to right now.
• Ask yourself, "How will I feel after I've eaten this?" Sometimes, I know that I will not regret it at all, and if that's the case I go right ahead. :)

When it comes to food, I try to eat fairly intuitively and be mindful of portions. I don't think too much about plant-based food because it's pretty difficult to overeat on vegetables, and I usually only have 2 pieces of fruit a day. But if I'm going to eat meat, grains, and sometimes legumes/fats, I will measure them out. Some tips:

Portion Control at Home

• Measure/weigh your food. I have both cups and a cheapo scale from Walmart. I know that I'm happy with a 1/4 cup of brown rice (1 cup when cooked - 170 calories), 1.5-2oz of wholegrain pasta (150-200 calories), 1/4 cup quinoa (1 cup cooked - 220 calories). When I get something new or unusual - I don't regularly cook with couscous - I'll be sure to check it and measure it out. Eye-balling it is not the best idea!
• Calculate your calories ahead of time. I said this already for meal-planning, but it really does help. If you get home from work, tired and hungry, and decide to cook a big Spaghetti Bolognese, the chances are you will eyeball a large pile of pasta and only afterwards be left to guess how much you had. It will likely be much more than you thought!
• Only put as much on your plate as you are going to eat. I am pretty systematic with my cooking and always know the portions ahead of time, so there's no seconds for me - it's already being put into tupperware.
• Alternatively, make it a rule to always leave a little on the plate. I don't follow this because my portions are already small, but I know it works for some people.
• If you are really hungry and the portion of meat/grains isn't going to cut it, add more vegetables or a side salad or even soup.
• Try to plan meals that you know will be healthy and filling. I remember two of my friends who lived together at uni would bicker about eating together because they had such different dietary needs. On one occasion, one girl wanted to buy a quiche and a bit of lettuce to have on the side. The other girl, who was trying to lose weight, didn't want to have a tiny sliver of quiche to try to stay in her calories, she wanted something that was filling. Hearty and vegetable-filled is the way to go.

The more you cook and make food for yourself, the more healthy meals you will have in your arsenal. You will get to know your portions and won't think twice about measuring (or eye-balling, if you ever feel okay about this - I've always stuck with measuring). Try also to stick to healthy habits such as eating at the table, slowly and deliberately, with no distractions such as TV or the computer.

So that's all well and good, but what about eating out? Oh, we all know the trials of the American restaurant! I've never excelled when it comes to healthy restaurant dining but I am slowly getting better.

Portion Control at a Restaurant

• If you can, pick a restaurant that will have healthy options. I sigh when I can only order salad out, which is why I like Asian restaurants more. Who's up for some Rice & Spice, amirite?
• You don't have to pick the very healthiest thing on the menu if you don't really want it, but don't splurge every time. If the choice is between a salad, sandwich or a pizza, I'm not saying you must get a salad, but maybe don't scarf down a whole pizza if there's a decent sandwich or combo option.
• Share your meal! I know this one is difficult when it comes to compromising on what to have. And sometimes your male companion doesn't want to share. My brother won't share food with me because he says, "Girls say they just want a little, but then they hog the whole thing." And Chip got annoyed when I made him split a sandwich with me because he wanted his own. But maybe girlfriends would be better? We could have a sharing day!
• Box it up. God bless the USA! Ask for a to-go box to have with your food, and put half away immediately. If this isn't an option, divide up the plate at the beginning of the meal. If possible, tell your date that you'll only be eating half. It's probably weird if it's a work colleague or new friend, but if it's sometime you've asked to support you in your efforts it will help to stick to that portion.
• Gift the box to a friend or boyfriend, if appropriate. You don't need to have it again the next day, and it'll be a nice treat for them.
• Leave food on the plate when you leave. I know this is hard. I'm always thinking, "I paid for that, I'm going to eat it!" But really, what will make you happier the next day - the fact that you got your money's worth, or the fact that you exhibited willpower when it was really hard?

General Tips

• Before eating more, have a glass of water. Staying hydrated throughout the day will help immensely with your hunger signals.
• Keep mints or chewing gum on hand for when you've finished, or brush your teeth immediately after a meal.
• Practice practice practice!