Meal Plan

Some people I hadn't seen for a couple of months commented on my having lost some weight recently. I'm an eats-when-bored type, and I've been losing a little bit of extra weight lately, so they asked me how I did it.

Other than some strategic dressing to de-emphasize my problem spots? And being too busy at work most days to snack?

"I'm eating less," I told them. They laughed, in that "Why didn't I think of that?" way. "Really, I'm eating less," I said.

But I didn't tell them one of the most effective ways to make it happen.

And that is planning. Because I get in trouble with food if I don't think about it until it's too late and by lunchtime I'm gnawing on a chair leg, overcome by hunger pangs. There are a few other things that keep me on the right path, food-wise.

Specifically:

1. Menu-driven. The super-organized Mr. Spandrel got us on the kick of planning the week's dinner menu on Sundays - then we shop for the ingredients we need. Saves time, money and thinking about what to eat after a long day at work. And if we're having a richer dinner, I have a salad for lunch.
2. Brown-bagging it. Bring lunch at least a few times a week makes a big difference. Not only is it cheaper and more reliable, but the portion sizes are more controllable. Typical: Boar's Head Turkey, wheat bread, lettuce and tomatoes when in season. Whole grain Fig Newtons. These days, an apple.
3. Adora calcium chocolate - by far the best chewable calcium supplement. It's a real piece of chocolate with 500 mg of calcium, but without the strange calcium taste. And it feels like a treat!
4. Always eat breakfast. Mine is the same thing every day - a certain combo of cereal that keeps me filled until lunchtime, orange juice, and sometimes tea. If I'm starving or didn't have a real dinner the night before, I'll have crispy wheat toast with strawberry jam (Bonne Maman), too. Tea in the wintertime.
5. Have places you never, ever eat. For example, I won't take food into my home office. So spending lots of online time at home means I don't snack as much.
6. Out of sight, out of mind. When we have snacks and goodies at home, we put them away. If I don't see them as soon as I enter the kitchen, I'm not as likely to scarf down too many.
7. Snacks go in a bowl. I have these cute little blue bowls we use for snacks, and a portion fits neatly into one bowl. So rather than eating the whole bag of whatever it is, I pour just a bowlful. (That doesn't mean I never go back for seconds, but it's easier to control!)