Back in my blogging days before I had my son, I used to create and share weekly meal plans. These plans showed what I was going to eat for EVERY meal and snack for all 7 days. Every week I complained about how hard it was. I also raved about how it saved me stress throughout the week but again complained that it was hard to stick to. I wonder why no one else ever wanted to do this meal planning thing with me?
What I’ve learned over the past year is that it doesn’t have to be hard AT ALL! The reason it felt hard was because I was trying to plan 49 different things (between meals & snacks) as well as figuring out all the points values and hoping nothing would change. Imagine me rolling on the floor laughing right now. THINGS ALWAYS CHANGE.
Now my weekly plans are more general. I list ideas of what I’ll eat and what I need to shop for, but I don’t get specific and commit to anything until the day before. Now my weekly plan is more of a guideline and my daily plan is what I commit to.

After my long hiatus with weight loss, I couldn’t even create a weekly plan. It was too much. When I restarted in May of 2019, I was focused entirely on daily plans. I did that for a long time and found lots of success on the scale by just making and following a daily plan. Then as I built more confidence, I moved into a new way to plan a little more in advance with my new version of a weekly plan.

When I followed Weight Watchers in 2009-2010, I was the queen of tracking. I was SO committed that not a single bite went in my mouth that wasn’t written down. Until the minute I slipped up and went over my points. Then it was an eating frenzy and NOTHING was written down.
I would feel like a failure and then sabotage myself. My inner voices loved these moments. Bingy Becky would encourage me to just eat and eat because she knew that tomorrow we’d be strict and deprived again. Hungry Helen would tell me I should keep eating because she was tired of being hungry and unsatisfied. Negative Nancy would say that I shouldn’t even bother trying because I’d already blown my day, and Scared Sarah would believe her and doubt if I’d EVER be able to get myself under control.
So ALL THAT DRAMA was wrapped up in overeating. Even if the overeating was small, it didn’t seem to matter. I liked the data that tracking provide me, but I obsessed over the numbers and didn’t give myself room for change or stumbles.
I’ve realized that my daily plans now are basically a version of pre-tracking like I did back in my WW days. However, my approach and mindset now is completely different. Making (and following) a plan helps me avoid impulse eating and decision drama, but I do not have any off limits foods and I do not feel deprived like I used to.
When you are ready to start, keep is SUPER simple. Write down the food you will eat for the following day. Be realistic and plan food you are willing to eat. Then follow that plan and don’t eat anything you didn’t plan for.
The free Quick Start Guide takes you through starting a daily plan in 4 easy steps.
The biggest lesson I had to learn was to stop making it so complicated. I used to think simple wasn’t good enough or wouldn’t get me results, but that’s not true! Consistently following a simple plan is way more effective than sometimes following a strict or complicated plan.
Now my plans are more realistic. My plans are not based on points or calories. I plan foods that I really want to eat, and I look forward to my meals. (No more dreading my tiny frozen meals!)
I plan for splurges but also don’t allow myself to eat mindlessly anymore. I have reconnected with my body’s hunger signals that I had ignored for years, so now my portions have naturally gotten smaller over time. I don’t mind smaller portions when I am mentally AND physically satisfied.
I do still try to make healthy choices most of the time, but I don’t have any rules about macros or a certain number of servings of one type of food. It all balances out. I never thought I’d be able to feel that way after obsessing so much about points and serving sizes and the number of servings I’d strive to eat per day, etc, but the daily plan helps me with that too. I’ve learned that following my plan combined with following my hunger scale leads to results.
Some people resist planning because they think it is restrictive, but for me it is actually freeing. I am eating foods I love and truly enjoying my meals. I don’t have to think about food all day or struggle with making “good” decisions in the moment because I just follow my plan. I don’t have as many cravings as I used to because nothing is off limits. If a craving comes up, I plan it for a future day. I don’t feel the need to eat everything I want the second I want it. I’m okay with delayed gratification.
It’s funny how we want things more when we make them off limits. I used to have such issues with donuts. I loved them and had a hard time resisting them. I used to get angry when there were free donuts at work because in my mind they were off limits because they were too high in calories/points. But now that I’ve cut out all the extra eating I was doing when I was not really hungry, I don’t stress about the calories of an occasional donut. Now that donuts are not off limits and I know I can have one any time I plan for it, they are not as tempting. I can usually take it or leave it. That is a HUGE change for me, and it just happened gradually the longer I was following my daily plan and working on my thoughts about hunger, deprivation, and satisfaction. I know it might feel impossible in the beginning, but I’m telling you from experience that you can get there.
For me, the daily plan was a game changer. When I combined the daily plan and the hunger scale, it was life changing. I started losing weight without feeling deprived and it didn’t feel hard because I started small. I did not try to overhaul everything at once. I started simply by planning my food and then slowly made improvements (a little at a time) to the type of food and portion sizes I was eating.
What is stopping you from making a daily plan? Is your Negative Nancy inner voice working overtime? What thoughts are holding you back?
- You don’t need a special planner.
I started with scrap paper and notes on my phone. - You don’t need tons of time.
It takes two minutes to jot down your food.
Aren’t you worth two minutes? - You don’t need to buy special food.
Plan your food with what you have on hand right now or plan what you will eat at a restaurant. - You don’t need to wait until Monday.
Start TODAY. There is nothing magical about a new week or a new month. When you’re ready to change your life, start that new life as soon as possible. - Stop telling yourself it is too hard.
We make it hard by thinking negative things. You can’t turn off those thoughts, but you can work on redirecting them to more helpful, positive thoughts. When your brain says “I can’t,” you say “Actually, I CAN!”
YOU CAN DO THIS! I’m here to help! Join the Facebook Community or connect with me through email (tanya {at} notreallyhungry {dot} com), voicemail (330-595-4662), or text message (330-595-4662).
Let me know what questions you have, what you’re struggling with, and what you need help with. I’ve got you! Also be sure to listen to the podcast for more ideas, support, and motivation so you can Eat Mindfully, Lose Weight, and Change Your Life!