How I did it: I think on the whole, I've achieved this. I'm much more likely to order just one course when eating out now and if I buy take away, I don't force myself to eat it all but eat a portion then save the rest for next meal times as nearly everything can be reheated safely. I've also made an effort to cook more often which is good because it means that I shop more efficiently, buying ingredients for planned meals instead of just buying what I fancy.

Lessons & tips: I used the food diary trick. Writing down everything you eat can be life-changing, especially if, like me, you work somewhere where there's always food floating around and you can snack during the day without even consciously being aware of it. After two days of doing this I generally become more aware and after a week, I make conscious decision in the morning about what food to take to work and what to eat during the day. I used the internet to order groceries online. By ordering online, I could plan each meal, check the recipe book for ingredients if I wasn't sure then check the kitchen cupboards to see if I already had them in. This stopped me from buying food I didn't need and missing vital ingredients that I did. This meant that I was more likely to eat the healthy meals that I'd planned instead of waiting til I was tired and hungry after work before thinking about what to cook and then ordering a takeaway or going out to eat.

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Feb 07, 2010, 02:21PM PST | 0 comments | 2 cheers