Routine

I started back to low carb eating on April 1st, today is April 26th and I'm down 17.5lbs.
Wahoo!!!

I was trying to figure out why it's working this time when I've tried to get back to low carb eating so darn many times.  And I think it's all based on having a set routine.

Routine is what keeps me on track on a daily basis, but even amidst chaos.  Just keep on doing what I was doing no matter the shit-storm going on around me.  Yes, routine.

My basic routine:

• I plan my meals on Sunday, then head to the grocery store. 
• While there I ONLY buy the foods I need, because if I get extra, I'll feel the need to eat it "before it goes rotten".  So yes, I'm there buying 2 oranges, a 1/3 bag of grapes, and 3 vine on tomatoes (not four because I don't need four). 
• Then I go home and start my food prep.  I've stopped cooking for the entire week because by the end of the week the food just wasn't as fresh, so I cook for half the week, .
• Last Sunday I cooked all my sausages but only 2 days of scrambled eggs.  Then on Wednesday I cooked two more servings (I went out for breakfast one day this week).
• For lunches I had cucumbers, olives, and either grilled chicken or turkey/cheese/salami roll ups.  Bought all the cucumbers and olives and put them in my work fridge.  Mon and Tues I ate the grilled chicken then on Tuesday night I stopped and got the deli meat for the rollups. 
• For suppers we had plans Monday and Tuesday, so on Wednesday I made a pork roast.  That roast will last me probably 6 meals, so I may end up throwing some out, but this weekend I'll chop some into an omelet then also have it for supper.  Next time I cut it in half and only cook half at a time.
• I go to work by 7am so I have time to go to the gym before going home. It's hard to sit in the gym and watch all the people out the windows leaving their offices to go home for the day. So I go early and therefore I'm leaving the gym when everyone else is finally heading home for the day. 
• And finally, I have a routine of stepping on the scale everyday. I am grateful I don't base my reaction to the day on the scale number, but I want to know if I'm on track. Recently the scale jumped up 3lbs, but I just kept following my routine and voila it fell back off and then some!

My point is that I plan, I prepare, then I just stick to my routine.  It gives me purpose when I don't know what else to do.  It keeps me on track when I'm wanting to veer.  It gives me peace when surrounded by chaos. 

For today, make a routine that is maintainable and stick to it! 
You can DO this!