Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Planning ahead - Meals and Workouts

Lately I've been in this "get organized" mode and it's not a bad thing.  My house has stayed clean for over TWO weeks now.  It's truly wonderful to walk into my house and know that I don't have anything to pick up because everything is already picked up.  The kitchen is clean with no dishes left in the sink overnight.  My sink is even shiny!  That's right, I'm FLYing.

If you aren't familiar with the FLYLady, check out her website - especially if you long for home organization - at flylady.net.  The beginner steps are awesome and totally get you ready to do some serious de-cluttering.

In the process of getting organized, I also found another "oldie but goodie." The idea of cook for a day and eat for a month.  Ever heard of it?  It's self-explanatory really, but there are SO many websites out there that offer free recipes and menu-planning.  Since it's just 2 of us, I usually cook enough for four or five, so why not freeze the leftovers?  This week, my grocery bill was less than $20 because of planning ahead and using my "frozen assets".  I've got a few books on hold at the library with even more awesome cook ahead/freeze recipes.  I'm really looking forward to those.

Another by-product of getting organized is the schedule planning.  I sit down once a week now and attempt to plan my week.  There are all kinds of websites out there offering free planner templates with everything from tasks and menus to Bible study and exercise.  I'm loving this.  I'm a huge list maker and it always gives me such a sense of accomplishment when I've completed my list.

Planning workouts as if they are an appointment instead of something I just get around to is HUGE!  For example, on Tuesday, I had to go to court (speeding ticket and I wanted it reduced) so I ended up going in to work much later.  This meant I wouldn't get home until after dinner time.  So, instead of sleeping in like I REALLY wanted to, I set the alarm and got up and worked out.  Amazing - I have rarely done that.  But there's something about writing down a plan that helps it stick.

It was a quick workout, but I did around 25 minutes of bike plus treadmill.  Even kicked it up a few times and ran - crazy, I know, but eventually I will run the whole stinkin' time.  Until then, every little bit helps I hope.

So... have you tried freezing meals in advance?  What worked best for you?  Better yet, what was the worst meal (taste or texture) that didn't work out the way it was planned?  
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