We can keep our freezer stocked with chicken breasts, chops, fish fillets, and other items that can be defrosted quickly so that we can prepare meals easily. We can also pack and bring a lunch to work so that we will eat better and be less tempted to make poor choices at work.

Having a plan is not antithetical to the concept of mindful eating. We can plan meals and still eat mindfully. We can ask ourselves in the morning what we are in the mood to have for dinner that night and leave that item out to defrost. Most of us have to work and feed families, therefore, we need to plan and have food available when we get home.

We can’t just eat what we feel like in the moment all the time; it isn't practical for most of us. We need a structure for our lives to run smoothly. We don’t have to rigidly follow the plan; we can pull something out to eat in the morning, but if it’s not what we want later, we can choose differently, but at least we have a plan in place.

We cannot be successful in this area of our life without creating a structure for it to happen. Success won’t just appear one day. We have to lay a foundation that will guarantee our success. That means creating successful plans or routines for managing our daily emotional/mental, spiritual, and physical needs. If we shortchange ourselves in any of these areas, we create an imbalance and we are easily thrown off kilter.