By Sherri Langburt

Successful dieters know that planning meals ahead of time is a key success strategy for losing weight. Experts say the more decisions you leave to the last minute, the greater your chance of making poor food choices. Just a small amount of time invested in creating a meal plan can reap great rewards. It saves money, cutting out impulsive fast-food drive-through runs, and can also save you from running to the grocery store for last-minute ingredients. Most importantly, it takes away the stress of agonising over finding something healthy to make for supper.

Meal planning doesn't have to be complicated. Here are 5 basics tips that will help get you started:

Make it a To Do: Setting aside time to plan your meals will help make it a priority. Scheduling it into your calendar, as a daily or weekly task, will remind you to plan your meals regularly.

Eliminate the Guesswork: Check out the 7-day meal plans at WeightWatchers.ca for ideas and inspiration to guide you through the planning process.

Make it Fun: Getting creative with your meal plans will make it less of a chore. Incorporating new recipes or never-before tried foods into your meal plans will keep you enthusiastic about food preparation while staying true to your plan. Enlisting help from family members can also make this a fun group activity.

Create a Shopping List: Get into the habit of planning before food shopping.
Write down all of the foods you will need to prepare your meals for the week before heading to the grocery store.

Stay Flexible: While a formal menu plan promotes accountability, a last minute dinner date or a late start to your morning are inevitable facts of life. Weight Watchers TurnAroundR is about flexibility, so don't beat yourself up if you stray.