5 Tips on how to Eat Healthy With a Busy Schedule
Whether you’re a mom, a full-time employee, a full-time student, or all three, it can be hard to maintain healthy eating habits, especially with drive-thru restaurants being so quick and convenient.
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming; if you build the right habits, it will only get easier.
Here are five tips for eating healthy that I have to share with you–
Make Time to Meal Prep.
If you’re extremely busy throughout the weeknights, it will be even more tempting to go through a drive-through, most likely resulting in a high-calorie meal with little nutritional benefits.
Even if you don’t have time to cook, you can use a day off to prepare some grab-and-go meals and fruits and vegetables for your snacks.
If meal prepping for an entire meal or week is too much for you, consider just chopping and prepping ingredients in advance. You can keep these prepared ingredients on hand in the fridge for quick meal assembly later in the week. You’ll be surprised at how much time you’ll save when you don’t have to chop your vegetables!
Have a Meal Plan, but Don’t Over-Complicate It.
I get it. Meal prepping isn’t for everyone. Unless you’re a psychic, it’s nearly impossible to guess what you’re going to be in the mood for three days from now. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t plan out your meals and save yourself some time in the future.
Take a look at your week before you go grocery shopping. Think what days of the week you’ll struggle to find the time to make a healthy dinner. For those nights, plan to make healthy recipes that are quick and easy to make, with minimal prep or clean-up and 20 minutes of cook time—or less.
Plan these meals out before you go shopping; that way, you can have the ingredients on-hand without having to do the extra mental work of planning. This also keeps you from taking those “quick” runs into the grocery store when you run in for one item and walk out with ten.
Make Your Freezer Your Best Friend.
We all know that fresh produce, while delicious, can be a bit of a time-suck by the time you wash, prep, and store it. If you’re struggling with time throughout the week and have found that meal prepping isn’t for you, you may be better off using frozen or canned fruits and vegetables. These options can be just as nourishing as fresh produce, with the added benefit of being less perishable.
You can add frozen veggies to canned soup or reheated leftovers, serve canned veggies as a side dish, or enjoy canned fruit with mid-day snacks. Just remember to look out for added sugar, sodium, or preservatives and ensure that you’re getting the healthiest option. 😉
Another way your freezer can help you eat healthy—cook meals when you have the time and stash some in the freezer. Then, defrost and heat up as needed. This is a great option for various types of meats and batches of soups & stews.
Stock up on Healthy Snacks.
Snacking can really throw you off if you aren’t smart about it. They don’t typically stock the vending machines at the office with fresh fruits and vegetables for everyone to snack on. It’s more like the bags of chips, snack cookies, and candies that are going to tempt you.
Prepping and stocking up on healthy snacks can be a real game-changer. You can have fresh & dried fruits, veggies & hummus, nuts, or pre-mixed trail mix ready to grab and take with you to have a healthy snack option on you at the office or wherever you spend the day.
Always Have a Water Bottle.
You may confuse thirst with your mid-day hunger when your cravings are actually from dehydration or exhaustion. If you stay hydrated, you’ll feel more energized and alert while staying in check with your diet.
When you’re out and about, it can be really tempting to stop for sugary drinks, whether it be your latte from Starbucks or your usual Sonic drink. Resist the urge to do this by having a water bottle with you wherever you go. I suggest that you invest in a solid, refillable water bottle that will keep your water cold, so you won’t be tempted to reach for the soda when you’re out of water.
Eat Healthier with McClure Fitness
By now, you may be thinking this is great information, but you’re also wondering how to put these tips into action. Let’s face it. You don’t have the time to scroll through Pinterest to find a healthy meal that you’ll actually like.
With McClure Fitness Online, I give you access to my private recipe book of over 200 healthy meals. Use these recipes to plan your weeks out and set yourself up for success.
Check out McClure Fitness Online to find a workout program that’s right for you, and get access to my recipe book so that you can develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle!
