One of the biggest barriers I hear from clients is that they are TOO BUSY to worry about healthy eating, exercising, and overall wellness. But, newsflash, you can do it all even on a busy schedule! It is all about prioritizing your health & becoming slightly better with time management. Here are some simple steps to take now…
Rule 1: Planning is ESSENTIAL. However, this doesn’t mean you need to plan for a new meal each night… that’s too much! Instead, plan for the meals you will make, those nights you’ll use leftovers, and those nights you’ll be dining out or getting a healthy fast food choice. If it is written down, you’ll be less stressed and 100% more likely to succeed!
Rule 2: Keep it simple. You don’t need to make a fresh entrée, side, or dessert each night. Utilize microwave friendly items to save on time. These include steamer vegetable bags, microwave whole grain bags, and frozen fruit. Then, you’ll only need to focus on baking that chicken and the rest will be a piece of cake to heat and eat!
Rule 3: Keep the freezer and pantry stocked with healthy food for emergencies. Once again those frozen vegetables and fruit will be helpful in a pinch. Also, make sure you have plenty of whole grains, canned beans, canned vegetables, canned seafood or lean chicken, or low-sodium soups in your pantry too.
Rule 4: Prepare double batches of food when you are rushed so you can cook once and eat twice. Think of these as “Planned-overs” versus your typical leftovers. Just as stated above, planning is essential even when you are planning to use leftovers.
Rule 5: Share the work! You don’t have to do it alone. Have a spouse or roommate? Divvy up the meals each week to take the burden off a single individual. Have children? Involve them in meal planning and prepping to not only speed up the process but begin teaching them healthy habits in the kitchen.
It is not a “no-brainer” when it comes to healthy eating for busy families, but remember this… YOU ARE IMPORTANT. Make YOU a priority so that you can crush your busy schedule while being a healthy role model for your kids, family, and friends. You must take care of yourself before you can care for others! Use the above rules to build a foundation of healthy eating and wellness that works for your family.
Want to dive more into ways to achieve healthy eating for busy families & busy individuals? Join me on Wednesday, December 19that 12 pm CST for a free webinar discussing On-the-Go Eating for Busy Families. New to Healthie? Enroll HERE. Already a Healthie member, then enroll HERE. Get ready to crush your New Year goals by learning how to eat better on a busy schedule.
