How to have a healthy diet with a busy lifestyle
Diet suffering due to crazy busy lifestyle ?
Between balancing two jobs , multiple work contracts, and family life, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt guilty when it comes to dinnertime and I have nothing healthy ready to go.
After all, I’m a healthy eater most of the time so this shouldn’t even take effort, right? So wrong.
Whether you’re well-versed in nutrition and cooking, or just learning, balancing eating healthier while also keeping up with the demands of life can get super overwhelming.
However, after a few meltdowns over ordering takeout a few too many nights, I pulled myself off of the floor and started putting into practice all the tips that I’ve shared with clients over the years & guess what , it is working
Especially when you’re surrounded by pretty images of food all day on social media, it’s easy to get caught up in thinking that a healthy meal has to look worthy of being served at Tom Brady and Giesel’s house.
But as most of us don’t have a private chef, it’s time to put those thoughts away and realize that eating healthier doesn’t have to be time-consuming or difficult. In fact, it can actually boost our productivity and active lifestyles. It just takes a little leg-work in the beginning to get your new habits off and running.
How does maintaining a healthy diet support your busy lifestyle?
f you’re reading this , you probably don’t need me to tell you that what you eat is important. After all, there’s a reason the phrase, “Let food be thy medicine” has stuck around for so long.
But in addition to protecting you against chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, what you eat can also affect your current lifestyle (1).
In fact, studies have found that diet plays a key role in:
Maintaining a strong immune system to prevent getting sick (2,3).
Boosting and maintaining energy levels (4).
Improving mood and reducing stress (5, 6).
Preventing brain fog and fatigue (7).
Supporting exercise performance (8).
So, while you may think that you don’t have time to prep and eat a healthy meal, by not maintaining a healthy diet, you’re actually preventing yourself from being your best, most energized self.
My top 5 tips for maintaining a healthy diet with a busy lifestyle
1. Make breakfast ahead of time
Best breakfast recipes for busy mornings
Regardless of your schedule and food preferences in the morning, there’s a way to have something that’s nutritious ready to grab-and-go.
Here are some of the best breakfast ideas for busy mornings:
Overnight oats.
Homemade granola or protein bars with a piece of fruit.
Egg casseroles.
Make-ahead smoothie freezer packs.
Baked oatmeal.
Whole wheat wrap with whipped cream cheese, smoked salmon, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
Slice of whole wheat or sourdough toast with almond butter, banana slices, and sprinkle of hemp or chia seeds.
Plain Greek yogurt topped with berries and low-sugar granola or muesli.
Cottage cheese with sliced fruit, drizzle of honey, and slivered almonds.
Whole wheat english muffin with hummus, avocado, and a sprinkle of chia or hemp seeds.
2. Meal prep for lunch and dinner
Personally, I find lunch to be the hardest aspect of maintaining a healthy diet with a busy lifestyle. And especially living in the city, getting takeout is a far too-easy fall-back.
One of the best ways to avoid the drive through or takeout is to prep your meals ahead of time.
Yes, it takes time to plan and prep, but by putting in a few hours on Sunday, you can avoid having to cook the rest (or a least most nights) of the week.
To make meal prep easier, look for recipes with 5 ingredients or less and ones with overlapping ingredients.
Picking one or two slow cooker or no-cook meals can also help cut down on the amount of time you’re spending on meal prep.
3. Make or assemble snacks for the week
Each week I make a big batch of homemade protein or granola bars to keep stashed in the fridge or freezer. As I work from home, I can just grab one when needed. But to take on the go, simply have some reusable snack bags on hand to toss one in.
Some easy make ahead snacks that I’ll cycle through include:
Homemade muffins.
High-protein quick breads.
Hard boiled eggs.
Mason jars with raw veggies with hummus.
Fresh fruit with cheese sticks.
Half portions of sandwiches or wraps.
4. Invest in a slow cooker or instant pot
As mentioned earlier, having at least one slow cooker or instant pot recipe planned can save you a lot of time during the week. Not only can you make a big batch at once, but there’s (usually) minimal prep involved.
Personally I like the slow cooker better as I like how low-maintenance it is, but I know others who swear by their instant pot.
5. Don’t overthink it
At the end of the day, one of the worst things you can do is get stressed about not eating healthy “enough” or “perfectly.”
Life happens. And there are going to be nights of takeout food or lunches that may not have a serving of vegetables in them. And that’s okay.
Rather than beating yourself up over it and entering into a nasty cycle, acknowledge how much you’re balancing and be okay with not having an Instagram-worthy day of eating.
Happy Monday have a great week
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