9 Simple Ways To Make Time For Your Health (From an Anorexia Survivor)
I get it. You’re busy. You don’t have time and you can’t be bothered to add any additional tasks to your day. But what if I told you about 9 simple ways that you could improve your health AND save time? Sound too good to be true? Keep reading.
Squeeze In Breakfast: I’m sure you’ve heard that breakfast is “the most important meal of the day”. While this subject may be up for debate, it’s a fact that having a meal within 1 hour of waking up improves concentration, memory, metabolism, and weight. The most common excuse I get from non-breakfast eaters is that they don’t have time. While I completely understand (and live) a hectic schedule myself, I feel this excuse is sort of weak. That’s because breakfast doesn’t have to take up much time at all. I love a big breakfast of pancakes and bacon as much as the next guy, but let’s face it, no-one has time for that in the morning. Instead, try a few of these simple breakfast hacks to reshape your morning routine.
Pre-assmble smoothie ingredients in the blender the night before. For example, place a banana, strawberries, yogurt, and milk in the blender jar, then leave it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, simply pop the blender jar onto the blade, blend, and go! See link for recipes: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/make-ahead-smoothies-customized-smoothies-family-fun/
Overnight oats are a great way to slip in some filling fiber and protein in the morning. These oats are prepared the night before, left in the fridge to soak overnight, and enjoyed cold (straight out of the fridge) in the morning. For some great overnight oats recipes, follow this link: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/overnight-oats/ ; https://minimalistbaker.com/peanut-butter-overnight-oats/
If your’e still not convinced, an even quicker option is to grab a protein bar and piece of fruit while heading out the food. Other ideas include hard boiled eggs, a baggie of granola and nuts, or banana with peanut butter.
Batch Cook: Oddly enough, I’m a dietitian who hates cooking. Why? Because it takes up SO MUCH TIME. By the time you find a recipe, gather the ingredients, wash, cut, cube, slice, stir, simmer, boil, etc. (and then do the dishes), you’ve successfully used up 2 hours of your evening. No thanks. Instead, I “batch cook”. At some point in the week (typically on Sunday), my husband and I will make 2-3 different recipes in large portions. It’s just the 2 of us, so even if you don’t have a family to share with, batch cooking is still something you should consider. The following are ways in which I batch cook:
Roasting a few sheet pans of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and carrots supplies the veggies for the week.
Grilling 4-5 chicken breasts at a time makes it easy to assemble quick meals the following days. When dinner rolls around, I’ll warm one up and pair it with a side of roasted veggies.
My husband makes the best pasta sauce, which he’ll prepare in giant quantities so we can eat on it all week. All that’s left to do is boil the noodles!
Soups, chili, casseroles, and pasta bakes are some other great options for batch cooking. Check out the links below for nutritious batch recipes + batch cooking tips: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/diet-nutrition/news/a40557/healthy-meals-freeze-batch-cook/ ; https://www.heynutritionlady.com/batch-cooking-for-a-healthy-week/
Pack On-The-Go Snacks: We’ve all been there: it’s 3 p.m., the awkward time between lunch and dinner. You’re feeling a little snacky, but are worried about what kinds of choices you’ll make if you allow yourself something to hold you over until dinner. As a huge advocate of snacks, I’m here to tell you to EAT A FREAKIN SNACK. I so often have patients tell me they try to cut back on snacking when weight loss is their goal. While this makes sense on paper, it doesn’t usually work out that way. When we arrive at a meal ravenous, we’re more likely to overeat. However, if we allow ourselves a small snack full of protein and fiber, we set ourselves up to make better choices at the next meal. Here are a few tips for when you’re choosing a snack:
Keep it between 150-250 calories (especially if you’ll be having a meal soon)
Include protein and fiber, which keep you fuller longer (think nuts and a small apple vs. a bag of chips)
Pre-portion your snacks to avoid consuming more than intended (remember, it’s just meant to keep you going until meal time… it’s not a meal in itself)
Here are a few handy snack options that I enjoy:
protein bar (make sure it’s low in sugar)
handful of almonds with a small banana
yogurt topped with granola
whole grain crackers and cheese or peanut butter
If you have nutrition questions, ask a professional: This hack is quick and to the point. Save yourself the headache of sifting through false claims online and chat with a dietitian about your nutrition adequacy. Don’t waste your time on bogus articles written by individuals with no certifications or credentials to actually educate you.
Carry a water bottle: That’s it. It’s recommended that we consume at least 64 ounces of water each day.
Get creative with your exercise: This is the one where most of you will begin hating me. But I’m going to say it anyway because it’s so important for your overall health (and I care, okay?). Realistically, many of us don’t have an hour each day to go to the gym. But what you might not realize is that exercise doesn’t necessarily mean attending barre class or going to cross fit.
If you can’t make it to the gym, here are some ways in which you can sneak in exercise throughout the day:
Before showering in the morning, work up a sweat. Wake up 15 minutes early to squeeze in a few sets of crunches, push ups, planks, squats, wall sits, jumping jacks, etc.
If you have a desk job, take 3 short walks throughout the day (10 minutes each at a moderate pace = 30 minutes of exercise). This can be around the building, up and down the stairwell, or through the hallways. It’s important to remember that not all 30 minutes of daily exercise have to be completed at once. Feel free to split it up throughout the day!
Get moving while watching TV (crunches, push ups, planks, squats, wall sits, jumping jacks, lunges, hip raises, etc.)
Whatever type of exercise you choose, make sure it’s something you enjoy. Otherwise, it’ll be tough to stick with. And remember, physical activity is an investment in your health. Not only will you reap physical benefits, but mental one’s as well.
Know what to order when dining out: There are still those days where you truly just don’t have the time. So when there’s no choice but to swing through the drive through (or you just want the night off), here’s how to order:
Choose grilled options over fried.
Swap out the fries for a side salad.
Ask for the dressing on the side, so that you can control how much goes on.
If you’re really wanting a burger and fries, order off the kids menu (this keeps the portion size down while still satisfying your craving).
Opt for 0 calorie drinks (water is best, but unsweetened tea is also a great option!).
Remember that this is just a “sometimes meal”… so don’t beat yourself up if it’s not exactly the healthiest dinner you’ve ever had.
Plan ahead: Finding time for your health can be tough. But planning ahead and being prepared are some of the best ways you can stay on track and achieve your goals. For example: when will you find time to shop for groceries? What day works best for you to batch cook? At what time of day can you squeeze in exercise? It’s like they always say, “a goal without a plan is just a wish”.
And last but not least, don’t be too hard on yourself: Realizing we’re all just human and we make mistakes is key. Just because you’ve fallen off the horse or didn’t stick to your plan this week doesn’t mean it’s time to throw in the towel. Get back up, realize why it didn’t work this week, make necessary changes, and remember why you started. Once you accept that you’ll never be perfect, you can begin to truly love yourself and your body (no matter what).