Healthy Eating On The Go
Does your busyness get in the way of you prioritising nourishing yourself and your health? Do you find eating fresh or healthy meals a daily challenge?
This month I have been travelling through Canada; a surprise 4 week trip that my gorgeous partner organised. We both love to travel and thrive on the excitement of seeing new places, experiencing different cultures and meeting like minded people. We met in Thailand while I was living out there and he was travelling, and so travel and adventure is a very important part of our relationship.
One of the main barriers we have found whilst exploring different parts of the world together is that when we are ‘on the road’ without access to a kitchen it’s challenging to eat in the way we want to; eating a balance of fresh, mostly plant based and nourishing meals. This is an issue that I believe permeates most people's lives to one extent or another, not so much due to the lack of facilities, but due to a busy and fast paced life which doesn’t leave a lot of time for thought around food preparation or quality. Before becoming a nutritionist, I worked as a busy high school biology teacher for 15 years, and experienced first hand the challenge of eating nourishing foods while at work, and this is a topic I tackle with many of my clients.
Why Is Health At The Bottom Of The Pile?
Modern life does not allow much space for us to prioritise our nutrition or health. Work comes first to many of us, we feel obliged to work through our lunch breaks, sitting at a screen whilst eating mindlessly and often forced to consume convenience foods which provide little nutrition. I remember it well; the mild panic I felt when I had to tear myself away from my desk to walk upstairs (I was in a science lab so not allowed to eat at my desk), stepping away from marking test papers, just to eat my lunch. Looking back now I can see that this is such a crazy way to view things; if we don’t nourish our bodies we can’t function well at work or in life. Taking a 5-10 minute break from the screen actually gives a renewed sense of creativity and concentration; most of us know this but choose to sit at our computers and press on regardless.
How To Make A Change....
I have discovered there are a few hacks you can implement to ensure you’re nourishing yourself whether at work, when you’re very busy or travelling. One of the foundational elements that I share with clients is to plan ahead. Most of us have an idea of how busy our work week is going to be, so preparing yourself beforehand is an important part of self care and ensures you nourish your body. Here I will share 3 key healthy hacks to increase your chances of eating well during busy times or when on the go, whether working or travelling.
Healthy hack #1 - Prioritise Healthy Eating
Have you ever noticed that you wake up early enough to brush your teeth and wash, but don’t prioritise breakfast or taking a healthy lunch with you to work? Making a commitment to your health is the first step in creating a new behaviour, as well as being compassionate to yourself and knowing that it’s ok to have days when you slip up. In fact this is part of the learning process; basically you’re rewiring your brain so it takes time for a new behaviour to embed itself and become automatic. Many of us seem to prioritise everything else over healthy eating, until our health begins to suffer that is. ‘There’s no change without a crisis’ is a phrase that my partner introduced me to and sadly so often this is true. Many clients that come to me are at a point where their health is already suffering and impacting their ability to enjoy life. This can be prevented from happening by putting healthy behaviours in place now while you’re still healthy, that will serve you in the long term; a challenge in this modern world of instant gratification, but not impossible. It's up to you to make a decision and commitment to yourself, by choosing to prioritise your health over work, socialising, friends and even family. Eating a nourishing and well balanced diet is the foundation for health in other areas of your life. If your body is receiving the nutrients it needs to function optimally then you will feel mentally good too and better able to be there for your friends, family and to perform at work.
Healthy Hack #2 - Fail To Prepare, Prepare To Fail
Does this sound harsh to you? It’s blunt but so true…..I’m sure you’ve heard this phrase or similar before, preparation is everything. Most of us know what is coming up a week ahead these days, if not a month ahead. I know my calendar gets booked up in advance, so the best way to ensure you are feeling energised, healthy and positive is to nourish yourself well. If you have a busy work week, do some batch cooking at the weekend; make a big pot of soup, curry, stew or chilli and freeze it in some Tupperware. Book in an online shop delivery mid week to ensure that you get the fresh produce you need to take to work or on the overnight trip you have planned. Create your own nut, seed and dried fruit mix to snack on, and make sure you take enough food with you if you're out all day. One of the mistakes I used to make is I’d take some food but not enough, especially when I was cycling to and from work. I’d then be starving and more likely to buy something from the local shop; usually a sweet snack to satisfy my carb craving! If you’re away with friends and you’re going to eat out, check out the menu of where you’re going first. Make a choice based on what health outcomes you want and if you decide to choose a heavy or fatty meal, then eat a lighter meal the next morning, and don’t beat yourself up. Own your choice and enjoy it and then commit to getting back to your plan. The key is balance remember….. not restriction and berating yourself. Life’s too short for that. The more you plan and implement, the easier it becomes and the better you’ll feel; more energy, better attention span, more creativity, positivity and communication with others. There are no down sides or unwanted side effects!
Healthy Hack #3 - Time Spent Is Down To You
'I don’t have time to cook during the week', 'I’m too tired to prepare food when I get home'. How many times have you said this? I get it, I’ve been there too, but this is where the other 2 hacks above come in. If you’ve decided to prioritise health and planned ahead, then you don’t have to prepare a meal when you get home from a busy day. You can take a box out of the freezer, heat it up and have a nourishing, tasty meal ready for yourself and your family without the thought or effort. Another tip; one of the most effective mindset shifts I can advise is to change this narrative. Instead of seeing cooking a meal as ‘work and effort’, you could see it as a relaxing and creative activity. If you’re not the best cook, don’t try to cook something elaborate and different when you’re tired and don’t have a lot of time. Choose a simple and tasty recipe you can make (stir fry for example - you can even buy the veggies pre cut!) that doesn’t take a lot of thought to make.
Be Kind To You
The key message this week is that it takes effort and planning ahead to eat a healthy balanced diet these days. If you’re struggling to make changes it’s not a surprise really, considering the wealth of fast foods, ultra processed snacks and tempting cakes at every turn. So stop telling yourself you’re weak and have no willpower. Instead focus your energy on making just one change each week that will take you in the right direction, and once you start to see changes in your health you’ll be enthused to continue on the journey towards health and a more vibrant future.
Self compassion is a key ingredient to success in this process of change, as well as understanding that you're never going to be perfect. In fact the pursuit of perfection is what causes most people to fail in any health change journey. You’re going to have bad days and days when you can’t be arsed, but remember that is all part of the growth process and it's essential to maintain your commitment at those times. Call a friend, or a family member who loves you and wants you to succeed, and stay away from temptations or people who might sway you to a behaviour that is no longer serving you. This all comes back to prioritising yourself and your health; those who support you are your guardian angels guiding you on your healing journey, so stick with them and enjoy the ride.
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