5 Tips to Stay Healthy With a Busy Lifestyle
Balancing work, family, friends, and a healthy lifestyle can seem overwhelming… however you can do it! Here are some tips to eat healthy and make more time for all those other things you have going on.
Tip #1: Plan Ahead! Preparing meals ahead of time can be a life saver! By taking just one hour on Sunday to prepare food for the week, you will save yourself so much time and hassle during the weeknights trying to prepare lengthy recipes. When some people think of meal prep they picture the standard portioning of meals into 5 containers and eating the same thing every day. While this may work for some, I would find this repetitive and boring. Take the hour on Sunday to cut up veggies, prepare sides, and portion out snacks for the coming week. Even simply portioning out foods can make weeknight dinners go a whole lot smoother. Some ideas are chopping up peppers, onions, tomatoes, and lettuce that you could use for taco night, or salads to pack for lunches.
Tip #2: Invest in a Slow Cooker! My slow cooker is by far my best investment. I always recommend this to busy people, because I myself am so busy that I find my slow cooker is the best time saver. Just imagine spending only about 10 minutes preparing a meal, and when you get home your house smells amazing and it’s all ready to eat! Here’s my favorite slow cooker recipe:
Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients:
4 bell peppers, sliced
2 chicken breasts
1 onion, chopped
2 cans petite diced tomatoes (low sodium)
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 package low sodium fajita seasoning mix
1 package fajita style whole wheat tortillas
1 can of salsa verde
1 container plain non-fat greek yogurt (sour cream substitute)
1 package shredded cheese
1 avocado
Spices: 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp chili powder
Directions:
Add one can of tomatoes to the slow cooker
Add half the peppers, half the onion, and half the garlic
Combine spices and fajita seasoning mix together in a bowl
Rub spice mix on both sides of chicken and add to slow cooker
Top with the rest of the tomatoes, peppers, onion, and garlic
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours *Make sure chicken is cooked thoroughly before serving!
Once done, remove chicken breasts and shred
Serve on warm tortillas with remaining ingredients for toppings
Tip #3: Sneak in Physical Activity! You don’t have to spend hours at the gym to add exercise to your day. Simply try parking farther away in the parking lot to get those extra steps. Take the stairs whenever possible. If you work in an office setting or have a sitting job, try getting up a few times each hour to stretch and walk for a few minutes. Encourage family or friends to go out on the weekends to the park or even walking around the mall. Just making these small quick changes will really add up throughout the day!
Tip #4: Try Meal Delivery Services! Meal delivery services are becoming popular lately. They save lots of time – no need to grocery shop! They can also be fairly healthy and control portion size. The prices are decent and you can even often find Groupons for some like Blue Apron. They also eliminate waste by only giving you exactly the amount you need. You won’t have to buy a huge bouquet of kale when all the recipe calls for is 1 cup! Many grocery stores are also offering delivery now like Whole Foods and Stop & Shop. See our blog post on Meal Delivery Services to learn more! https://www.wellpowered.org/single-post/2017/09/06/Meal-Delivery-Services-Are-they-Healthy
Tip #5: Keep Healthy Snacks at Work! If possible, keep healthy snacks at work so when get hungry you have it ready to go. Some snack ideas are baggies of baby carrots with hummus, cut up apples, or celery sticks with peanut butter. Stick to the “grab-and-go” snacks that you can even prepare on Sunday.