Health Tips for a Busy Lifestyle
If you’re living a busy life due to a demanding career or family, it can be difficult to find ways to fit in time to think about health. Luckily, there are several simple ways you can get started towards living a healthier lifestyle.
Simplify Your Meals
A meal doesn’t need to be complicated in order to be healthy. Make things easier on yourself by preparing simple lunches like lean meat and leafy greens on whole wheat bread. If you’re not a big fan of wheat bread or veggies like kale or spinach, try adding a guilt-free spread to the sandwich to spice things up. Mayo doesn’t have to be packed with calories, fat, and cholesterol. There is a healthy alternative available, made by Hampton Creek. Their mayo and salad dressings are egg free and sustainably produced, so you can enjoy adding extra flavor to your meals.
Dedicate Time to Meal Prep
Of course, there are many times when a simple meal like a sandwich or salad just won’t satisfy your cravings. Try to dedicate one day per week to meal prepping in advance. You can have several recipes at the ready and spend a few hours preparing meals for the week. Once you are done, you can freeze them to warm up at a later date. This takes the guesswork out of what you’ll make for dinner during the busier times of the week.
Make Smoothies for Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and many Americans miss the opportunity to eat a healthy breakfast. Breaking your fast revs up your metabolism and provides your body with the energy you need to get through the day. Instead of opting for a doughnut or a sugary coffee drink to power you through the morning, make a smoothie with plenty of green veggies. Healthy smoothies require little prep time, as all you need is a handful of fruits, veggies, and a splash of almond milk or orange juice. You can even add oats to a smoothie for an extra boost of fiber.
Pack Lunches for Work
If you have a demanding job and you frequently make trips through a drive through for a burger and fries, save time and money by packing your lunch. All it takes is a few minutes a day to prepare a salad or grilled chicken with veggies, and you’ll feel much more satisfied after eating a meal comprised of whole foods rather than cheap and greasy fast food. In as little as a few weeks, you could notice a difference in your waistline from cutting out fast food.
Prepare Soups for Dinner
Cooking an elaborate meal can take several hours, but soups usually require little prep time. All you need is a few handfuls of vegetables, a carton of broth, and perhaps a bit of lean meat. There are several quick and easy soup recipes to be found online from your favorite food blog or Pinterest, and once you find one you like, you can easily prepare a healthy soup a few times per month to simplify your meals.
Take the Stairs
It can be hard to find enough time to exercise, but there are simple ways to sneak more in. If you work in an office building that has several floors, skip the elevator and take the stairs. Take some time to build up your fitness, and take a break on each flight if needed. If your building doesn’t have several floors but you’re still hoping to log more steps, take a break once an hour to walk a lap around the building. Getting your blood pumping will help to give you an extra boost of energy if you fall victim to feeling tired in the afternoon.
Conclusion
Our lifestyles are becoming busier than ever, but that doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice your health. In order to perform your best, your health should be a top priority. There are lots of ways to improve your health even if you have the tightest of schedules. Meal planning and taking one day a week to prep food in advance will work wonders for your diet. When you have plenty of healthy food available on the days when you’re too tired to cook, you’ll be able to avoid temptations like ordering takeout. Just a few minutes of planning per day can help you make healthier decisions and meet your fitness and health goals.
Are you living a crazy busy lifestyle? Have you a heath tip for a busy lifestyle that you’d care to share?