When life gets busy, the foundations that keep us happy and healthy can be rocked and we end up grabbing food on the go, rushing meal times and eating whatever’s there to see us through.
Whether you are a busy parent of little ones, a bright young thing trying to juggle a healthy work-life balance or just feeling a bit frazzled by all that life demands of you, sometimes things can get a bit much and food-to-go seems like an easy option.
Before too long, this way of eating catches up with us and we end up feeling exhausted, craving sugary stuff and not really caring about the impact nutrition has on our health.
By the time the guilt creeps in, we put ourselves on a crazy diet that is unlikely to provide our body with the nutrition it desperately craves to help balance the stress of the daily grind.
Sound familiar? If you are caught in a spiral of bad habits and guilty feelings, it’s the little things that are going to help you. Not another diet.
Take a step back and work out what would be the easiest thing to change in your diet this week. That will help you get more in control of things without feeling overwhelmed.
Here are a few examples to get you thinking.
If you are craving sugar, then cutting out chocolate won’t get you too far, but adding in some extra protein and choosing low GI, higher fibre carbohydrates that will help to stabilise blood sugar balance might suit better. Do that for a week and see how you feel. If you end up craving less sweet stuff, then you can tackle the sugar habit next week.
If you haven’t got time to cook ‘proper meals’, make a list of five easy dinners that can be made quick as a flash. Omelettes, stir-fries, pasta dishes, traybake chicken and veggies or fish dishes are ideal. Pop some frozen veg into the mix for an easy way to increase variety and nutrition.
If you grab toast for breakfast while your packing school lunches, then switch things around just a little so you are getting more protein at breakfast time rather than too much bread. Simply swap to a seeded wholegrain or rye bread and top with cheese, peanut butter or almond nut butter, or switch to a totally different breakfast.
Keep it simple. It’s fine to eat the same thing every day, as long as it is energising you and not draining you. I’d suggest looking out for a low sugar granola and have that with a big dollop of natural yoghurt, a spoonful of flaxseed and some fruit. Quick, easy and very tasty.
If you eat what the rest of the family want, rather than what you want – think about where else in your day you could make a choice that suits you better. Perhaps family dinners are easier left alone, but could you change your breakfast or lunch to suit your needs better? Remember, keep it simple. If you are the only one in your family who likes fish, then grab some ready cooked salmon or tinned fish for lunches. If you want to eat more vegetables than the rest of them, make yourself a super salad or Buddha bowl for lunch – make enough to do two or three days to save time and effort.
If you crash in a heap at the end of the day with tea and biscuits, simply swap to a lower sugar biscuit. I like Nairn’s oat biscuits, they come in all different flavours – ginger or choc chip are good – or buy some decent bars like Kind or Graze for your treat rather than a skinny bar or custard cream. That way at least you are getting a little bit more nutrition into your day without forgoing the tasty treat. Swap to decaf or a herbal tea for a better night’s sleep.
