17 Oct EASY WAYS TO SAVE TIME AND EAT HEALTHY
Eat fresh, nutritious foods, exercise regularly, and you will lose weight.
When you put it like that it sounds so simple. But if it were so easy, obesity wouldn’t be an issue in America, and the fast-food industry wouldn’t be a billion-dollar business.
The reality is losing weight isn’t as easy as it sounds. It takes time, motivation, dedication, and maybe even some sacrifices. Quick-fixes are nonexistent.
Our schedules are jam-packed. There’s no denying it, and sometimes the temptation of fast food gets the best of us you’re starving, it’s cheap, comforting. We have this perception that cooking our own, healthier meals takes an exorbitant amount of time. While a home-cooked meal will never be as speedy as the drive-thru, with proper preparation, a healthy meal can be ready in a matter of minutes. Follow my tips to save time and craft a healthier lifestyle.
Wash and Chop fruits and vegetables immediately after grocery shopping. Chopping ingredients is time consuming. If you take out the cutting board when you immediately return from your weekly trip to the grocery store, you won’t have to spend time chopping and washing when your schedule is more hectic. If you’re planning on making a stir fry, for example, planning ahead can cut your cooking time in half. You are also more likely to reach for a healthy snack, like an apple, grapes, or berries, if you do not have to wash or chop. You can even go the extra mile and separate fruit into portion-sized Ziploc bags to have the perfect snack at your fingertips.
Move your alarm clock to the opposite side of the room. Alarm goes off at 7 a.m. Snooze. 7:15 a.m. Snooze. 7:30 a.m. Ahhh! I’m late and don’t have time for breakfast. I guess a doughnut on my way to work will do. This vicious cycle is a surefire way to deter from your medical weight loss plan. The way you start your day sets the tone for your eating habits the remainder of the day. If you put your alarm clock in a place where you physically have to get up to turn it off, you will be less likely to snooze and ensure you save time for a nutritious breakfast.
Pack your lunch the night before. If you savor every second of shut eye you can get, you can also save time in the morning by brown bagging your lunch before you hit the hay. When you bring your own lunch to work, you control what you put in your body. You wouldn’t knowingly pack a 1,000-calorie lunch, would you? Plus, you avoid the temptation of hitting fast-food joints when you’re crammed at work because nothing is quicker than a pre-packed meal.
Double your recipes. Cook on the weekend, eat for the week. It can be difficult finding the energy to cook after a long day’s work. Take advantage of the time you have on the weekends and eat in. Make enough for more than one meal, even if it means doubling the recipe. Throw what you do not intend to eat in the freezer before you sit down to avoid coming back for seconds. Suddenly, your rough day at work is made better with a home-cooked meal.