Many people mistakenly assume that building a strong, healthy body is all about killing it in the gym. Although regular exercise is no doubt an integral part of the equation, the importance of proper nutrition cannot be understated. As they say, you can’t out-exercise a poor diet!
At Envision Fitness, our goal is to empower you to become the healthiest, strongest, most confident version of yourself, and to do that, we place a heavy emphasis on nutrition coaching. To help you get the most out of your health and fitness journey, in this blog, our personal trainers explain 5 simple ways you can stick with your healthy eating habits — even when you’re crazy busy.
1. Weekly Meal and Snack Prep
When you’re trying to maintain a healthy diet and a hectic schedule, a little bit of preparation goes a long way toward helping you hit your goals. But don’t think you have to eat boring meals out of Tupperware all week long! Rather, you can prep meals using foods you actually enjoy and you’ll be much more likely to stick to your healthy eating goals.
Consider batch prepping one day out of the week (weekends work well for this), so you have a few dishes you enjoy already cooked and ready to eat. Simply decide on two to four healthy dishes you can see yourself eating for the week ahead and prepare a large batch of each one. To ensure your meals keep, consider popping them in the freezer and thawing them as needed. There are a ton of healthy options here, including:
● Roasted sweet potato bowls or taco bowls
● Pre-made breakfast bowls
● One-pot meals
● Pasta bowls
● Hearty soups
● Large batches of beans, grains, and tubers
The same idea applies to snack prep. One day per week, prepare several grab-and-go, healthy snacks that you easily take with you on the run. Prepping super simple foods like sliced veggies, fruits, jerky, raw nuts, yogurt, and other healthy snack options will help keep hunger at bay between your larger meals. When you have a healthy snack ready to go, you’re less likely to reach for pre-packaged junk foods to tide you over.
2. Try Not to Keep Junk Food In the House
If junk foods are a trigger for you, try not to keep them in the house. This is usually easier said than done, especially if you have family members who are not on board with your healthy eating habits.
If that sounds like your situation, try discussing your goals with your loved ones and explaining why you’d prefer not to keep so much junk food around. As they watch you transform, they might just jump on board the healthy eating train too! Need help finding appealing alternatives for unhealthy junk food? Nutrition coaching with our team at Envision Fitness can help!
3. Purchase Pre-Prepared Healthy Foods
When you have a hectic schedule, taking the time to prep meals and snacks might not be an option. Fortunately, most grocery stores carry pre-prepared healthy meals and snack options that you can grab and go in a hurry. Whether you don’t have time to meal prep or you’re not a fan of cooking, opting for pre-prepared healthy foods can help prevent you from reaching for unhealthy convenience foods in a pinch.
4. Try Not to Skip Breakfast!
Even if you’re trying to lose weight, your body deserves to eat! So don’t forego a healthy breakfast in favor of a nutritionally void coffee! After a full night of sleep, your body requires a dose of nutrients to get the day going and rev up your metabolism. But when you skip out on breakfast, you might be more prone to making less-than-healthy food choices later in the day.
5. Keep It Simple
If you don’t have a ton of free time on your hands, there’s no reason you need to spend hours preparing complicated, fancy meals (not that there’s anything wrong with that!). In fact, pouring hours and hours into meal prep when you already struggle to make time for it is likely to result in burnout. So design your eating to accommodate your lifestyle, not the other way around!
Prepare simple recipes with fewer ingredients, stick to foods you know you enjoy, and if you want to, eat the same meals on a regular basis. This approach keeps your grocery list simple, your prep time short, and your diet adherence much easier.
Looking for Fitness & Nutrition Coaching? Contact Envision Fitness Today
At Envision Fitness, we strive to empower Twin Cities residents to become the healthiest versions of themselves. Through customized nutrition coaching, individualized personal training, and a community of supportive, encouraging members, we help our clients develop healthy habits they can stick with for life.
For more information about our fitness classes, nutrition coaching, and how we can help you reach your goals, feel free to call us today at 952-444-2791 to schedule a free consultation. You can also connect with us online, and we’ll be in touch!