Is Your Health in Your Hindsight? 3 Tips to Prioritize Healthy Eating in Your Busy Day

February 11, 2023

"I just don't eat."

A phrase I've heard often working with clients the past 15 years as a registered dietitian.  Someone who wants to lose weight and recalls that they don't eat much, or don't eat all day.  But, they don't lose weight.  In some cases, it's under-eating that's the problem and in others, it's that eating is an afterthought in their busy lifestyle.  

Our bodies are amazing.  They will work with what we give them.  Good or bad, they find a way.  In my experience, when eating and meal planning are an afterthought, weight loss and nutrition goals are impossible to meet.  Nutrition and health has to be in our foresight, not hindsight, to be optimal.  It takes planning, prioritizing and effort, like anything else worth doing.  Here are 3 low cost ways to bring meal planning and healthy eating into your foresight.

1. Commit to it or forget it.  It's a simple, but overlooked step.  Here's how to do it in just two minutes:  write down two reasons you want to focus on your health.  For example, I want prioritize my health to have more energy and prevent future illness.  Write down potential barriers, like lack of time and poor planning, and how you will overcome those.  Write one or two specific things you will do, such as bulk prep breakfast for work days and take 10 minute walk breaks instead of internet scrolling.  Sign and date that paper.  It's a simple self-contract  that you will give your best effort and not give up when it is challenging.
2. Take 15 minutes, once a week, to plan some of your meals.  Add it to your calendar!  Start with one meal.  Sit in your kitchen and decide 3 options to have that week.  Plan to make leftovers to reduce your cooking and grocery list.  Write down the 3 options.  For example, let's plan for dinners:  beef tacos, chicken stir fry and sheet pan salmon with potatoes and cauliflower.  Make a list of ingredients needed.  Search a recipe online if you're unsure (side note:  search for only one minute and pick one to avoid the search rabbit hole!).  Check your kitchen and cross off ingredients you already have.  Proceed to go shopping or shop online for groceries.  Having this plan in place brings planning into foresight and helps you have balanced meals instead of whatever is there (it's always a box of crackers - not a balanced meal!).  No more blank stares into the refrigerator at 6:30 pm wondering what to eat.
3. Make office life work for you, not against you.  If you find yourself at the office vending machine or snacking too much while your work from home, decide on two healthy snacks to have each day.  Pick 1 salty and 1 sweet if you like.  Space them out between meals.  Examples of balanced snacks are Greek yogurt with berries, nuts and fruit or a protein fruit smoothie.  

Make the commitment and start with a few small, specific daily tasks to improve your health.  

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