Keep a healthy cupboard
What kinds of food do you have
in your kitchen right now? If unhealthy fare such as chips, candy bars,
cookies, frozen meals and processed foods litters your shelves, we encourage
you to replace it with healthier options. Eliminating unhealthy temptations
that are only a few steps away can help you cut more bad calories out of your
diet.
Eat breakfast
Your mother was right: breakfast
is an important part of any healthy meal plan. Skipping breakfast can slow your
metabolism and cause you to overeat later in the day. If you’re hard up for
time in the morning, make a list of quick meals you can prepare in 10 minutes
or eat on the way to work. Whole grain cereals, an English muffin with a slice
of ham, apple slices with peanut butter – they’re all quick breakfast options. Get
creative.
Bag your lunch
Instead of running out to
their nearest fast food chain or supermarket for lunch, try packing a sack
lunch with things you bought earlier in the week. This way you control what
you’re putting in your body. And it doesn’t always have to be a sandwich and
fruit. Try heating up soup or stew you made a couple days ago in the slow
cooker or make enough chicken and rice at dinner to take it the next day. Coming
up with satisfying lunches often starts the night before.
Plan ahead
Take some time this weekend,
maybe half an hour or so, to write down a healthy meal plan for the upcoming
week. Make a list of the ingredients you’ll need, and take the list with you to
the grocery store. Try cooking the meals ahead of time. Freeze them or put them
in the refrigerator for a few days. One or two hours spent cooking on the
weekend can save you double that during the week when you’re busy.
