Busy Bees

I was having a conversation with someone who shared his struggle with keeping healthy while working and told him that healthy eating is not as hard as people make it, and definitely does not have to be boring. I tried to explain all the negative impacts fast or processed foods can have on your body, how important it is to control and know what you are putting into your body, and what it means to really focus on your health. To which he replied, “that sounds simple to someone who has time to focus on what they're consuming, but when you have five business calls in one hour or are travelling all the time, there is little time to do that. Your easiest option is fast food. Order, eat, you're done, and back to all your work calls.”

That’s hard to argue with. It’s the truth. Fast food is easy. But that doesn’t mean it's good. It's because of that mindset that fast food chains are as successful as they are. So there’s my inspiration.

A guide for busy people:

1. First things first, try and prioritise yourself and your health:

Work, kids, studies; I get it, your health automatically comes as a second (or lower) priority. But there are countless studies that prove healthy eating has countless benefits. For example, preventing diseases, improving mood, and contributing to better performance as a result of more energy. My point is, it's worth it.

1. Starting the day with a nutritious breakfast:

I know waking up early to prepare breakfast for yourself is a hassle, to say the least. I recommend preparing something easy the night before. Overnight oats, chia pudding, muffins, burrito…. There are so many options. By having a bigger breakfast packed with fiber carbohydrates and healthy fats, you will stay satiated for a longer period and it saves you more time.

1. Batch cooking is the latest trend:

You can check out my last blog about it but it is basically preparing your food beforehand and it should sustain you for 1-2 weeks. This crunches the time of preparation for your food on a busy day and allows you to run out with a nutritious meal that took 2 minutes to make everyday,

1. Snacks:

Snacks in between meals to keep your blood sugar from dropping and staying more full throughout the day. Having healthy snacks like nuts, fruits, veggies, etc.. can be a

a very helpful way of getting in the necessary nutrients into your diet. While you’re on the go or working you can always take a snack with you. It’s important to not substitute your meals with your snacks. For example, with protein bars. Don’t get tricked into believing that it will provide you enough protein for one whole lunch.

1. H2O. Hydration is key.

We aren’t mermaids, but we do need to drink a lot of water to perform daily tasks, especially those related to the brain to carry out cognitive processes. When you’re busy, often drinking water is not your priority and quickly slips your mind.

1. Planning:

Keep the best for last, as they say. Planning is crucial with many aspects of life. Planning your food seems like a bit of a stretch, but it is sooooo important! and helpful. Now, I am not saying you need to write out what times you should consume every meal to the T. But to roughly estimate when you eat what, and make sure to follow it; it will be more impactful than you think.

It is understandable to skip a meal because you are so busy, so frustrated, and stressed, but eating a meal can not only calm those nerves, it will really improve performance. Overall, it is worth the extra time focusing on your nutrition, to further improve the tasks you carry in your everyday life.