Very often I get asked “I have such a hectic and busy life, how can I incorporate healthy nutrition into my lifestyle? I am on the go all the time, it is simply not possible!”  I can completely relate to this, because there was a time in my life where I would be on the go all the time, and I would just order or grab food that was everything else but healthy! But luckily this experience has also showed me that there are ways to stay healthy when on the go.

Keeping the big picture in mind

Obviously when you are on the go all the time, it is never easy to incorporate healthy nutrition into your daily life. But I truly believe that it is in our own hands to decide with what we nourish our body. For me what really works is always keeping the big picture in mind. For example, when I am meeting a client for lunch and I feel like eating pasta with some type of creamy sauce, I will ask myself – “Do I only feel like eating this, or am I craving it?”. Most of the time the answer is – I only feel like it. I know how I will feel afterwards – tired, heavy, bloated. So if I haven’t been craving a meal for a few days, I opt for a healthier choice, such as salad, steamed veggies, veggies soup, etc. No matter where you eat, there is always a healthy option.

Meal preparation

Take a few moments on Sunday to plan your week ahead. See when you have lunch appointments, or when you are travelling. For the other days, make a meal plan and schedule some evening meal preparation time. There are so many healthy, easy and yummy recipes out there. This can also be great opportunity, to get out of the office and enjoy your home prepared lunch in the nearby park. In the beginning it might seem like a lot of planning and work, but luckily this takes a very quick getting used to.

Healthy snacks

Always pack a healthy snack with you. I always take fruits, cut veggies, nuts and a lot of still water along. I don’t want to be caught in a situation where I am starving and opting for the first option that comes my way……which usually is not healthy:) You should never skip a meal, and having a snack with you let’s you still have some nutrition.

Avoid sugar

Added sugar meanwhile is found in a lot of processed foods, and even if you look at the nutrition label you might not recognize that there is sugar in the product right away. The reason for this is because manufacturers use over 50 different names to hide sugar (you can read more on this here www.slowolution.com  ). Knowing this information will allow you to make a healthier option next time you are stuck at the airport with only one newspaper kiosk working.

Beverages

It might seem insignificant, but this is actually a big one – always opt for still water, and not soda. Soda is packed with added sugar – one can of coke contains about 35 grams of sugar. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended sugar intake for adults is max 25 grams a day. Ordering still water is always the best option.

Stay at home meals

I know it is not always easy, but try to stay in and eat homemade dinner as much as possible. When you do stay in, prepare your meal from scratch. This will allow you to:

• stay away from all the additives added to the ready meals that you will find in your grocery store’s freezer section
• prepare your meals using raw, unprocessed products

At the end of the day, I think that it is all about priorities and managing your time. I think that it is about keeping the big picture in mind, knowing how your body reacts to different meals, and always opting for a healthy option. Share if you have any other tips for staying healthy on the go.

Stay healthy,

Anna

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