Maintaining a healthy diet can be quite frustrating. Especially if you are constantly on the go. Working that 9-5 job gets rough when you have other little people and a husband to plan for the week. With school lunches, hubby/boyfriend lunches, your lunches and don’t forget about the pets either they have to eat also!!
It’s so easy to just grab something while you’re on your lunch break through the drive-through but it can wreak havoc on your digestive system as well as your diet plan, or fitness routine. So, having plenty of healthy snacks to take with you while your away from home is definitely a must.In case you were wondering eating healthy does wonders for your body:
- It can increase your metabolism to burn more fat. Which is what we want RIGHT!
- It improves mood and concentration
- Improves heart health
- Improves strength and immunity
- Improves your gut health (that’s definitely a plus!)
Your Body Deserves Healthy Food
Your body deserves healthy food and to be able to fuel itself for the day. I’m not saying that one fast food meal will mess everything up but… it is essentially important to maintain the healthy lifestyle that you put into motion. So why not maintain it!
Before running out the door give yourself enough time to eat a decent breakfast. Many people skip breakfast and experts believe that it is the most important meal of the day. Research has shown that by eating breakfast you can jumpstart your metabolism, once again allowing for better and more fat burn. WOOT WOOT!!
When you skip breakfast, your body goes into conserving your energy and that is why you may feel sluggish in the afternoon and oftentimes you may find yourself reaching for an unhealthy snack.
Do you ever go to the gas station to get gas and find yourself lurking around the store looking for something to munch on? I am really bad at this because I love chocolate and crunchy stuff! UGH, the dreaded candy bar. I don’t think I need to tell you that candy bars have zero nutrition. Sure grab a snickers bar if you must but I promise you will regret it later!
What Can You Munch on Instead?
Reach for a better alternative and grab some nuts, almonds or trail mix. These are high in protein and will fill you up for a bit until your ready to eat again. Nuts are an excellent source of protein. Especially while your out and about and don’t have to stop, they should tide you over for a bit. I recommend packing a Ziploc bag of some of the snacks you might already have. That they are there for you in your front seat or in your purse ( where mine always are) when you get an inkling of hunger.
As a home health nurse, I am constantly driving around the city. A couple of hours into my rounds I find myself getting hungry. Grrrr, kind of like a nagging pain. So what do I pack to maintain a healthy diet while I’m on the go? I like to pack a lunch bag with an ice pack in it and items that I can reach for while I’m driving. Things like
- A Banana
- Berries
- Small sandwich
- Dried fruit
- Protein shake (this will fill you up for a few hours)
- Beef Jerkey
- String Cheese
- Mixed nuts
All of these are great items to keep handy. I especially like having a protein shake handy for a quick meal replacement if needed. You can check out my other post on protein shakes here!
How Much Water do You Actually Need?
Water and staying hydrated helps you keep your body aligned and in check. Water allows for better digestion and keeps you more focused. And did you know that nearly 60% of food cravings and “hunger pains” come from not getting enough water. So, what I like to say is if your feeling a little hungry but not too hungry that you can eat a meal, DRINK MORE WATER!
You probably would have never guessed but your body is made up of basically water. Yes Water. Everything inside and outside of you is made of some % of water. Which make sense right. If your stomach is pinging that your hungry and you just ate that ya your body needs water. Essentially the more water you do drink the better you will feel.
Water has so many essential properties and is great for your skin! Drinking more water can also allow your body to detox or cleanse itself naturally. Drinking more water also contributes to maintaining a healthy diet especially if you’re a busy mom. So grab your water bottle and fill it up!
healthy Snacks for Kids While your on the Go
Some kids are easy to please. Some, however, are not and are very picky eaters. Is it because we make them that way? I don’t know but my kids always like the things that other kiddos are eating. Essentially we can make it a little more healthy by not packing the pop tart that my son wanted and substituting for an orange. You get the idea.
Its so easy to just grab what we have in our pantries and just throw it in the backpack. How careful are we to look at the ingredients on the back and decide if it has a ton of sugar or not? Needless to say I rarely look at the back of the item and honestly if I am in a hurry its goin in the bag. So we can conclude that by packing healthy snacks while on the run can help you maintain a healthy diet while your on the go.
Plan Ahead
This is why preplanning is essential and works wonders for busy moms! You can check out my Beginners Guide to Eating Healthy as a Busy Family here! In all actuality if I know that I have an event of somewhere to go on the weekend than I usually buy snacks or prep for how long we are going to be there beforehand. Making it just a tad easier on us. Planning ahead allows us to stick to our healthy diet. Here’s a few of the items I throw in on our way out:
- Beef Jerky
- Hard-Boiled Eggs (these guys are full of protein and will keep you full for quite a while)
- String Cheese
- Peanuts/Almonds
- Plenty of water
- Popcorn
- Greek yogurt take a long (kids love these)
- Carrots
- Apple Slices and nut butter
- PBJ (peanut butter and jelly)
The majority of these snacks are definitely kid-approved. But they are also mom-approved as well. Heck, I love eating beef jerky or even apples. The more variety you have the better. I generally aim to bring at least three to four different snacks along so they can choose. And I pack extra for me. Wink wink.
Lunch or Dinner Prep on the go
Time and time again you might find yourself meeting a co-worker for lunch, or out of time because you left your lunch bag on the counter at home. That is ok just don’t let a lunch out derail your success. Look over the menu and ask questions if you have them. Some places also have online menus that you can look at before you go. Take into consideration what your eating plan looks like and remember to STAY ON TRACK. Healthy eating while your busy and on the go doesn’t have to be hard.
The Best For Success
And finally, the best thing that you can do for yourself to maintain a healthy diet while you’re on the go is to commit to a meal plan and stick with it. Meal planning will serve you in the best way and you will be able to make healthier decisions because of it. If you haven’t heard of meal planning, well here is the short and sweet version.
Meal planning is a full week of meals written down on a calendar generally. You buy all of your meal options on a Sunday or a day or two before you plan to go back to work. Then you cook and store your meals in containers for the week. This can be breakfast, lunch, and dinner or just breakfast and lunch depending Meal planning allows you to stick to your diet and keep you from reaching for unhealthy snacks. If you need more information on how to start a meal plan click here!
