The most common excuse I used to hear in clinic, when it came to healthy eating, is that it was too time-consuming. Or too expensive. People these days are so time poor. Healthy living goes into the ‘too hard basket’. If you’re a busy mum or working full time you may feel like you don’t have time to prepare for a healthy life.
But I believe there are so many ways to show you that healthy living doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. You just have to commit to a little bit of weekly preparation, have a few really easy and delicious healthy recipes on hand and some extra forward thinking when it comes to your meals for the week.
Here are my go-to tips for making healthy living both affordable and effortless:
- Prep a meal plan. I create a little meal plan for my week so I know 80% of what I will be making for breakfast, lunch and dinner most days. This way, I only buy what I need. Creating a meal schedule really helps you stick to this because you know what you’ll want to have on hand and nothing will go to waste. Focus on simple, easy recipes like my One Pan Dinners.
- Weekend shopping:Make your big trip to the market on the weekend so that you can purchase lots of fresh produce, lean protein, and bulk grains for the coming week (with your meal plan in hand!).
- Prep in bulk.Prepare large batches of things like roasted vegetables, beans, quinoa, and even salads (without the dressing) on Sunday so that your weekly meals come together in a snap! You can mix and match using different delicious seasonings and toppings like nuts and seeds, avocado and of course a variety of protein so that each meal is unique and exciting for your taste buds.
- Have healthy snacks on hand.Snacks are an important component to prep as well. If you find yourself too hungry you’re more likely to grab whatever you can find, so have healthy snacks at the ready. I love pre-cut veggies (like carrots, celery, cucumber and peppers) with hummus or tahini to munch on. Or make a big batch of my sugar free protein balls to keep on hand when hunger strikes.
- No time for breakfast? Spend 5 minutes the night before making my Bircher Muesli and take it with you to work! Or my Power Protein Smoothie is my go-to for a quick and nutritious breakfast.
- Love leftovers.I always make extra dinner to eat for lunch the next day. Not only does it save me a lot of time, it saves money too! Food is much more likely to get eaten, there is less waste, and it’s a winner all around.
- Commit to some form of movement every day. Do workouts that suit your lifestyle – it doesn’t have to be an hour long HIIT class every day. Try yoga in your living room or a walk in nature – a rested body is a healthy body.
What are your healthy eating tips and tricks? I include lots of easy, affordable healthy recipes in the JSHealth Program – sign up here!
