Let me start by saying, I'm exhausted most of the time. Having a wonderful little 18 month old to chase after, being pregnant, having a husband that travels, working a full schedule & running my own business. Most days I feel like falling over!! I love my life, I'm very happy and grateful for everything I have but I'm really tired. When I decided I would learn how to cook it didn't take very long to figure out it is a lot of work. Really it is a commitment, and sometimes we slip but are very quick to get back on track. Honestly staying on top of things for Bennett isn't hard, where I slip is when it comes to Chris and I. So this is my list of tips that I use to help me eat healthier. Hopefully these will be helpful to you too.
1. Wash and cut your fruits and veggies first thing- When I get home from the store, I wash and cut my berries and veggies when I get home. I lay fruit out to dry and then store in tupperware containers. Pineapple stores really nicely too. I usually soak carrots in water in tupperware. All other veggies get their own tupperware containers. If you plan on roasting any veggies go ahead and season them as well. I find these will keep for 3-5 days. This only takes about 30 minutes and seems like it saves hours!
2. Keeping an Apple and Water with me- This sounds so simple and well, it is. When I get hungry I get cranky! This is when I will just swing by somewhere to get a snack. It's hardly ever healthy, and usually is more than a snack. I also find that most of us stay dehydrated, so that is where the water comes in. When we are dehydrated we can actually feel hungry and are more likely to crave sugar and fattening junk food. So the apple will raise my blood sugar and keeps me full enough until I get home to make something. Drinking a bottle of water also helps fill me up too.
3. Skipping Most Aisles in the Store- You can also say, shop the perimeter of your grocery store. We do buy a few things out of the aisles, but we try and stick to the rule of no more than 5 ingredients, I must know what they all are, and be able to pronounce them. Produce is usually what we buy the most of, either fresh or frozen.
4. Cooking and Packing Lunch Ahead of Time- Usually on Sunday night we will grill a couple of chicken breast, or make a tuna salad for my lunchtime protein. You can also boil and peel a few eggs. That way most nights I make a sandwich or salad, toss in a yogurt, and add a few sliced fruits and veggies. Each lunch usually takes less than 10 minutes at night while I clean up dinner and then I can just grab it out of the fridge and go. Easy Peasy!!
5. STOP Counting carbs, fat, sugars, proteins and all the other things your count!- Pay attention to the ingredients that are in what you buy. Why are we eating things that aren't food? Kind of hard to ignore once you really start to think about how odd it is we eat more chemicals than real food! Make fresh food for you and your family, use fresh whole ingredients. When you are using real food to cook with all the nutrition will balance out! To learn more on this topic check out these movies Forks over Knives, and Fed Up. Also try reading In Defense of Food.
6. Allow yourself a night out- It's okay to eat out, we do and everyone needs to. Just allow yourself to be picky and ask lots of questions. When we eat out it is to give Chris and I a break from cooking and planning not to fill out of grease and sugar. Remember that ordering off the kids meal for your kids is usually going to result in them eating junk. Put together a plate of sides for them.
7. Find Joy and Peace In Cooking- How silly does that sound? I was so overwhelmed and stressed out by cooking before nothing ever really got accomplished. Now that I have started planning, and researching I have really started to like cooking. Grating cheese is somehow a place I find peace?!? I still have a lot more learning and researching to do, but this is one of many ways I provide for myself and my family. It is a really good feeling. I remember how at home my grandmother always seemed to be in the kitchen and I hope that one day I will be that way. I still have my days where I am more like a fish out of water.
I hope you are all having a wonderful week! Please let us know any tips you have found helpful for eating healthy.
You go girl!! Great tips! You're my inspiration!!
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