Healthy Meals and Daily Exercise: Make Time for Healthy Habits!

Let’s face it, we are all guilty of using the excuse “I don’t have time” when it comes to healthy eating and exercise.  It seems to be a pretty good excuse, being that most of our time is often consumed with our career, our family and daily household duties.  But there is always a time slot in our days, even if it is only 20 minutes, in which we can make time for our health.  The question is then raised, which healthy behavior is more important –getting in exercise or preparing healthy meals?

The answer is both! Recently, researchers have analyzed data collected on American adults who prepare their meals and exercise on the same day.  The research found that when Americans tried to do both activities on the same day, one of them suffered as opposed to equal time being spent on both.  This held true regardless of marital status or whether the participant had children.  The real question is why should you have to choose?  Time management is crucial for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially since we live in such a fast paced culture.

Here are some tips for making healthy eating and exercise part of your daily routine:

Healthy Eating

• Preparation: This is the key to sustaining healthy eating habits – especially when your time is limited.  Get a few ideas from your family on the weekends of some of the foods they may want to have for dinner for the upcoming week so you can do your grocery shopping on the weekends.
• Pack on the Produce: Stock up on fresh produce and prepare as much as you can on Sunday.  Make a big salad, grill up a big batch of chicken and store it in your refrigerator.  Even if you just get all of your fruits and vegetables washed and chopped, it will save you time throughout the week.
• Grab and Go: After you prepare your food, separate individual portion sizes into separate Tupperware containers.  This way, when you are in a hurry, your lunch for the day is already portioned and put together for you.
• Weekend Warrior: Use the weekend to get a jump on the busy week ahead.  Make a meal or two in advance, so dinner is done on nights that are more hectic.  Reheating food takes a lot less time than cooking an entire meal, so you will notice more free time on the weekdays!

Exercise

• Schedule Savvy: Some people love exercising first thing in the morning, while others prefer to wind down the day with a workout.  Whatever your preference, schedule your exercise like any other event so it becomes a priority.
• Habit Forming: Even if it is just 10 minutes a day, making it a point to exercise will cause a habit to form.  Challenge yourself to do exercise for 21 days straight, even if it is just 10 minutes, and you will find a new healthy habit has formed!
• Spare Pair: With nicer weather on its way, the outdoors is so inviting for a workout!  Keep a spare pair of sneakers or even a spare gym bag in the trunk of your car so you are always prepared for a walk or outdoor activity.
• Get Off-Balance: Your core is one of the most important areas to strengthen in order to reap maximum benefits in your daily life.  Replace your desk chair with a stability ball or stand on an unstable surface like a hard cushion and engage your core muscles while you get work done or talk on the phone!

If you want to get really creative, exercise and prepare healthy meals at the same time!  While you are cooking dinner and waiting for water to boil or meat to cook to the proper temperature, you can do some “at home” exercise like bicep curls or lunges.  See my recent blog, Conquer April Showers with an Indoor Workout for more ideas!  As you can see, there’s no need to choose between healthy eating and exercise when you can make them both work for you!

Your turn to take action:  How will you incorporate both healthy eating and exercise into your day?

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