Eating healthy is often easier said than done. Are you like me and want to eat better, make healthier choices, and provide delicious meals for yourself and your family? But then when dinnertime rolls around, you don’t have the energy to not only decide what to fix, but also to actually prepare the meal! And if you have any chronic health issues, when you’re in a flare or not feeling well, then having to do all that is exhaustive and stressful. But no worries, I’m going to give you some simple steps to take.
Here are ten easy tips to help you eat healthy this week, no matter what symptoms you have:
- Plan weekly meals with healthy but simple meals. Save the gourmet meals for special occasions! Think quick proteins and veggies, smoothies, fruit, and healthy fats.
- Write out your grocery list from your meal plan. (Stick to it!)
- Do your meal prep on the weekend (or pick another day or evening you’re not working or you have a less busy day).
- Cut veggies and fruits and put in bags or glass containers for meals or snacks during the week. Or buy them pre-chopped for convenience.
- Make fruit and veggies bags or jars for smoothies. Put the ingredients for each day’s smoothie into a bag or jar, then freeze. You can even make 4 – 5 bags or jars. Then you simply add liquid to your blender, dump in your bag, add some protein powder, add a little ice, and blend well.
- Brown ground beef or turkey or chicken. Refrigerate or freeze in small portions for weekly meals.
- Grill chicken, beef, or fish on the weekend and make enough to have leftovers and use in meals during the week.
- Dice cooked meats, put in bags or jars, and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for later use. You can top salads with these.
- Make 5 salad jars for weekday lunches. Pour dressing (simply use olive oil or avocado oil plus some balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and basil) on the bottom, then add protein, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats. For example, use diced and cooked meats for your protein. Or even quinoa. For vegetables use a variety such as carrots, leafy greens, cucumbers, artichokes, zucchini, beets, diced and cooked sweet potato, and broccoli. Any type of berry is a super low-sugar fruit, but use your imagination and add your favorite. For a healthy fat avocado is one I love (and your dressing hopefully has olive or avocado oil in it). Finish with seeds or nuts for some texture. Then you simply pour into a bowl or onto a plate and eat for lunch. Easy peasy! Click here for more ideas for Mason Jar Salads.
- Eat 3 colors at meals. (Examples: breakfast – blueberries, dairy-free yogurt, and eggs; lunch – spring mix salad, leftover diced chicken or turkey, carrots, strawberries, nuts, dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar plus spices and herbs; dinner – grilled or baked salmon with olive oil and fresh lemons, asparagus (roast in same pan as salmon or grill it, also), 1/2 baked sweet potato, and chunks of watermelon or kiwi).
I hope that is helpful. Remember if you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail. And I know you don’t want to fail! You just need a plan and a few strategies to make life easier. So set a timer for 30 minutes to an hour this weekend to meal plan and prep. You’ll be surprised how much you can accomplish even if you only do one small step. This will help you de-stress by simply knowing what you are having for meals this upcoming week. Plus, you’ll know you’re nourishing yourself and your family with healthy and satisfying food.
I am a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and a speech-language pathologist. But more importantly, I am an autoimmune and digestive wellness warrior. I have walked my own health journey as well. That’s one reason why I went back to school to become trained to help others like me figure out root causes and use holistic techniques to decrease symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, bloating, weight issues, pain, hormonal, and autoimmune conditions. And I’d love to help you, too. Click here to schedule a free 20-minute consult to see how we can work together. — Leah Cheshire, NBC-HWC
