You’re a busy event professional looking for tips to keep eating healthy. Let’s face it, sometimes you’re lucky if you get the time to eat anything never mind making sure it’s a balanced meal that will keep your energy levels up. We get it. Try these tips to keep you on track.
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Keep a supply of healthy (but tasty) snacks in your office, desk drawer, and bag
This is one tip I’ve found really useful – especially since The Simplifiers moved into an office building that has a café with cake, pastries and other tasty but unhealthy treats.
When you’re running around at an event or between meetings, the easiest things to buy on the go tend to be unhealthy choices. Make it easy on yourself.
I try to snack on fresh fruit like watermelon while our CEO – Mary is a fan of sugar snap peas. (a HUGE fan actually – she even dressed up as a sugar snap pea one Halloween!)
In my desk drawer, I have Belvita breakfast biscuits, some cashew nuts and almonds. I also have some healthy snack bars that have dates in and give me a boost of energy without the sugar crash and calories when I’m craving something sweet.
Does your body (and brain) just want water?
Often we think we’re hungry when really we’re thirsty. Get into the habit of making yourself drink a glass of water and waiting 5-10 mins before deciding if you really need that pastry.
I keep a big bottle of water on my desk to help me keep track. It means I don’t have to keep getting up to refill a glass and makes me more likely to drink larger amounts.
By the way – as well as stopping you from over eating, staying hydrated has the added benefit of helping keep your energy levels up and helping you focus.
Bonus tip: Limit juices and smoothies. You might think you’re being healthy and getting in nutrition from fruit. BUT these drinks can be calorific and extremely high in sugar. You’re better off just eating the fruit which will be more filling.
Choose your food strategically
A salad sounds like a super healthy option but if you don’t include a good chunk of protein, you’ll probably be feeling hungry again very quickly. And if you need something filling but don’t want to that post carb, food coma feeling, try a sweet potato instead of a normal jacket potato.
That way you wont be craving snacks or struggling with energy and concentration levels.
Foods that keep you fuller for longer include soups, yogurt, boiled eggs, hummus, brown rice, oatmeal and, legumes like black beans. But not all at once…
Don’t grocery shop when you’re hungry
I learnt this the hard way when I bought ALL of the carbs and why test your willpower? Go after eating when your stomach is not going to overrule your head. Worst case scenario – eat one of the healthy snacks we told you to carry in your purse to take the edge off!
Find a meal prep method that works for you
If you can get all of your lunches and dinners for the week ready on Sunday evening – Great! But even if it’s just making 1 big dish that you can eat for a couple of nights or even just tomorrow’s lunch, it will still help you out!
And meal prep doesn’t have to mean whole meals! I know people who prep parts of meals like chicken or vegetables than use them in different dishes throughout the week to make the cooking process faster.