Changing lives through fitness and health.

     Here it is…the start of a new year, 2012 and you have made the decision to SERIOUSLY get in shape this year!  You are determined, you are focused, you are ready, you…..have no time!

You have a lot going on right now and you’re really trying to get a handle on things so you can fit in healthy eating and exercise, but time just keeps passing you by and you’re still not in the shape you want to be in.  Sound familiar?

I have some great news for you: You CAN get in awesome shape without spending HOURS doing it.  I’ve been where you are and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  Today I’m going to share you with you 3 Easy Ways to Eat Healthy with Your Busy Schedule.

     The other day my friend Jennifer told me that it’s really difficult for her to eat healthy because of her limited time.  After work her and her husband have to get the kids fed and then put them to bed.  By the time they’ve done that it’s late and they usually go for the easiest thing they find for dinner, which unfortunately is usually not a healthy option.  I know this is a major problem with most of my clients.  Whether you have children or not, finding time to prepare healthy meals is a challenge for anyone with a hectic lifestyle.  If you start to tweak some of your habits, then it really won’t be difficult to eat healthy and feel better.  As an added bonus, you’ll start to lean out and look AMAZING!

#1- Pick a Prep Day aka The Sunday Ritual: Every Sunday (pick any day that works for you) set aside a couple of hours to prepare meals for the week.  At first this might sound like a daunting task, but I promise that once you do this a couple of times, it’ll be no big deal.  Not only does this option allow you to have healthy options at your finger tips, it’ll make your week much easier, I promise.

What You’ll Do- Figure out meals you’d like to have for the week.  I would suggest having a couple of options that only require you to simply throw some ingredients together at the last-minute (more on this in the next tip) and on your “prep day” cook a few meals that you will simply reheat and serve during the week.

Examples- Think of meals that you can make a big batch of, then you can have some for dinner one night and possibly a couple of lunches. Here’s a few suggestions:  Hearty Minestrone Soup, Low-Calorie Chicken Enchiladas, or Healthy Turkey Lasagna.  Here’s a recipe for Turkey Lasagna that is yummy! When I make this, I make two and freeze one. http://wp.me/pYaEJ-4o

#2- Keep It Simple: My husband and I have 4 or 5 “go to” meals that are super quick and easy to make.  We can literally throw these meals together in less than 20 minutes. When you keep it simple you can enjoy a healthy meal that tastes good and is just as quick as eating something that’s not good for you.

What You’ll Do- Come up with some ideas for simple things that you could make in a pinch and write them down.  Start trying your ideas out and decide on 4 or 5 that will be your new “go to” meals that you can rely on when you don’t have much time.  When you’re on your way home from work you can pop into the grocery store for a few missing ingredients that you don’t have at home– NO excuses, it won’t take you much more time to grab a couple of things at the store than it would to drive through Jack in the Box!

Examples- We’re going for simple here. Think 20 minutes or less. Here’s a few suggestions: Chicken tacos made with a cooked rotisserie chicken from the store (skin removed), A BIG salad with sliced chicken or steak (use meat that you prepped on Sunday), Easy Stir-fry with chicken or shrimp, or maybe even have breakfast for dinner- an omlette with veggies and a little cheese!

#3- Crock-Pot: That’s right, a crock-pot.  This is a thing of beauty when you are busy.  Being able to literally throw a bunch of ingredients into a slow-cooker, set it at the temp you want, leave it, and then come home to a wonderful aroma & a delicious dinner…is the way to go! Love it.

What You’ll Do- Find some healthy recipes specifically for use with a slow-cooker. The internet is full of them.  If you find one you’re not sure is healthy- email it to me and I’ll help you with it! alicia@theedgefitnesstraining.com  Try a few out and then when you find 2-3 that you like, Voila!

Examples- Here’s a few suggestions: Create your own spaghetti sauce, letting it simmer all day will make mmm mmm good, then when you get home, microwave a spaghetti squash and use the inner scrapings in the place of pasta (it’s called spaghetti squash for a reason).  Make some healthy turkey chili with some black beans & red peppers, make enough to have for lunch a couple of days! A nice hearty soup would be wonderful to come home to on a cold winter night! One of my favorite easy recipes for the Crock-Pot is something my husband and I call Cowboy Stew, we top it with a little extra sharp cheddar and some hot sauce- here’s a link for the recipe: http://wp.me/pYaEJ-3z

If you are really ready to eat healthier and get in better shape, then you MUST change your habits! Try the above strategies for 3 weeks and they’ll become second nature.  Every time you eat, it’s an opportunity for you to transform yourself, literally.  It’s time to become the BEST version of you!  You owe it to yourself and to your family to get healthy and feel good about yourself!!

Always Go After What You Want!

Alicia Murphy alicia@theedgefitnesstraining.com

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