Simplified Nutrition For Busy Working Moms
Are you familiar with Canada’s Food Guide?
It displays a gorgeous, colourful plate and advises us to fill half of our plate with vegetables and fruits, ¼ with lean proteins and healthy fats and the last ¼ with whole grains.
Also, to make water the drink of choice.
There is no doubt that eating this way - mostly whole foods with minimally processed foods - keeps us feeling good physically and mentally. Something we so desperately need during these unprecedented times.
But as we know life gets in the way.
You are busy, stressed, juggling competing priorities, exhausted, so you go for convenience. Order take out (we got to #supportlocal, right?) and often times those choices are not the most nutrient dense. And while doing this occasionally is not a problem, eating like this most of the time can really take a toll on your health.
Highly processed foods are high in sodium, sugars and saturated fat. All of which are linked to chronic disease. Not to mention you are left feeling bloated, cranky & lethargic.
So what is there to do? Here are my top 4 strategies to get you started
Improve your choices.
The more processed a food item is, the more likely it:
Has lost nutritional value: fibre, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients,etc.
Has gained additives, preservatives, fillers, sugar, sodium, unhealthy fats, and/or refined starch.
Think of what could be a bit better. Think back to that colourful plate and include: more veggies, lean proteins, healthy fats and whole grains. Here are some ideas:
Eating oatmeal instead of a sugary cereal.
Adding an extra serving of veggies to your plate.
Can’t buy an organic whole chicken and cook it at home? A rotisserie chicken from the supermarket may not be organic, but it sure beats the chicken nuggets from the fast food restaurant.
Reading labels is also a great skill to improve your choices, start from the top and determine the portion size, are you eating 1? 3? Go for low saturated fats, added sugar and sodium.
Small steps will pay off big time. Aim for progress not perfection.
2. Practice planning and preparing healthy food in advance.
This makes healthy eating convenient and easy.
You won’t have to make a choice when you’re rushed and hangry.
Check out the list below and pick what works best for you.
3. Plan for 2 snacks a day and keep them ready to eat.
Try to choose snacks that include protein, slow digesting fibre and healthy fats. As they will keep you satisfied for longer. To give you an example: an apple is a good snack – add some nut butter and it becomes a great snack that will keep you fuller longer.
Stay away from fake sugars/artificial sweeteners, If you choose a protein bar for example, check the ingredients and pick the one with fewer ingredients and less sugar.
Some of my go to:
Last but never least!
4. Be mindful of your portions and eat slowly
Resist eating from a bag, box or container. This leads to mindless eating and overeating. You can’t really gauge how much you are eating nor enjoy your food. Serve it out!
How we eat is just as important as what we are eating. Make it a no electronics allowed time. Take the opportunity to connect with your family or If you are alone, turn some music on.
You get the idea. The point is to slow down and enjoy your food.
You don’t have to change everything at once. Try just fiddling with one or two of these strategies and go from there. Be kind to yourself and keep going.