I love working out but i struggle with getting my diet on target!

Finishfirst2014

I love working out! I hit the gym 6 days a week! I absolutely love training! I have started trying to take 1 more rest day in the middle of the week and even that is difficult bc i love my routine bc right now my rest day is usually only on Sunday. I run/sprint 1 mile before i get started every morning and then i hit the weights for about an hour and finish up with about 30 minutes of abs and always finish with 30-45 minutes of stretching . I am a yoga instructor student and I know the importance of stretching and love how i feel afterwards. I am 5'9 & i maintain around 140 with a body fat percentage of 14percent so i dont really have weight to lose but honestly i do struggle with maintaining a consistently healthy diet! I dont have a horrible diet but it definitely needs work! I am also studying to become certified as a CPT thru ACE and I feel that to come full circle I have got to get my diet in check but that is definitely my biggest downfall. I guess maybe time and lack of preparation has a lot to do with it. I would appreciate any helpful advice that could help me get back on track!! I have a family of 6 and an extremely busy life as most everyone does, but i know you guys probably have some great tips you could share! thanks so much!!

kommodevaran

What do you feel is wrong with your diet, why, and what do you want to do instead, why? What are your challenges implementing those changes?

Finishfirst2014

I dont sit down and do meal planning like i need to so a lot of my meals are last minute and on the go, i have 4 kids and unfortunately i find myself fixing alot of those kid friendly fast meals that we all know are really horrible for everyone and i have got to stop doing that! I would love to know if people who have large families meal plan for themselves and cook something different for their families bc honestly Im not sure my family wants to eat what I eat, they hate quinoa! Lol. Another issue i face is I get really busy and I know that I probably do not take in enough protein during the day, I try to take along things as I am out and about but most protein bars seem to be loaded with carbs and sugar.

kommodevaran

Then sit down and plan meals. Meal planning doesn't have to be something big and complicated, quite the opposite, it's about getting in a good rythm and time events right so that things go smoothly. I would suggest planning meals that the whole family will eat and enjoy. Kids like what they are used to, hey, we all do, and we are more open to new things when we usually get what we like. "Fast" isn't necessarily fast if you think about it, there are loads of easy recipes that doesn't take much effort and not much time when everything is "mise en place". You don't even need a lot of recipes, you just need to know how to cook, and that doesn't have to be very complicated either.

If you eat normal food (for instance: sandwich for breakfast, yogurt and fruit for lunch, meat, starch, vegs for dinner), you will most likely get enough protein. Do you track your intake? What number is you goal, and what do you end up at?

Finishfirst2014

My goal is around 85 grams per day, I was tracking a while back but fell out of the habit. I will get back into it and make it a goal to sit down with the husband and kids to plan some meals. Thanks so much! I just have to make some time and get prepared!

WinoGelato

I'm a busy working mom of two young kids and while I aspire to be a more consistent meal planner/prepped, I often don't. It's not necessary for success and it's possible to lose weight/be healthy eating all kinds of foods including those kid friendly meals you referenced.

Let's take a step back OP and clarify what it is you're really struggling with. Your title says your diet isn't on target. What is off? Are you exceeding your calorie goal? Feel like you aren't eating enough nutrients (you mentioned protein but are there other concerns?)? What does a typical day of eating look like? Is your diary open?

For meal planning and family dinners that can be challenging but if you provide some ideas of what your family likes to eat, people may be able to give you some suggestions. You can also search the boards for meal planning, family meals, etc as we've had a lot of threads in the past with these sorts of suggestions.

I find the crock pot to be a huge help for busy schedules.

solieco1

I find the idea of meal planning to be one more stressor I don't need. Its just one more thing I don't get to! So what I do instead is have easy staples around that CAN'T turn into anything but healthy meals when I'm rushed . Theres no bad choices here so if I decide to bake chicken or fish or just put a roast in the crockpot it's all healthy anyway.

I also hate to grocery shop so I go a rarely as I can and freeze. I find the more I go to the store the more I impulse buy if I'm in a rush. Staying out of the store is key for me.

If you don't have an Insta Pot I highly recommend it (amazon). A whole frozen solid 7 pound chicken falling off the bone in 45 minutes is a good thing.

sijomial

I'm not really understanding why you categorise foods so negatively.
You actually seem to be saying you feed your children horrible foods! (I'm sure that's not the case.)
You also seem to be very fit and healthy but you think your diet is in some ways unhealthy - that's a bit of a contradiction.
And what precisely is wrong with carbs and sugar? Especially for a very active person.

Take a deep breath and look at the entirety of your diet and your family's diet - you can eat the vast majority of the same food with a bit left of room left over for personal taste preferences and needs.

Finishfirst2014

Thanks for all the replies, i guess my main goal is probably getting in all my nutrients bc i do grab and go alot thru out the day. I am pretty healthy and weight is not an issue, i just feel there are some things i could work on. I am guilty of grabbing unhealthy choices on the go bc i dont take time to prepare. Ive never really taken a lot of time to check out the resources here on fitness pal so i will definitely go and look thru for the ideas you mentioned. I try to make well balanced meals for my family and we always sit down for dinner every night and I am definitely with you on the grocery shopping, i hate it too! But the plan is to just get more prepared and work on things and rid my diet of maybe more of the packaged and processed stuff. I have so many people ask me for advice on diet bc I am fit and i work out so much and i feel so guilty bc diet is definitely not my area of expertise, so i want to do better! Thanks again guys! I love that this app has this support system!