ways to STICK to healthy eating & how to exercise when not much time in day?

dreamingofadventures
dreamingofadventures Posts: 8 Member
edited November 27 in Getting Started
hey guys I keep falling off the wagon because of really silly things like forgetting to do shopping for the week and living off easy to cook but mostly junk food meals. I also can not cook from fresh apart from MFP sheet pan chicken fajita . that's it. We do really good, my fiance cooks healthy meals and we do eat a lot of fruit and veg but it's on weeks like those above that makes me fall off and sometimes we're too tired to cook from fresh.

I also don't exercise too much as my job is pretty active anyway, I am a nursery nurse and always on my feet, running around after them or just walking loads. My hours are long, doing 10+ hrs a day and also when i get home it's 7pm and we;ll have tea,do tidying for a bit and chill as i am way too tired after my days at work.

what are some healthy habits to start me into the healthy living process?

Replies

  • iowalinda
    iowalinda Posts: 357 Member
    Use MFP to pre-plan your meals. That way you can see the calorie total and make any needed changes BEFORE you eat :) Hang in there - you can do this :)
  • hippysprout
    hippysprout Posts: 1,446 Member
    I would suggest that if you're serious about eating healthier, you have to make yourself a priority. That means scheduling time to shop, and time to prepare meals (even if you prep them in advance). If you can cook sheet pan fajitas, you can cook other simple meals with wholesome ingredients. There are loads of those on Pinterest, search "simple low calorie recipes". Until you can take control of that part of your life, you can always rely on simple things like yogurt, nuts, cheese, fruit, veggies, make smoothies etc. Honestly, I don't personally see a problem with prepackaged convenience foods if that's what fits into your lifestyle. There are plenty of options that can help you keep a deficit, but there's not a lot of ways around shopping for the foods you need. I suppose you could try one of those food delivery services if that fits your budget.

    Meanwhile, a nursery nurse! You're probably constantly moving. Have you thought about adding some strength training in the morning before work so haven't already expended the day's energy when you go to workout?
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Get yourself a step counter and give yourself credit for your healthy lifestyle.

    Are you of normal weight? What are you hoping to gain from fresh eating? If you want to eat more home cooking, it will require a little planning. Cook in bulk and freeze the leftovers. This is the busy persons prepping. I base my meal on the protein of choice. Typically I will roast all the meat at once, enjoy it as a roast first, and then divvy up the remainder as home made “fast food” for the rest of the week. I change up the sides for variety. Here’s an example from the last few weeks.

    - Roast a turkey. Leftovers packaged for lunch meat and others.
    - Dark turkey meat incorporated in to a bean stew.
    - Turkey cacciatore.
    - Poached salmon.
    - Leftover salmon, turkey, and pepperoni made in to a Jambalaya.
    - Hamburgers.
    - Jambalaya in a wrap.
    - Pork loin roasts with mashed potatoes.
    - More leftovers; bits and pieces with Kraft dinner.
    - Reheated pork loin sliced thin with Chinese egg noodles and sliced veggies.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    What are your goals? Are you logging your food?
  • dreamingofadventures
    dreamingofadventures Posts: 8 Member
    i go through stages of logging and not logging, i want to lose some weight x
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    You already have healthy habits. I think you just need a healthier attitude. You're already active, I think it's a bad idea to try to cram forced exercise into an already busy schedule like yours. Prioritize sleep. Eating well will also give you more energy, but worrying about not eating well enough, or not exercising enough, saps your energy. A healthy life is one where you feel happy and safe and relaxed, not concerned and stressed out.

    You won't forget something you want to do. I suspect your idea of healthy eating is that it's restrictive, boring and time consuming and has to be perfect. Don't let perfect become the enemy of good. Cooking is a set of skills that you can expand over time, if you find it rewarding. If you think it's boring, or pointless, you'll find ways to avoid it. If you can cook some things, you already have skills you can use to cook other, similar things. A healthy diet is balanced and varied, and you can eat what you like. Your preferences will also tend to change with repeated exposure and change of mindset.
  • anl90
    anl90 Posts: 928 Member
    If you are concerned with eating 'junk', I personally would recommend making sure what you have at home is healthy. I have found if that is all I have for options I do way better with eating healthy! And I know it might sound silly, but when it is slow at work, or if I am making a meal, I pace. It helps me get in my steps, and keeps me up and moving. I hope I was able to help some - feel free to add me if you'd like a friend! :)
  • duskyjewel
    duskyjewel Posts: 286 Member
    I've found one of the things that helps me stay on track the most is using some time on my days off to cook things for healthy lunches and dinners for the next several days. I like blended veggie soups and tend to cook a few of those and freeze in portions for work lunches. I will pick a few entrees or sauces that freeze well and make those to put away in the freezer. Then I leave one out to thaw on the counter when I go to work, come home, and dinner just takes a small amount of effort to get on the table. Now that it's summer, I have my kids doing most of the work to make dinner before I get home (teenagers). My favorite recipe site is http://www.skinnytaste.com and her recipes are not hard to make, she gives great instructions.
  • kittyluvduck
    kittyluvduck Posts: 15 Member
    Have you thought about ordering groceries on busy weeks. I don't know what stores you have in your area but I have a Kroger you go online and pick out the groceries you want and pick the time and date to pick them up. They are the same price as in store and the digital coupons apply. There is $5 fee. If you are short on time it might be worth it. You also can't be tempted by junk food by the check out if you're not in the store.
    For food choices when you can't cook you could get a rotisserie chicken and salad. Lean lunch meat on whole wheat bread with carrot sticks is also an easy meal.
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