Even if you’re insanely busy with work, friends, and family obligations 24/7, that doesn’t mean your weight-loss goals have to be put on hold. Shedding pounds with a packed to-do list may take a little extra effort, but it's completely possible with smart planning and steadfast dedication.
Daily obligations, such as taking children to school, going to work, shopping, and many others, do not always leave much time for healthy cooking and sufficient exercise. We sometimes leave in a hurry, and hunger falls on us unexpectedly, so we choose to go to the corner store to buy any kind of fast food, or we simply eat at the nearest fast food restaurant. This not only involves additional expenses, but also means that our bodies receive many extra calories.
1. Keep cut fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator.
An alternative to avoid buying unhealthy products is to have food ready to eat at any time. Cucumbers, carrots, strawberries... you can cut fruits and vegetables into squares, strips or pieces, so that they can be eaten quickly with salt and lemon, or serve them as a side dish with any dish of your choice.
2. If you don't have time, buy pre-cut bags of fruit and vegetables.
If you don't have time to cut your fruits and vegetables, you can find bags of these pre-cut products in the shops. Many of them contain small portions that you can easily put in a bag pocket and take with you everywhere to eat them if you have a craving.
3. Three important words: Meal box
If you spend a lot of time outdoors, buying an insulated meal box may be a good idea. The advantage of these boxes, or bags, is that they allow you to keep perishable foods longer, while ensuring you can eat in a much healthier and more balanced way, with the portions that suit you.
4. Cooks large quantities, and freezes everything.
For many of us, it is impossible to spend time cooking every day. As a result, only one day a week may be set aside to prepare large quantities of food. Then pack the food in individual boxes for each day of the week, and freeze them, so that when you leave home, you just have to put one of these boxes in your lunch bag. Contrary to popular belief, food does not lose any of these nutrients when it is frozen, and it preserves itself perfectly.
5. Avoid misleading foods.
When we are in a hurry, we usually go to the first convenience store we find on the way to satisfy our appetite. We often choose cereal bars, believing that we will consume fewer calories than if we ate other less healthy products, but that is not true. According to one study, many of these bars are high in saturated fat and sugar, so it is better to choose fruit.
6. Eat almonds in case of cravings.
Instead of choosing a cereal bar, use almonds as an alternative when you are hungry between meals. According to one study, when eaten as a snack, almonds reduce the feeling of an empty stomach, and provide metabolic benefits without risking weight gain. It is recommended to eat about 15 to 20 almonds a day.
7. Freezes bags of fruit to make smoothies.
Many people forget to eat breakfast, or simply don't do it because they are in a hurry in the morning. However, this has a negative impact on health, while increasing the risk of weight gain. A good option is to prepare smoothies with frozen fruit. Simply put a few pieces of chopped fruit in a blender and add coconut or almond milk.
8. Prepare a pitcher or several glasses of infusion, and store them in the refrigerator.
Drinking water is the key to weight loss, but many people do not like "natural" water because they find it tasteless. That's why they turn to sodas, which adds even more calories to their daily food intake. A good alternative is to make jugs of green tea, chamomile or other infusions of your choice. When you prepare a drink that you like in large quantities, it is then less likely that you will switch to another industrial drink with a high calorie content.
9. Wrap individual portions of salad in absorbent paper.
Another problem that encourages busy people to eat processed and unhealthy foods is that the vegetables they store in the refrigerator often deteriorate quickly. To avoid this and extend their shelf life, it is recommended to store the salad or vegetables wrapped in absorbent paper and put them in a box. This will prevent excess moisture and keep vegetables in good condition for longer.
10. Take advantage of any opportunity to exercise.
In addition to a healthy diet, a minimum of physical activity is necessary. However, the lack of free time of the employed makes this task almost impossible. Therefore, it is suggested to take advantage of any opportunity to exercise: take the stairs at work instead of using the elevator, use your shopping bags as weights to exercise by raising your arms, etc....
