Challenges with Eating Healthy Today
There are so many challenges or excuses (your preference on which word you select) as to why we are
not eating healthy. Here are 5 common reasons and some suggestions for ways to combat the challenges with eating healthy today.
“I don’t have time.”
Time is our greatest challenge in life, but especially when it comes to eating healthy. Eating healthy should not be another stressor in our very busy lives; it should help us to relieve stress.
Suggested Tips:
- Try setting aside at least 1 hour on the weekends to do a little bit of meal prep. Whether it’s cooking a whole meal to keep for leftovers or chopping veggies.
- Pre-package smoothie ingredients into individual bags. In the morning, toss them in a blender and add a liquid of choice.
- Cook a pot of soup ahead of time and freeze into single-serve containers to heat up throughout the week.
- If that’s not working for you, you can try something else. How about sheet pan dinners or pressure
cooker meals, which won’t require as much time? Toss in ingredients, set a timer, and let it cook.
You can also take shortcuts like pre-chopped frozen produce or frozen garlic, ginger, or herbs to
make meals more flavorful (without the prep work).
“I don’t have enough money.”
This is one that I hear frequently especially with the current spike of eggs and lettuce, etc. Healthy does not equate to mean expensive foods. First of all, cooking at home instead of eating out can save you a lot of money. PERIOD! When it comes to grocery shopping on a budget, the only products you need to make nutritious meals are pretty affordable. Start thinking about whole foods from the earth like produce, grains, nuts, and seeds. The more “fancy” health products like bottled sauces, pre-made meals, and snacks can
definitely get pricier, but you don’t need those products to eat healthy.
Suggested Tips:
- Save money by buying grains or dried beans in bulk, purchase in-season produce, and opt for cheaper sources of protein like chickpeas, lentils, and dried quinoa.
“But I really love food.”
You should love food; this is both awesome and perfectly normal. Food is fuel and you need it to live and thrive. So why do we feel like it’s a bad thing to love food?
Well, the “diet” industry has made us feel that in order to live a healthy life, we can’t enjoy food
and we need to diet and deprive ourselves. I’m here to tell you: This is false. Foods do not have
to be boring.
“I’m always on the go.”
Never have time to eat? Not a problem. You can fix that by planning ahead. Smoothies and snacks like hard-boiled eggs, nuts, fruits, or even hummus and veggies are easy to pack up and take with you wherever you go.
Suggested Tips:
Mealtimes should be sacred; breakfast, lunch, and dinner serve as a reminder that we need to
slow down and stay present. Not having time to eat is a sign you need to make time, rather than
skip meals or grab something less nutritious out of convenience.
If planning ahead isn’t your strong suit, stop by a nearby grocery store for healthy snacks, or opt for an egg wrap instead of a blueberry muffin if you’re eating out. No matter what works for you, remember that the body needs nourishment to keep up with your busy lifestyle, and nothing is more worthy of your time
and energy than your health.
“I work long hours and I am too exhausted to cook a healthy meal.”
Ok, let’s have a little heart-to-heart. If you want to live a long and happy life, you need to make eating well a priority. Sacrificing health for the sake of your job is short sighted and self-destructive. You are not doing
yourself any favors. If you feel stuck in a vicious cycle of being over-tired, unproductive, and unhappy, it’s time to make some changes.
What is one small thing you can change right now to break the cycle? Sign up for Naturally Good And Green, Healthy Meal Preparation so you can have fresh ingredients at home waiting for you after a long day. Bottom line, make yourself a priority.