How can you make healthy eating a priority? Start by making yourself a priority. In these stressful times, so many things call out for our attention including going back to the workplace instead of working solely from home. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine having even a minute to yourself, let alone making healthy eating a priority. 😢
WHY?
Why is it important to make yourself and healthy eating a priority? Let’s look at the top 5 reasons to make healthy eating a priority now: 😉
- If you’re like the rest of us you’ve gained an average of 1.5 pounds a month since the pandemic began. At a weight gain of 20 plus pounds, it could cost you a lot of money to buy a new set of clothes.
- You can’t give to your family what they need when your own gas tank of energy is running on empty.
- It’s time to stop feeling stressed, tired, and overworked.
- You likely use sugary or salty food or alcohol to help relieve our stress, relax, and fill a void in our life.
- You have better ways available to live a healthy life.
How can you make yourself and healthy eating a priority? You’ve heard the saying, what’s important is what gets done. Now that you have 5 good reasons to make healthy eating a priority, let’s figure out how you can make time for you and healthy eating.
WHEN?
Finding the Time
When stress and fatigue are out of control, making time for you can help break a cycle that leads to mindless eating and weight gain.
A new sense of wellbeing can give you more passion for life and make you feel whole again. How? Let time work for you.
- What are the times of the day or evening that you are most likely to reclaim for yourself (example, get up before the family stirs)?
- When do you usually spend non-work time on screen time looking at devices or watching TV? How many hours a day of your non-work time do you spend on screen time?
- Which screen time experiences bring you great satisfaction? Which could you more easily do without?
- Pick an hour or so to reclaim as “My Time.” When will it be?
- How will you use this time to reduce your stress and fatigue and refuel you? You also can use part of this time productively to plan what you’ll tomorrow, record your food for the day, or prepare for breakfast or lunch tomorrow.
Think your problem with stress induced eating may be perfectionism? Check out our last Releasing Perfectionism and Stop Emotional Eating blog post.
Find ways to reduce your stress by viewing my Podcast series on my You Tube channel. Take a look at the How to Enjoy Mindful Eating Mindfully podcast links below.
Click here to watch the Latest Sweet Life Wellness Podcast Episode on How to Enjoy Mindful Eating.
Click here to listen for FREE on Apple Podcasts.
Want to listen for FREE on Spotify? Click here.
To your Joy and Health,
Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Speaker, Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist, Healthy Eating Coach