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Hi, all my beautiful busy people! Right now I’m balancing working full-time, freelancing, school & life. I’m sure that doesn’t even begin to describe the crazy schedules some of you are keeping. In these crazed, stressful times I’ve noticed that health & fitness can take a backseat which neither myself or my waistline love.
I’ve come up with a few hacks to get you through a busy week while still in charge of your health & fitness goals.
Meal Prep
I am a huge HUGE advocate of meal prepping. Prepping your weekly meals or ingredients on Sunday sets up a no-fail system of eating. Seeing all my prepped veggies & protein in my containers all lined up in my fridge makes me feel weirdly happy and accomplished.
If I work late one night and am starving by the time I get home, a meal already prepped and waiting to be reheated is a lifesaver. Without knowing I have something waiting, I’ll probably be too easily convinced to stop at McDonald’s. *Confession: I love McDonald’s, I love McDonald’s fountain soda and I don’t need to be asked twice to eat there. Also, there is one right down the block from me so meal prep is super important to keep me from the junk!*
Related:
—Low Carb 7 Day Meal Plan
—How I lost 65lbs on a Low Carb Diet!
Snack Time
While meal prepping is huge, I find that packing snacks is just as important. I’ll pop a bar or baggie full of my snack of the week into my purse or desk at work for those days when all I want to do is eat or I need a pick me up.
Some of my faves:
Collagen packets: these are great to add a little skin & nail protein power to coffees, tea or just your water. Get my fave brand here.
Pistachios: I like getting the single serve or making my own baggies at home. These salt & pepper ones are AMAZING! Get them here.
RX Bars: delicious whole food protein bars and a great source of fiber. Protip – chocolate peanut tastes just like a Reese’s cup! Get them here.
Paleo granola & yogurt: I LOVE this granola and order every other week
Almond Butter Packets: these guys are a lifesaver! Just give the tube a squeeze and you have an instant, satisfying and filling snack! Get it here.
Keep it Simple
When I’m getting ready to meal prep and am scouring Pinterest for my recipes of the week I run into the issue of every recipe having a million different ingredients that I need to buy. OK, not a million, but if a recipe has 20 ingredients my meal prep price just skyrocketed.
I have been trying to search for delicious recipes with normal ingredients and keeping them under 10.
I invested in these low carb ebooks (120 recipes & 4 ebooks costs $35) – each recipe has only 5 ingredients and 5 net grams carbs or less. It is 120 recipes and makes rotating them a breeze. Check out my 7 Day Meal Plan using these recipes here.
Deliver Us from Lame Food
If your time is too precious to head to the grocery store then cook, get grocery or meal delivery services! I personally use AmazonFresh
I really love Foodkick because you can place an order and have your groceries delivered within two hours. Also if you signup through my link here you’ll get $50 off your first TWO orders!
I also really like BlueApron – it still lets me cook, but it pre-measures out all the ingredients. I haven’t tried a prepared meal delivery service yet – let me know your faves in the comments or ones that I need to try!
Stay Hydrated
I don’t know about you, but I feel awful when I’m even the slightest bit dehydrated. My skin looks terrible, I start to feel dizzy & I get hunger pains even when I know I can’t hungry. I have learned to always carry a refillable water bottle with me wherever I go. You can fill up water for free in most locations and you can also get water bottles with filters in them now. Thanks, technology!
My fave water bottles:
Blender Bottle: great if you want to be able to easily add in collagen powder, protein powder or carry around supplements. You can get one here.
S’Well: sleek, comes in a wide variety of colors & prints & keeps your water cold! You can get one here.
GRAYL: this one has a filter built in and is perfect for everyday use as well as camping hiking, etc. You can get one here.
The Power of the App
I have a few apps on my phone that completely take the worry away. I use MyFitnessPal to keep my macros in check, Flo to track my period & Headspace for when I’m feeling stressed and need a moment to relax.
Related:
—Low Carb 7 Day Meal Plan
—How I lost 65lbs on a Low Carb Diet!
Get Fit Fast
I typically workout in the gym 4 days a week and add in something fun like a hike or indoor climbing when I can.
I worked out my schedule to look like the following:
2x 1-hour yoga classes per week
2x 30-minute spin classes per week
2x 30-minute weight lifting sessions per week
This is by no means what everyone should follow, it is just what is working out for me at the moment. I take yoga classes before work and I go to spin and the gym during my lunch, which is an incredible time saver.
If working out on your lunch break isn’t an option, find quick 20-minute HIIT workouts to follow or get resistance bands for a home workout. Use your time efficiently by going hard during those 20 or 30 minutes and it won’t matter that you are short on time!
Relax When You Can
My new favorite thing is essential oils. I am a multitasker so I love dropping a few oils into my gorgeous diffuser and letting the machine run when I’m relaxing or working or even doing some tasks. I find that the oils trigger something and make me feel less stressed and more relaxed. Not sure of the science behind it, but I love these oils!
You can find my gorg diffuser here.
You can get a starter essential oil pack here.
The oils that come with the pack:
Lavender – The essence of pure calmness and relaxation with a light, uplifting scent
Peppermint – Calming aroma will liven up the mind, body, and soul
Tea Tree – Antiseptic properties, invigorating and refreshing scent
Eucalyptus – Naturally anti-inflammatory, great for the sinus and its refreshing scent Lemongrass – A great herb for inducing relaxation and balance for the mind
Orange – Promotes positive attitudes and induces relaxation for a calm spirit Frankincense – Aids in relaxation and sleep, rebalances the mind
Rosemary – Stimulates hair growth, regulates oily and dry skin
Let me know your favorite tips & hacks in the comments below!