There are many tips and tricks that can make it easier to manage health, fitness, and a busy work life. Keeping up with a daily routine can feel overwhelming to especially if you are completely changing your lifestyle. You must learn how to balance clean eating habits and exercise with a busy schedule. You can set yourself up for success if you set weekly goals and stick to a planned routine.
There are a few essentials that I always keep in my daily gym bag that I also use throughout my work day. Preparing for a long day ahead full of movement calls for plenty of clean nutrition including meals and snacks, women’s yoga clothes, and hydration. Pull out your favorite gym bag and start preparing ahead for your weeks to allow ease and balance.
First, I love to keep clean snacks that I can keep stored in my bag that offer a variety of nutrients for your body. Without having proper nutrition throughout the day your body physically can not function properly. You may feel fatigue, headaches, lightheadedness, joint or muscular pain, and find it challenging to stay focused. If you experience any of these symptoms then perhaps you need to add more essential nutrients to your diet throughout your day.
A few of my favorite snacks that I have found easy to pack for my day ahead are trail mix, beef jerky, banana, apple, orange, popcorn, cheese sticks, nutrition bars, and dry cereal. I like these snacks because they are easy to package, prepare, and mix up to have a variety of clean nutrients throughout your day. Packing your bag with healthy snacks and continuously absorbing nutrients throughout the day will improve the overall function of your metabolism allowing for weight-loss or muscle gain.
Second, I love to prep foods that I know will taste fresh even toward the end of the week to avoid wasting food. I personally do not like to meal prep with meat because I do not like the idea of reheating and reprocessing. If I eat meat with a meal I will cook it the day of to keep it tasting fresh and clean. Here are a few of my favorite foods to meal prep for my busy week ahead; white bean chilli and rice, salad, Cucumber or Zucchini chips, homemade salsa and guacamole, banana or pumpkin bread, clean cut up veggies, hard boiled eggs, baked potatoes, roasted veggie soup.
These foods are all full of clean real nutrients that are whole and unprocessed. By meal prepping these simple foods you can keep them in the fridge and always get your fruit and veggies in with every meal. By adding meat or other sides you can easily have nutritious meals that will leave your body feeling full with a happy mood. The bigger variety of foods you meal prep on a weekly basis will allow more exposure to different nutrients that can lead to optimal health and performance.
Last, I love to have my comfortable and fun yoga clothes that I can feel confident in while having support and comfort through my movements. I personally love to workout in a pair of high-waisted leggings with a material that makes them stretchy and compact to feel comfortable especially during my leg days where I am squatting and bending over repetitively. I love to pair my favorite leggings with a flattering yoga top.
If you better prepare yourself for your goals and daily routines you will find more joy throughout your fitness and health journey. After all, the journey is about finding a balance between what your body and mind need to live a life full of happiness. By providing clean nutrients to your body every day you will be able to have more energy during for work and perform well during your workouts.
Elizabeth Heald
Trainer and Health Coach
The Outdoor Athlete