I asked my friend, Martha McKittrick, to share some wisdom here through a guest post. Thanks Martha!
Top 8 Tips for Eating Healthy on the Run
by Martha McKittrick, R.D., C.D.E.
Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator
"I am too busy to eat right." "I end up eating most of my meals on the run." As a nutritionist at the New York Presbyterian Hospital and in private practice in NYC, I hear this all the time from my clients. Trying to fit in work, family, exercise, spending time with friends, etc., can be a daunting task. When we eat on the run, we end up consuming too many processed foods, too much fat and sodium and not enough fruits, veggies, calcium rich foods or whole grains. Our poor diets are causing us to gain weight and increase our risk of many diseases. While a hectic schedule can make eating healthy more difficult, it can be done with a little know how and planning.
Here are my Top 8 Tips for Healthy Eating on the Run
1. Start your day off with a good breakfast. It may be the one meal of the day that you have total control over. The ideal breakfast is one that contains protein and fiber rich carbs. This will provide your body with the nutrients it needs.
Examples of quick healthy breakfasts:
-Whole grain cereal with nonfat or 1% milk
-Oatmeal (instant is ok) with fruit
-Cottage cheese and fruit
-Yogurt, fresh fruit and ½ cup whole grain cereal (better to make your own than buy the pre-made parfaits)
-Peanut butter on whole wheat toast
-Deli: egg whites or an egg on whole wheat bread
2. Keep your environment stocked with easy to prepare meals and snacks.
Suggestions: nuts, nut butter, whole grain crackers and bread, whole grain cold cereal and packs of instant oatmeal, dried and fresh fruit, yogurt, string cheese, laughing cow cheese, cottage cheese. You may also be less likely to grab a chocolate from your co-workers desk if you know you have a healthy snack waiting for you!
3. Increase your of fruits and vegetables. They contain many vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Add fruit to cereal, snack on fruit and veggies during the day, add veggies to salads and soups. For more info on the nutritional benefits of fruits and veggies, check out this link: <http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/benefits/nutrient_guide.html>
4. Do not go too long without eating. This will lead to low blood sugar, decreased energy levels, cravings and decreased motivation to watch what you eat. When you are REALLY hungry, what do you crave - the apple sitting on your desk or junk from the vending machine? Most of us crave junk when we get low blood sugar. Keep healthy snacks on hand. Try not to let more than 4 hours go by without a small healthy snack.
5. Cut back on high calorie beverages and drink more plain water. We consume too many of our calories from high calories beverages including: soda, juices, sports beverages, fancy coffee drinks and other sweetened drinks such as ice teas and vitamin type waters. Try to increase your intake of water. Having a hectic schedule makes it even harder to remember to drink. Being dehydrated can lead to headaches, low energy levels, "false hunger" (we think we are hungry but we are really dehydrated) and poor energy levels for our workouts. Cutting back on high calorie beverages can also help to promote weight loss.
6. Find healthy take-out or restaurant choices
Many times we don't have time to cook and end up grabbing take-out food. Foods such as pizza, Chinese food and fast food are all loaded with fat and calories.
Here are some suggestions for healthy meals on the run (note: these portions are for weight control. If you aren't trying to watch your weight, you can increase your portions):
- Subway: 6" sandwich on whole grain bread (best choices are the "6 grams of fat or less" sandwiches). Get the sides of fat free yogurt and apples for a snack.
-Chinese: steamed chicken, shrimp, tofu or scallops and veggies with sauce on the side and brown rice
-Rotisserie chicken, ½ baked potato or piece of pita bread and steamed veggies
-Middle Eastern: chicken kabobs and salad, piece of pita bread
-Frozen dinner under 350 calories and salad
-Fast food: salad with grilled chicken and low fat dressing or grilled chicken on a roll
7. Increase your intake of whole grains and consume fewer refined carbohydrates. Whole grains contain vitamins, minerals, fiber and other components that can help you reduce your risk of diseases. Unfortunately, most of us consume too many refined grains (i.e. white pasta, white rice, white bread) and not enough whole grains. Examples of whole grains include: whole wheat, whole oats/oatmeal, whole grain cornmeal, popcorn, brown rice, whole rye, whole-grain barley, wild rice, buckwheat, bulgur (cracked wheat), millet, quinoa. We should aim for at least 3 servings a day of whole grains.
8. Keep a food record to become aware of your eating habits. Record what you eat and drink as well as the time you eat. This will help to identify culprits in your eating habits. You may be shocked at what you see as many of us underestimate what we eat by 50%. Maybe you are going too long without eating (that's why you crave sweets), or you have gone days without a vegetable or fruit (try adding a fruit or baby carrots as a snack). Once you have identified your problem areas, select 1-2 goals you want to work on each week. Soon you will be on the road to a healthier you
For more info on healthy eating on the run, check out my website and blog:
www.martha-nutritionist.com
citygirlbites.com/blog
