Nutrition is something simple that is often complicated by so many people but for those who are always in between meetings or catching flights from one city to another, the easiest thing that could slip would be eating habits hence, this National Nutrition Week is the perfect time to decide to keep things simple, understand what your body needs, be health-conscious, eat clean, never avoid any food group from diet, opt for good clean wholesome food and if you can’t avoid travel and being on the move constantly, carry your food with you instead of ordering in.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Sohrab Khushrushahi, Founder and Coach at SOHFIT, shared, “We all have a choice when it comes to food, we just need to make the smarter one.” He suggested a few things to keep in mind when you’re on the move:
– Carry food from home including the snacks you would like to eat, it’s a little cumbersome but really helps.
– Stay hydrated – having plenty of water during the day helps curb those hunger pangs.
– Try and minimize the amount of alcohol you consume during office events and night outs. Having a drink or two is fine but not more and not every single day; and
– Be careful when you order in from a restaurant or step out to eat at a restaurant during meetings. Don’t feel shy to order separately for yourself during those group lunches and dinners.
Seeemaa Budhraja, Certified Nutritionist and Dietitian at Fast&Up, asserted, “Healthy meals don’t just happen, you must make them healthy. A lot of us may only have time to eat on the go,hence convenience becomes the key. We also know that usually, the foods that are most convenient are not always the healthiest. Being busy or on the go can lead to poor food choices like opting for unhealthy packaged food, convenience food which is loaded with calories fats and sodium or sugar but you don’t have to sacrifice nutrition when you are on the go.”
She advised on trying the following healthy and practical tips to keep yourself healthy when you are on the go:
1. Eat a healthy diet – By consuming a combination of all food groups in optimum proportions helps you to avoid malnutrition and health-related issues and lifestyle diseases like diabetes CVD etc. Have three balanced meals in a day along with two healthy snacks.Have small portions at regular intervals to ensure that you are not hungry to make poor food choices.You can increase the intake of fruits and vegetables by including veggies in every meal and consuming a variety of fruits and salads as snacks.
2. Plan ahead – While planning in advance, be honest with yourself in respect of how much time you have and what are your likes and dislikes. Planning in advance pays off when you are on the go, otherwise skipping meals will soon become a bad habit. When you are eating out select the eatery, review menu online, select and decide what and how much you will eat!
3. Consume less salt and sugar – Do this by limiting the amount of table salt, sauces, condiments, while preparing meals. Avoid salty and sugar snacks, candies and sugary drinks.
4. Consume healthy fats and avoid trans fats – Do this by limiting baked and fried foods, fatty meat, butter cream cheese and include unsaturated fats found in avocado, nuts, olive oil, fish, etc
5. Eat nutrient-dense foods – Foods that are high in vitamin minerals and nutrition but low in calories and keep you satiated for long. Always carry seeds, sprouts, nuts whole grains, smoothies, non-fatgreek yogurt. You can even include peanut butter with an apple,hummus with fruits or vegetable sticks.
6. Keep your snacks healthy simple and smart – Carry nutrient-dense foods as mentioned about and read the nutritional label before buying packets of snacks.
7. Keeping hydrated is crucial – You need water to digest your food and get rid of waste products.When you are dehydrated, you can feel tired, fatigued, have muscle cramps, headaches, constipation and can even indulge in overeating. Make smart choices like having plain lemon water, coconut water, soups, eating fruits with high water content and choosing foods with hydrophilic properties like chia seeds, oats etc and avoiding sugary drinks.
8. Physical activities should be taken seriously – Assign a few days in a week when you are comparatively less busy and incorporate exercise, walk or dancing, etc in your daily routine.
When you follow these healthy and practical tips when you are on the go daily, you will enhance your mental and physical performance and concentration as well. Try your best to fit these into your daily routine and make them a part of your lifestyle then you will be in a great position to make the best and healthiest decisions possible.