Busy, busy, busy, and I just don’t have time to eat! We’ve all been there: woke up late, errands to run during lunch break, or kids have that project due the next day and they just told you about it. So is it ok to skip meals, and what to do when you just don’t have time?
My answer in a perfect world is, “No, it’s not ok to skip meals.” We should be eating meals, with snacks in between, about every 3 hours throughout the day. But I’m a real person with a real life and I’m aware that at times sh*t happens and things can get in the way. As you may know I’ve written a soon to be published book (Lose Weight, Find Yourself! 6 Steps to Having a Healthy Relationship with Food…Bite by Bite and Pound by Pound), and in it I discuss many of the things that I’ve learned along my weight loss journey. I want to give you a chance to succeed, not a reason to fail. The best thing we can do is to be prepared! Being prepared is essential for anything that we want to do in life that brings us success, whether it’s a job interview or an effective weight loss plan.
Let’s tie preparedness into skipping meals and what we can do when we’re on the go in this increasingly busy life, shall we? Hopefully you’re getting good at your weekly grocery shopping and meal planning for each week, because this is gonna be your first line of defense! When you are prepared with the right snacks on hand (an apple, a pear, whole grain crackers w/ a serving of low fat cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, granola bar, etc.) then you are a step ahead of the game in case a situation arises that you don’t have time to eat. Just like you are packing your lunch, you should always have a healthy snack or meal replacement within reach. I often times pack a GNC Lean Shake™ (25 grams of protein, 170calories) in my bag and a piece of fresh fruit. I can use this as a post workout snack, or a meal replacement just in case. Aside from the simple fact that I get moody when I haven’t eaten, it is important for me to remain properly nourished and keep my metabolism steady. Our bodies are machines and they need fuel!
If you don’t have an “on the go” meal replacement on hand, you could always stop at a bodega, health food store, or convenience store and pick something up. The worst thing you can do is get so hungry or so agitated that you make a poor choice and end up eating fast food, a candy bar, or start a binge which is hard to stop! (Please read my previous blog “Is it ok for me to eat fast food.”) At the end of the day, you need to be ready to face all the obstacles. Once you get into your routine it gets a whole lot easier.
For now, let’s just remember to always to pack a snack and keep in mind that your weight management is just as important than anything else in your life. You will not live if you don’t live like this! And hey, if you do end up skipping a meal or you go one day unprepared, don’t beat yourself up about it all. Just take it as a lesson and be even more prepared the next day! Visit my Facebook page by clicking the icon for lots of hints and tips about healthy snacking and healthy meals. (www.facebook.com/loseweightfindyourself)
You are going to win, I just know it!