It’s easy to use “being busy” as an excuse for slacking off on your nutrition, especially during the holiday season. However, that’s just not a valid reason to throw in the towel when there are so many healthy and easy health food options. You can buy pre-cut fresh veggies or pre-washed salad mixes. You can hit up a healthy fast food-style salad place instead of the typical fast food options. Or, you can grab a healthy, gluten free protein bar made with real ingredients. Still lacking the motivation to make it work? Here are seven fat burning diet tips for those of you on the go!
1. Remove The Junk
The first step to accelerating fat loss is to remove the quick and easy foods that have been derailing your diet. That includes removing the processed foods and sugary treats from your cupboard and fridge. This also means avoiding the holiday leftover treats that your relatives try to pawn off on you! Being busy can cause us to reach for easy-to-eat, not-so-good-for-you foods, especially if we have skipped out on meals throughout the day.
2. Replace Junk With Easy, Healthy Food
Once you have de-junked your kitchen, the next step is to head to the grocery store and restock with healthy foods and snacks. Surrounding yourself with good foods that are diet compliant will leave you no choice but to reach for the good stuff. Replace ice cream with Greek yogurt. Swap organic brown rice cakes for crackers.
3. Eat More Fruit & Veggies
One of the best ways to avoid eating food you shouldn’t in a hurry is to eat more fruits and veggies! These foods are high fiber, packed with nutrients and lower in calories. Start your meals with big green salads and make sure your plate is more than half filled with veggies. Have ready-to-eat fruits and veggies in your fridge. For example, wash and cut up peppers, celery, cucumbers and mini tomatoes and have apples and berries on hand. Berries are great additions to oatmeal and protein shakes. Not only are these foods fibrous, they are also full of nutrients that aid in your metabolism, fight against disease and help balance healthy hormone levels.
4. Plan Fat Burning Meals
Being busy can sideline workouts and a good diet plan, which will, in turn, sideline fat loss and muscle building results. However, you can stay on track to your goals no matter where you are or what you are doing by looking ahead and preparing a plan of attack. That said, take some time every week to set out your schedule—do you have meetings, do you have social events, or do you need to travel? What are the events in your schedule that could sideline your diet or your workouts? Plan your cheat/re-feed meals around those events, and bring food with you on trips and/or scope out healthy options in the area in advance.
5. Make Food In Advance
After you have set a plan and understand where you need to be during the week, the next step is to prepare the food. Make enough protein and carbs for at least 3 to 4 days. Grill off a bunch of chicken, cook up a few cups of brown rice or quinoa and roast some veggies. When food is ready in advance, it’s hard to slip up or make excuses as to why you can’t stick to your diet—even at your busiest.
6. Bring Healthy Emergency Snacks
If you happen to end up being stuck without food because your meeting ran over or your travel got sidelined, avoid grabbing fast foods by being prepared. Stash non-perishables in your purse, gym bag and desk like raw nuts, dried fruit, low carb protein bars or protein powder. Even better, portion out these servings and bag them to avoid eating more calories than you should.
7. Learn How To Cook Easy, Fat Burning Meals
One excuse many busy people make when it comes to meal planning and prep is that they can’t cook, or they are just too tired when they get home to do so. Cooking doesn’t have to be complex or long and drawn out, especially if you have taken the time to prepare meats and carbs ahead of time. Make up a fast stir-fry by using fresh and washed veggies or use frozen veggies instead. Add herbs, spices or light sauces to add flavor. Then, simply re-heat rice and your choice of meat, and you are good to go! Meals like this are simple and nutritious and can be made in less than 30 minutes.