Due to COVID-19, have you been working or helping to teach your kiddo(s) from home? Or maybe trying to manage BOTH of those tasks? All the while trying to take care of yourself and the other zillion To Do's?
One of the most popular callouts for HELP I've received in the past few months is with lunches and nutrition during the "at-home-workday-schoolday-everythingelseday."
If this relates to you, then hang with me for a few minutes as I have some nuggets that can shine the solution light bulb...
First, let me burst a quick bubble and clear the air.
Most folks think if I simply pass on some fun lunch recipes, then we're all set. Or if I prescribe hardcore macros to follow, we're all good. Like dusted and done.
Not the case, Mechanickers. While I'm not discounting the benefit of a handy recipe or occasional macronutrient frameworks for some folks at certain times, those things are not the solution to the problem at its core.
Now onto the GOOD news…
The solution is the QUAD P for a successful nutrition day at home:
PLAN: Think about when your food day typically goes off course or you get into the what am I doing zone out. For example, if later morning or early afternoon, you are feeling ravenous, your meal(s) prior were likely weak in one or more elements of protein, fiber, or fat. Maybe the timing of your meals needs adjustment, especially for the morning exercisers. Or maybe you feel snacky and keep opening the fridge to see what awaits you, when deep down you know you aren't biologically hungry.
Reflecting on what is going on (and why) feeds into planning for a leveled up day.
PREPARE: Once you've created some plans for change, next up is preparing yourself for the changes to actually unfold. Whether this is buying new foods or writing a revised food schedule for the day, or blocking out time in your schedule to move away from work to go nourish your mind-body, the preparation involves taking steps to make those plans a real deal.
Make your new nutrition plan easy, accessible, realistic.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE: Now you DO. Practice, practice. Repeat.
PLAY: What I mean here is being open to flexibility and learning what you can learn in this process of improving your nutrition day. There is no Evil Rule Meister standing over you with the stick to bust your buns if you don't get it right the first time.
Our lives are fluid and so too is our fueling framework. We gotta fine-tune as we go along.
Does this resonate with you? Think on it and see where you're able to make a shift in your day.
And remember that small steps are still steps forward.
And I can help you when you’re ready.
Thanks for reading,
Dina