Busy life? No domestic help? 5 inexpensive and practical ways to stay active and healthy

Everybody wants to be active, healthy, and feel great every day. So, you bookmark healthy recipes, go grocery shopping for healthy ingredients like quinoa, and start exercising regularly. But then something unusual happens; you are overloaded with a large work task, you find yourself looking after your children (or parents), or you spend the entire day running errands. Then you might wonder to yourself “How can I eat nutritious meals throughout the day, exercise, meditate and manage my job life, care after my kids and parents while being active and healthy, right?”

This is one of the most frequently asked questions by clients who want to remain healthy but are unable to do so due to a lack of domestic support. Whatever the cause, life frequently leaves us with little time (or energy!) to stay healthy, and without any domestic help, it becomes an impossible mission. 

It is not difficult to manage our lives without a maid if you follow these 5 strategies to survive which can help you to manage professional, family, and social life.

Here are a few simple tips to help you stay healthy and active even if you don’t have any domestic help! 

1. Pre-plan your next day

If the time it takes to research recipes, plan what you’ll eat for a week, and do grocery shopping is what’s limiting you from eating healthy meals then there’s an easy solution: pre-planning your meal. It not only ensures that you receive all your nutritious meals throughout the day, but it also reduces stress and inconvenience, which is especially important when there is no domestic help. This should include soaking some nuts and seeds and keeping a fruit ready for the morning.

Don’t make an excuse that you don’t have time; the first thing you should do when you get up is eat the nuts and the fruit. If you have time to prepare morning tea and check your Facebook notifications, you can find time to eat a nutritious snack first thing in the morning.

2. Make the most of your weekends

We treasure our weekends. Most of the time, though, they fall short of our expectations. How many times have you found yourself looking forward to the weekend only to be disappointed because it flew by too quickly and you didn’t make the most of it?

So, take some time to wind down and relax. Also, you should start preparing your meals for the next week. It could seem exhausting and not something you’d want to do on a weekend, but remember food is fuel and that’s why planning what you need to eat keep to remain energized is as important as resting.  So, start creating your meal preparations, have batters ready, and plan out all your evening munchies to avoid any unwanted food accidents. 

3. Use one meal as a double meal

In theory, eating the same things every day seems like a wise choice. You won’t have to worry about rushing to the shop every week for recipe ingredients. You may develop good eating habits without the burden of finding out what to eat by having the same meal or snack every day. It’s no doubt that using the same meal twice a day would undoubtedly save you time, but things might become quite monotonous and boring quickly.

However, to make them less boring you switch up the protein and other components every day or every week. Making even minor adjustments to your go-to meals can have a significant impact. But remember to make sure that your meals are well-balanced and packed with nutrient-dense foods like veggies. If you go into a dietary rut, it’s too simple to miss out on crucial nutrients. However, the more frequently you consume something, the more it turns into a habit rather than a decision. The time it takes to plan meals is reduced when you eat the same item regularly. You may find it easier to prepare food and cook as a result. So, fewer choices = better options.

4. An organized Kitchen is where the magic begins

Make sure the kitchen is set up so that everything is accessible, and you know where everything is. Your day will be less chaotic if your kitchen is more disciplined and organized. To avoid reaching for unhealthy food anytime you are hungry, keep healthy meals at eye level and unhealthy foods stored inside your shelf.

Start with the equipment you use every day to keep your kitchen organized. Everything, from knives to measuring spoons to raw materials, needs to have a place. No one needs to waste time looking for the things you need if they are always in the same spot!

When it comes to fresh foods, follow the “First Come, First Out” rule. This strategy involves identifying everything that enters the kitchen and rotating everything such that the oldest products are always at the front of a shelf. You’ll use the oldest goods first and avoid spoilage by keeping them at the front.

5. Don’t forget to schedule some “ME” time

Some “me” time is necessary for keeping sanity. After the kids have gone to bed, you could generally have some “me” time. That’s when you catch up with yourself instead of the world around you.  Oh, and one other ability for living without a maid is the ability to multi-task at a fast speed, which is why having some “Me” time to declutter and wind down is vital.

Filling your time with various activities can be delightful, but it can also be psychologically and physically taxing. Instead, schedule time for yourself so you may recharge your batteries in whichever method you find relaxing. This could include anything that helps you relax from journaling, meditating, or even some kind of movement for 15-20 minutes a day. This will ensure higher physical, mental, and emotional energy to get you through the other things on your To-Do list.

It could be exhausting and stressful to handle everything on your own, but it’s not a complicated endeavor, and with the help of these tips, you can manage your life while staying healthy a little more efficiently.

(The author is Head Dietitian & Founder, Diet Insight. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)