How to eat healthy AND on the go. Q & A

Q- Hey Katie. What my ultimate goal is shed some weight. But since I run 4 days a week, I need some high carb but good for you foods. I teach so I am pretty busy during the day so I dont have time to eat 6 small meals a day. Also, I know its better to do the natural thing, but I need stuff that is easy to make on the go and is healthy.


(I will address the second part of the question in this post. To read the first part go Here.)




A- One of the most important things to understand in life, is that when make any sort of change in an attempts to better yourself, there is going to be extra work. You are going to HAVE to put in more effort then you previously did and you are going to HAVE to make major life adjustments. If you dont change anything you do, the results will never change. 


I have been trying to loose 5 lbs for about 3 years now. It seems utterly impossible to me, I eat really well, I have changed my diet amazingly over this time, became a habitual runner, and still the weight just stayed there. Never really went up, but never really went down. But I am a very determined girl so I needed to find out where it was coming from, so I thought hard about it, pulled out my lap top do some research, and sat down on the couch with some tea, and a big cookie. Where oh where could this few extra calories be coming from so regularly that I CANT loose weight, I thought to myself... as I took another bite of cookie... Where oh where...


If you want to make a change in your life you need to change the habits that you have formed in your life. I honestly thought with as well as I ate during the day and all the working out I did, that there was no way my bowl of ice cream a night habit was in fact my kryptonite. But I also am at a very normal weight for my body, and I come from big stock, so I realized that if I wanted to get a toned middle, then it was going to have to come with the sacrifice of my nightly bowl of ice cream. It wasnt easy at first. I went out and bought a bag of Dove dark chocolate and threw it in my freezer and attempted to cut down on what I ate at first, knowing that I would get angry if I took away my beautiful bowl of ice cream cold turkey. Some days it worked, some days it didn't. But I kept trying to eat a few pieces of dark chocolate at night instead of ice cream or a cookie, and eventually, after months of trying, my taste buds started to change and I no longer craved the sugar. After I while longer I started to have only 1 piece of chocolate, and a piece of fruit. And now, I just have fruit. I had to go through the physical and mental process of changing a habit that I was comfortable with, but that I didn't want. There is a reason I call my blog Choices. Its all about the choices you make in life. (I have steadily been loosing about a half lb to a lb a week as long as I dont have a late night sugary snack)


So after you get into the mental mindset that it takes to make change in your life, its time to apply the practical stuff. Lets start off with the 6 small meals a day that you dont have time for. Here's the deal. MAKE TIME. 6 small meals doesnt mean you need to cook 6 small meals, sit down to a table setting and chew slowly, placing the fork down between bites. It can be as simple as splitting meals and packing snacks. 


Meal splitting - I used to eat a piece of fruit with my breakfast every morning. Banana on top of the cereal, apple with my eggs, ect. I would eat a big enough breakfast to where I wasn't hungry until lunch, which is great in most cases of life. But it also meant that my metabolism wasnt roaring up the way it needs to in order to loose weight, but instead calmly digesting my large meal. So what I started doing is saving my piece of fruit and decreasing the size of my breakfast slightly (1 piece of toast instead of 2, smaller bowl of oatmeal, and avoid anything that has to do with butter, sugar, or saturated fats) and then about 2 hours after my meal I would start to get hungry again, and I would grab for my piece of 100 - 150 calorie fruit. Perfect for a small quick easy snack. (add 100 calories worth of crackers to it if you need more) This can also be easily done with lunch. If you are having say, a sandwhich, a bag of baked chips, a serving of veggies and an apple, just split it up. Eat your sandwhich and fruit or veggie for lunch, save the bag of chips and other item for a quick easy to access snack in about 2 hours. By doing this you have just turned 2 larger meals into 4 smaller ones, revving up your metabolism and burning more calories throughout the day. Add a moderate dinner and a healthy snack before 9pm, and you have easily reached 6 small meals a day. As a teacher use the time that kids are studying, or a empty period to eat that snack. No one is going to care if you pull out a bag of carrots to munch on while they are reading. 


Packing snacks- One thing I always do is have food with me if Im out. Ill throw a bag of raw almonds and a piece of fruit in my purse, or some extra granola bars as im leaving that way I never am left high and dry incase I get stuck somewhere or I dont have time to eat. How many times have you had your day go wrong, and then you are starving AND running around town so you swing by McDonalds to grab a 99cent crapwich to tide you over. Its a non nutritional calorie bomb that can stop everything you have worked for that day. But by having easy to access healthy snacks in your purse, your car, your gym bag or your desk can give you a quick refill without backtracking you. (And you can check off one of your 6 "small meals" for that day)


As far as quick and easy go - its 100% about planning. Everyone has their own personal preference when it comes to what they like to eat. Weather you like to eat salads, or sandwiches or baked chicken or chili, it doesnt really matter as long as you are eating the proper amounts of fruit and veggies and protein and carbs and fat and so on. So Im not going to tell you WHAT to eat to be quick and easy, but planning ahead in your meals is the key to success. 


Always make more. I dont eat like a normal person, I dont make lasagna or baked chicken with a side of veggies. I dont make "meals" unless my husband requests something specific. I make "dishes". I throw a bunch of stuff in a pan that consists of protein (beans, or tofu or eggs) added with a carb and throw in a bunch of veggies. Sometimes i add hummus, or rarely cheese depending on the overall calorie count of the meal. I eat it over rice, or scoop it up with blue corn chips or something along those lines. And I always make more then I need and save it for another quick meal the next day. I like to do this cause it super easy. It just consists of some quick chopping of veggies, everything else is just thrown in and cooked. You can do this with any meal that you choose to cook. Make 3 times the amount that you would want to eat and when you plate your food, throw the rest into tupperware automatically and put it in the fridge to avoid going back for seconds. This way you again, always have something ready to go for those days you dont feel like cooking or frankly dont have any time and feel like running to the closest high calorie bomb food store.