Tips for Staying Healthy with Busy Family Schedules

Think Ahead

The old adage applies here: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” These may sound like harsh words, but they can be helpful. If you aren’t sure of dinner plans or how you’ll eat well on the road, destiny may steer you to the fast food drive-thru lane. Consider meal planning for the week, especially quick meals or crockpot meals on days you’re working, to help make sure you and your loved ones are eating healthy.

Slow cooker or electric cooker meals are great time savers as well. You can save an extra portion from dinner and pack it for a healthy lunch for the next day. Consider how you can pack with your pantry with healthy snack options, like nut butter and canned or dried fruit, for a quick snack on the go.

Don't Waste Pockets of Time

Think about how many times a day you have 5-10 minutes to kill: waiting for kids to get their shoes on (or just find them), waiting for others to join a conference call, or being on standby as your computer boots up. Find a way to make these brief lapses contribute to your health goals. Find nutritious food alternatives using OptUP. Read a chapter from a health book on your e-book reader. Compile your grocery list. See how many squats you can do before getting winded.

Make Food an Activity

Instead of dreading time in the kitchen to get meals on the table, try to view food as fun. As part of a healthy lifestyle, try to cook healthy meals at home, and get the family involved. Kids in particular get a thrill out of being involved with food preparation. Measuring, mixing and combining ingredients can teach and empower children to make good food choices.

Exercise in Small Bursts

Some of us may be able to carve out time for regular Zumba classes or weekend 10K races, but odds are the physical activity component of our lives isn’t there if we don’t make it happen. Think about how you can use up every inch of time for exercise. Sometimes you only have 10-15 minutes; consider doing some jumping jacks or going for a quick walk.

Most importantly make it fun. Take a family neighborhood walk, play tag, dance around the house or do playground pull-ups.

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