Hi guys! This semester has been so crazy (As I feel like i've mentioned 10 billion times!) and its been hard at times to find ways to stay on top of eating well and finding a balance of good foods and having time to work on my thesis. I totally get it if you're short on time, but still want to eat healthy foods instead of hitting up the local McDonalds/Wendys/Taco Bell to get food fast. So, here are my tips for living healthy when you're short on time.

1.     Keep your kitchen stocked with healthy basics.

Olive oil, coconut oil, pita chips, honey, lemon juice, and bouillon cubes are my favorites.  Lately I’ve also been keeping packets of peanut butter crackers in my pantry to throw in my bag before I leave for class, that way I save money by not having to buy lunch on campus, but I have something to eat if I get hungry!

2.     Keep Foods with Various Fixin' Options in your fridge.

I love having cucumbers and bell peppers in the fridge. They’re both so easy to cut up, and you can fix them a bunch of different ways. With bell peppers, I like to either cut them up and eat them with low-fat ranch, or throw them in the skillet with some spices for a fajita bowl.

Note: when I make a fajita bowl, I mix in cooked quinoa with the bell peppers for the last minute or so. Quinoa is great because its high in protein, gluten-free, and high in healthy essentials like potassium, iron, and vitamin B, and magnesium! Something I learned this week – its in the same family as beats, chard, and spinach!

3.     Eat More Veggies.

I really like cutting up a cucumber and some cherry tomatoes, tossing them in some Greek salad dressing, and sprinkling some feta overtop(to give it just a tiny bit of protein!) I also have been eating with chopsticks a lot... which makes me feel like i have more food, since it takes me longer to eat it.

4.  Do Your Research.

I’ve been reading a lot lately about people having success with “Intermittent Fasting,” where you set a time range in which you eat, and then you fast for the other hours. For example, if you eat your first meal at noon, and your last meal at 8 pm. Be sure to drink lots of water during your fasting periods so that you don’t get dehydrated!  

5. Sit Less, Move More. 

Whether its taking the stairs up to my office, dancing around to the radio, or chasing Cooper, I try to move as much as I can throughout the day. I’ve also recently started trying to get back into running and yoga.

Thats all for this week! Do you have a favorite workout plan? What are your favorite workout tips? Let me know in the comments!

xo, Lauren