How to Eat Healthy Despite a Lack of Time

How to Eat Healthy Despite a Lack of Time

Let’s face it, most of us feel like we have a lack of time. So, the thought of searching for healthy recipes, buying ingredients and actually cooking the meal can feel overwhelming.

(And sometimes even if you didn’t feel you had a lack of time, you may not WANT to do all the things, right?)

So, in this blog post, I’m sharing some insight and tips on how to eat healthy despite a lack of time. That way, you can feel better about your choices no matter how packed your day is.

Because when you feel better about your food choices, you’ll be much more likely to continue making better choices for long enough that it just turns into a habit.

And healthy eating habits is key for better physical health, better weight management, and even improved mental and emotional health. For the rest of your life. So good.

How You Think About Your Time

I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t talk about how you think about your time FIRST.

I know the title of this post is “How to Eat Healthy Despite a Lack of Time”, but did you know that a lack of time is not a fact, but a thought? In other words, it’s a opinion or judgement you have about the amount of time you have or don’t have.

Someone else may see your schedule and think that you have so much time compared to them. (That would be an opinion too.)

So, you have your schedule, and then you have a thought about your schedule. An opinion.

That opinion may be that there is a lack of time. It may be that there is plenty of time. Depending on the person, that opinion can really vary. But also, depending on how YOU choose to look at it, can vary too.

Now, why might you NOT want to think you have a lack of time? If you think the thought, “I have a lack of time,” (or something similar), how does that make you feel? Probably not great. Maybe even feeling rushed?

And if you are thinking you have a lack of time and maybe feeling rushed, what ends up resulting from that? What do you do or not do when you’re thinking that thought or feeling rushed (or another feeling)?

You might choose pizza instead of making a salad and cooking up a piece of chicken breast for on top. You might stop for unhealthy takeout for convenience-sake and also as a reward for your busy day.

You might grab and eat a few cookies in the breakroom instead of taking a lunch break and eating an actual lunch. You might skip a meal altogether, get overly hungry and make poor in-the-moment food choices just to satiate the overhunger.

So, instead let’s find a better thought regarding your schedule and your time.

• LISTEN OR READ: 7 Energy Boosting Habits for Career Women (Podcast Episode)
• LISTEN OR READ: Mindful Eating Even When You’re Busy (Podcast Episode)

How a “Lack of Time” Negatively Affects Eating Habits

Now, why might you NOT want to think you have a lack of time? If you think the thought, “I have a lack of time,” (or something similar), how does that make you feel? Probably not great. Maybe even feeling rushed or stressed or something similar, right?

And if you are thinking you have a lack of time and maybe feeling rushed, what ends up resulting from that? What do you do or not do when you’re thinking that thought or feeling rushed (or another feeling)?

Just take a moment to think about for yourself.

You might choose pizza instead of making a salad and cooking up a piece of chicken breast for on top. You might stop for unhealthy takeout for convenience-sake and also as a reward for your busy day.

You might grab and eat a few cookies in the breakroom instead of taking a lunch break and eating an actual lunch. You might skip a meal altogether, get overly hungry and make poor in-the-moment food choices just to satiate the overhunger.

As you can see, thinking you have a lack of time can very much negatively affect your eating habits.

So, instead let’s find a better thought regarding your schedule and your time, so you can create more time to eat healthy.

• GET WEEKLY TIPS: Eating Habit and Weight Loss Tips
• LISTEN OR READ: 8 Time-Saving Tips for Healthier Eating Habits (Podcast Episode)

How to Create More Time to Eat Healthy

Now if you were my client, together we would take a look at your schedule and be very objective about it. (You can try this on your own if you’d like, but I’m also giving you the main thing you can do in just a bit.)

We would look for periods of the day where you DO have time. Where you might be able to create more time. Where you have more control than you think.

However, since we don’t have the luxury of doing that together at this moment (unless you want to try on your own), let’s at least look at how you can shift your thought about your schedule a little. This is that main thing I mentioned just a moment ago.

What can you think instead about your schedule that is at least partially believable to you (doesn’t have to be 100% believable), that creates a better feeling?

That better feeling doesn’t have to be a super-positive one. It can just be a more neutral one like acceptance. Even acceptance feels better than rushed or a feeling of lack, right?

Here’s an example of a new thought: “No matter how busy I am, I ALWAYS have an extra 15 minutes to fuel my body with better foods.”

How would this thought make you feel? Do you think you’ll be more likely to eat healthy if you have this thought and the feeling it creates instead of the old thoughts?

Here’s another example of a new thought: “Taking a little time to eat nutritious food even for one meal, will enable me to be more energy-efficient.” (If you’re more energized from the better food choices you’re making, you’ll get more done in less time!)

How would this thought make you feel? More likely to choose healthier options? And if you got into the habit of thinking thoughts like these instead of thinking you have a lack of time, imagine the healthy eating habits you’ll establish.

Now, I know this process is probably NOT what you were expecting, but your thoughts are EVERYTHING. How you look at the things in your life, at food, at yourself matters so much. It greatly affects how you feel, behave and the results you create (or don’t create) for yourself.

• LISTEN OR READ: How an Eating Habit Coach Helps (Podcast Episode)
• LISTEN OR READ: Thought Habits and Your Results (Podcast Episode)

Final Notes (& More Help)

This process really is the way to go, because if you just try to change your actions with a couple little tips or “hacks,” you’re not changing anything at the core. You’re only making surface-level changes.

You have to start thinking differently if you want to create the results you really want. Whether they be eating habit results like just eating healthier in general, breaking an emotional eating habit, stopping overeating, etc.

Or they can be weight loss results or even body composition results. (Like if you wanted to become stronger and more toned.)

When you think a little differently, you feel differently. When you feel differently, you behave differently (take different actions or inactions). Then you’ll get different results.

If you want help with this, I can help you as an Eating Habit and Weight Loss Coach.

I help you with more than just the actions. I also help you think and feel differently too, so that the changes are life-long. You shift your way of thinking and doing. You create your results and KEEP THEM.