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| Photo credit: http://www.stockfreeimages |
Whatever the reasons may be, eating on the run is no excuse to eat unhealthy food. Just put some thought and planning into it and you will lead a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle.
Here are some tips that you can follow on your next long trip
Healthy eating 1: Kicks start your day with a hearty breakfast
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| Healthy Breakfast. Photo credit:http://www.stockfreeimages.com |
Try as far as possible to have breakfast. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that starting the day with a meal boosted resting metabolic rate by 10 per cent.
The reason why breakfast is the most important meal is because it will give you the energy to see you throughout the day and also preventing your body from going into a survival mode which will slow down your metabolism processes drastically.
Healthy eating 2: Can you tell if you are really hungry or just dehydrated?
We all eat sometimes because we are bored or just for the distraction, and not because our stomach needs sustenance.
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Airports, train and service stations are some of the places where we tend to look for something to eat because
- eating gives us something to do while we wait or
- take a break and
- also because of that odd mind set that we have to be energized by eating more for a journey.
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| Airport waiting area Photo credit: http://www.stockfreeimages.com |
When you have to take a long journey, pack a simple but healthy lunch and you can avoid eating poor quality food and expensive to boot which are sold at service stations or rest areas.
It is a good opportunity if you are travelling with your family to have a picnic rather than having to queue up in a noisy and crowded restaurant.
Healthy eating 4: Fast food that are healthy
If you are unable to or just don't have the time to prepare your own lunch for a long journey, you can consider selecting your lunch stops beforehand and pick a deli or restaurant en route that serves fairly nutritional food.
Planning ahead will make the journey more pleasant as well as you have the chance to take a break.
Healthy eating 5: Car snacks
If you often travel by car, keep a good stash of snacks! Select car-friendly snacks that won’t spoil, melt or smell. Store them in the glove compartment.
Options include
- dried fruit,
- nuts, seeds,
- rice cakes and
- hard fruit, such as apples and pears which doubles up as an air freshener as it give out a citrus scent!
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| Red and Green Apples Photo credit:Wikipedia |
Glove box snacks are also a good idea if you get stuck in a jam too, but remember they are for meals or emergencies — don’t eat them just because they’re there!
Healthy eating 6: Drink soup
Bring your own tiffin carrier or thermos flask to buy hot soup which is one of the healthiest choice of food. Soups are normally found at sandwich and coffee shops.
Choose, vegetable or miso soups that are low in calories and high in fiber and protein.
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| Metal Tiffin Carrier Photo credit:Wikipedia |
Choose, vegetable or miso soups that are low in calories and high in fiber and protein.
Enjoy the soup with wholemeal bread and it is a very wholesome and satisfying meal as well as doing your part in supporting the "Go Green" initiative.
Healthy eating 7: Choose to eat more veggies
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| Vegetable and fruit salads. Photo credit: http://www.stockfreeimages |
Look for outlets that serve fruit salads or vegetable dishes so that when you have a sandwich, soup, noodles or rice, you are getting your daily intake of fiber and minerals.
Request for extra salad in your chicken sandwich if they do not serve any vegetable side orders.
Even by having a slice or two of vegetables per serving will help towards your daily recommended intake.
Healthy eating 8: What to eat at fast food outlets
Fast food joints sells on "super sized meals and value for money" but you should be the one to control the portion and determine your BMI(body mass index) does not go into the danger zone of being overweight. You can do so by simply making the right choices and taking smaller portions.
These are some choices you can make:
- Avoid fries
- Have a salad instead with dressing on the side.
- Choose to drink warm or plain water
- Next best option is diet drinks
- Avoid high fat milkshakes or carbonated drinks.
Healthy eating 9: Practise "Conscious eating"
While driving, avoid eating snacks that you keep on your passenger seat because when you stop for a break, you may still want to eat some more. The reason is that while you were snacking and driving, you did not take your time to savor the taste of the food or drink enough water. The feeling of fullness and satisfaction did not kick in.
Remember that if you want to eat, make a quick stop along the way so that you can focus on what you are munching on. By being mindful, you will be able to enjoy the taste and your hunger will be fully satisfied.
Healthy eating 10: Sipping water to stay hydrated
Always carry water with you when you are moving around to stay hydrated. It is wise to keep a bottle in your bag, or a six-pack in the back of the car, so that you don’t get dehydrated and mistake thirst for hunger.
The idea of drinking water to hydrate is not to gulp down the whole bottle in one sitting. You just need to take small sips at more frequent intervals. This will avoid your bladder getting full too quickly and having to stop for more toilet breaks.
Healthy eating 11: Take fruits when you can
Fruits make the best and healthiest snacks. Don’t leave home without it and try to place strategic prompts throughout your day to remind you to eat fruits. It can be a fresh or dried fruits.
For example, take cut fruits with you in a sealed plastic bag every time you go out on an errand or buy some dried fruits such as raisins, dates or figs for long train, plane, bus or car journeys.
Healthy eating 12: Shop smart at supermarkets
Supermarkets are a surprisingly good option for on-the-run eating, particularly now that some service stations even have them — though you don’t usually need to go far to find one. You can get:-
- pre-washed salad and vegetables,
- prepared or fresh fruit,
- deli counter items such as fresh ham, mozzarella and
- ready-cooked chicken breast as well as cereal bars and yoghurts.
That makes for a lot more choice, better value and greater nutrition.
Healthy eating 13: Keep some food in your desk drawer
Keep tasty, non-perishable snacks in your desk drawer. For example, high fiber biscuits and peanut butter, rice cakes, muesli, or mixed nuts.
So if you find yourself unable to get out on your lunch break you will always have a healthy back-up.
Healthy eating 14: Tupperware or lunch boxes
Tupperware gives you the opportunity not only to make meals portable, but to use up leftovers, too. A box full of roasted vegetables, or pasta salad is a far healthier and tastier option than a mayo-rich sandwich.
Just make a bit extra when you cook your evening meal so you will always have something to bring to work the next day. You not only get to enjoy a nutritious home cooked meal, you are saving money too.
My next topic for discussion is, "Four Types of Food You Should Not Eat."
You may also like to read:
MY ART & POEM CORNER
MY BEST FRIEND
We make friends in school.
Best friends. That's cool!
Things change when
in the end
Big blue marble.
Career world rule.
Success or trouble,
Spinning whirlpool.
Losing touch.
Life is such..
Best friends lost forever?
Never say never.
Lost and found, re-connect
A hundred over trekked.
In Facebook we met.
Reunion we set.
Revisit again
Friendships regain.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Until my next post,
Here's To Your Health!
These are some choices you can make:
- Avoid fries
- Have a salad instead with dressing on the side.
- Choose to drink warm or plain water
- Next best option is diet drinks
- Avoid high fat milkshakes or carbonated drinks.
Healthy eating 9: Practise "Conscious eating"
While driving, avoid eating snacks that you keep on your passenger seat because when you stop for a break, you may still want to eat some more. The reason is that while you were snacking and driving, you did not take your time to savor the taste of the food or drink enough water. The feeling of fullness and satisfaction did not kick in.
Remember that if you want to eat, make a quick stop along the way so that you can focus on what you are munching on. By being mindful, you will be able to enjoy the taste and your hunger will be fully satisfied.
Healthy eating 10: Sipping water to stay hydrated
The idea of drinking water to hydrate is not to gulp down the whole bottle in one sitting. You just need to take small sips at more frequent intervals. This will avoid your bladder getting full too quickly and having to stop for more toilet breaks.
For example, take cut fruits with you in a sealed plastic bag every time you go out on an errand or buy some dried fruits such as raisins, dates or figs for long train, plane, bus or car journeys.
Healthy eating 12: Shop smart at supermarkets
Supermarkets are a surprisingly good option for on-the-run eating, particularly now that some service stations even have them — though you don’t usually need to go far to find one. You can get:-
- pre-washed salad and vegetables,
- prepared or fresh fruit,
- deli counter items such as fresh ham, mozzarella and
- ready-cooked chicken breast as well as cereal bars and yoghurts.
Healthy eating 13: Keep some food in your desk drawer
So if you find yourself unable to get out on your lunch break you will always have a healthy back-up.
Healthy eating 14: Tupperware or lunch boxes
Just make a bit extra when you cook your evening meal so you will always have something to bring to work the next day. You not only get to enjoy a nutritious home cooked meal, you are saving money too.
My next topic for discussion is, "Four Types of Food You Should Not Eat."
You may also like to read:
MY ART & POEM CORNER
MY BEST FRIEND
We make friends in school.
Best friends. That's cool!
Things change when
in the end
Big blue marble.
Career world rule.
Success or trouble,
Spinning whirlpool.
Losing touch.
Life is such..
Best friends lost forever?
Never say never.
Lost and found, re-connect
A hundred over trekked.
In Facebook we met.
Reunion we set.
Revisit again
Friendships regain.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Until my next post,
Here's To Your Health!
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