Just like our mobile devices have increased in popularity because there are many times of day when people aren’t home, eating habits should include at-home and on-the-go options. The challenges of maintaining your healthy eating habits can be overcome using the tips below.
The biggest hurdle to maintaining your healthy eating habits when you’re out and about is getting into the habit of thinking about what and where you will eat your meals during a specific activity. One of the ways you can create the habit of bringing along foods or snacks that comply with your nutritional goals is to start by bringing a bottle of water with you when you go out.
By training yourself to have the bottle of water, store the bottle of water with you regardless of where you go you will also learn to determine how you can carry your own food, where you can carry your own food and the best way for you to store your food in the various places you go. If you find that you go to places where you cannot bring your water, this too is instructive because you will think about how you can get water at a destination where you can’t bring your water such as a stadium event or concert.
Determine what is available to you for food storage or heating at your destination. If you aren’t going to be home for a meal, determine whether you will have access to a refrigerator or microwave at your destination. Many places such as work, other people’s homes when you’re out visiting or hotels do have a means for you to use kitchens other than your own. In this instance you can take food from home and store, prepare and eat it when you’re on the go.
If you are going to a place where you will not have access to facilities to store or prepare your food, you can still bring healthy foods from home such as a piece of fruit or nutrition bar along with you. These are not difficult to carry and will provide you with access to your customary nutritious eating when you’re on the go.
When you are eating out consider going into a grocery store and purchasing a salad bar alternative rather than dining out in a restaurant and ordering salad. You will be better able to control the ingredients of your salad and will likely pay a more reasonable price for the grocery store salad than you will in a restaurant. Many grocery stores have tables where you can eat your purchase so that you avoid eating in your car or some other unappealing spot.
If you purchase a healthy food from a grocery store to eat when you’re out and about, consider purchasing a beverage from a fast food restaurant or other vendor so that you can use the vendor’s seating accommodations. An alternative is to go to a mall and sit at a food court table to eat your healthy food purchase.
When you are going out for several hours and you have a car, consider packing a cooler to bring with you with healthy foods. The cooler should prevent your food from spoiling. This is especially important if you prefer to stick to a strict eating schedule.
You can learn to incorporate your healthy eating and nutrition habits into your busy schedule. Use the tips above to learn to maintain your usual eating habits when you’re out and about.