Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Sometimes breakfast is boring. The reality is that many of us eat the same foods every morning now that we did 3 months ago, 6 months ago and even a year ago. And, while we may be completely fine with that, if we are giving our kids the same foods every morning, we are missing out on a significant opportunity to invite more exposure to a variety of foods.
Hangry is a real word! According to Oxford Dictionary it is defined as “bad-tempered or irritable as a result of hunger.” When it is dinnertime and you don’t have a plan, the family gets restless, irritability mounts and mom begins to feel her stress level rise.
As good intentioned as we all are, there are nights when our meal plan is non-existent or ineffective and we have to decide “plan B” fast. There is usually little time to spend contemplating the best, healthiest options and instead, we turn on survival mode.
These moments are real!
I didn’t know really how real until I became a mom. Recently, I told my husband in a moment of utter overwhelm and frustration that I completely understood why eating out is so prevalent among families during the week! I wanted to escape! I didn’t want to make decisions! I didn’t want to figure out what to cook… I wanted to sit down and eat in peace!
Sometimes, you just want to flee the craziness and decision making. Sometimes the thought of throwing together a meal when it is already past dinner time sounds like madness!
Unfortunately, cooking turns into the ‘bad guy’ that we are all running from. But, I believe the solution isn’t take-out or packing up the family into the car for the nearest restaurant. The reality is that it will take at least 15 minutes to get there and order. Instead, I believe the solution is having an arsenal of 2-3 meals that can be thrown together in 15 minutes or less.
In order to make this actually happen under 15 minutes, here is what you need to know:
The meals need to be written down or typed out
The list needs to be visible in your kitchen (on the fridge, bulletin board, etc) so that you can look at your list when the panic begins to rise.
Keep a well stocked pantry and fridge
These are 3 DINNER SOLUTIONS to save you, feed your family and restore a peaceful environment:
HOMEMADE PIZZA
Can I get an ‘Amen!’ You don’t need any pizza dough in the fridge. Pizza is one of the most versatile foods there is. You need some type of crust, a sauce, toppings and cheese, but it doesn’t have to look like your favorite pizza delivery and in fact, it might taste even better!
Crust Options
Whole grain french bread
English muffin
Whole grain flat bread (like Flat Out, Joseph’s)
Sandwich Thin
Pizza Sauce Options
Marinara sauce
Tomato paste*
Tomato sauce*
BBQ sauce
Pesto
*season with Italian herbs
Cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Provolone cheese
Cheddar cheese
Parmesan cheese
*any other type of cheese you like!
Toppings
Spinach
Peppers
Onions
Black olives
Leftover roasted/grilled vegetables
Chicken
Pepperoni
Ground beef
Pineapple
Fresh basil, cilantro, oregano
Step 0: pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Step 1: choose a crust
Step 2: add your sauce of choice
Step 3: add any toppings you have
Step 4: top with your favorite cheese
Step 5: Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cheese has melted and is slightly brown
Step 6: Take a deep breath! Dinner is done!!
Tips
slightly toasting your crust of choice while you are getting out all of you toppings will help prevent a soggy crust
preheat oven with the pizza stone; a hot stone will help toast the crust
BLACK BEAN TACO SALAD
Who doesn’t adore Tex-Mex? This recipe is so easy and simply uses a few pantry and fridge staples. Whether it is “Crazy Wednesday”, “Meatless Monday” or “Tired Friday”, this Black BeanTaco Salad is the perfect dinner that doesn’t take much thought, but will satisfy rumbling tummies.
Pantry Ingredients
Canned black beans
Chili powder
Cumin
Sliced black olives
Jarred salsa
Tortilla chips
Fridge Ingredients
Lettuce or bagged salad
Plain low fat greek yogurt or low fat sour cream
Shredded cheddar, Mexican or colby jack cheese
Step 1: combine canned beans with spices (½ tsp chili powder & ¼ tsp cumin per can/beans)
Step 2: warm the beans in microwave for 45-60 seconds
Step 3: add lettuce to salad bowl
Step 4: top lettuce with beans and then cheese
Step 5: dollop yogurt/sour cream, salsa and sprinkle on sliced olives
Step 6: slide 1 serving of tortilla chips around the rim of your bowl OR crumble on top
Step 7: turn on your favorite background music and enjoy some fun dinnertime conversation
Tips
look for low sodium beans (<200 mg/serving) when possible
FRITTATA
A frittata is a fancy word for a simple egg dish. It is incredibly forgiving and it is a great way to use up leftover vegetables before they turn. It is a little bit different from scrambled eggs or an omelette, but similarly, you can add in vegetables, meats, cheese, and herbs…whatever you have on hand!
Fridge Ingredients
Eggs
Milk
Your favorite cheese- cheddar, feta, goat, etc.
Cooked vegetables (steamed, grilled, sauted, microwaved)
*broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and zucchini work well
Pantry Ingredients
salt/pepper
Step 0: Preheat oven broiler
Step 1: whisk 6-8 eggs, ⅓ cup milk, ½-3/4 cup cheese, hefty pinch of salt, black pepper and any herbs you desire
Step 2: heat a large (10” or 12”) non-stick, oven safe pan on the stovetop and add oil spray (or 1 tsp oil/butter)
Step 3: add in cooked vegetables and saute on medium heat for 2-3 minutes to warm
Step 4: add in egg mixture and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set up on top
Step 5: top frittata with any remaining cheese and place under broiler for 2-4 minutes or until the middle is set and top begins to brown
Step 6: Take a minute to affirm a job well done while the frittata slightly cools. (or tell yourself you are amazing while you admire your “fancy” masterpiece)
Tips
Using raw vegetables may produce a watery frittata and the vegetables may not cook all the way through.
You can steam a bag of broccoli in the microwave for a quick vegetable option
Serve with toast, fresh fruit, cooked oat bran/oatmeal, or english muffin
Still a little hesitant to try your hand at a frittata? Check out this Alton Brown clip for an entertaining, but easy step-by-step video. You really can’t mess this up!
YOU CAN give your family a delicious meal in 15 minutes or less! Make sure to have these printed out in your kitchen so that the next time life overwhelms your well intentioned plans, you feel confident in your ability to produce a Plan B that everyone will eat up!
For more quick recipes and tips on easy planning, you can check out……………….
Weeknight Dinner in 20: Maple Dijon Salmon
One Powerful Key that Will Simplify the Way You Meal Plan
TRUTH: A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
Proverbs 22:3
The average family of 4 wastes $1,500 of food each year, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
It’s a fact.
Food waste is not anything anyone sets out to do. We go to the store, buy groceries and intend to eat what we buy. But it’s not uncommon to find molding vegetables, wilted leaves or brown speckled foods hiding out in our refrigerator. It happens, but it doesn’t have to happen often. If you are ready to throw in the towel on the moldy science experiments, here is how you can do it:
Keep Healthy Foods Within Sight
“Out of sight, out of mind…” this phrase rings true for healthy foods too! If food is placed in closed containers, bins, drawers and deep places in the pantry that are not visible or easy to reach, we forget about it.
While we want to remove foods from sight that are processed, WE WANT to add foods to the counter and easy to reach places that are unprocessed and whole…fruits and veggies. If you want to remind yourself to eat the veggies and hummus when you are hungry early evening and dinner isn’t ready, make them easy to spot when you swing open the fridge door.
According to Brian Wansink, consumer behavior and nutritional science expert at Cornell University, there is 3 secrets to healthier eating using his “CAN” approach:
Convenient– make healthy foods and beverages the easy, obvious choice
Attract– display healthy foods so they look appealing
Normal-make healthy foods the default and most abundant option
Eating healthy foods consistently is about making them readily available and visible, but this same trick also helps reduce household food waste.
Simple Food Placement Can Help You Eat and Use Instead of Overlook and Toss:
Create a kitchen herb bouquet- Cilantro, parsley, basil- cut off the tips of the stems and place in a glass or mason jar with 1-2 inches of cool water; remove any discolored or brown leaves. Place on the counter in lit area but out of direct sunlight. Change the water every few days or when it becomes cloudy. Your herbs can stay fresh for 1-3weeks!
Use glass containers, mason jars, and see-through storage containers– these are perfect for pre-cut vegetables and fruit as well as cooked grains, roasted vegetables and any other cooked foods you made on your food prep day. If you can’t quickly see what is in the container, you will likely forget about it. I use these Rubbermaid glass storage containers and LOVE THEM!
Place the fruit bowl on the kitchen table- this is the only food that deserves to be within sight when you walk into the kitchen.
Move chopped vegetables to the top shelf of the fridge- they are ready to go for snacking, roasting, steaming or any other preparation. You can buy pre-chopped or do theprep when you get home from the grocery store.
Salvage What You Can
Bad spots and molding indicate a living food is turning, but it doesn’t mean it is not edible. Only you can make the call but if you know something is old and will need to be tossed soon, consider a few different ways to salvage these ingredients and prevent food waste:
Brown speckled cauliflower– chop off bad spots, then mash or puree it!
Limp carrots, celery, root vegetables or herbs– vegetable stock
Brown Bananas– freeze for a smoothie or banana ice cream
Apples or pears that are mushy or have soft spots– toss into a crock pot to make applesauce
Overly Ripe Tomatoes– Roast with feta, balsamic and basil for a delicious side!
Basil that is starting to brown– make pesto!
Veggies or potatoes– roast!
According to the National Resources Defense Council, 48% of produce is wasted by American households! Imagine every time you go to the grocery store, unpacking your bags and tossing ½ of your fruits and vegetables directly into the trash!!
What can you salvage today?
Plan, Plan, Plan
The most common reason a food might go to waste in my kitchen is when I don’t make OR follow my meal plan.
“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” BUT, then you have to follow through with the plan. You have to commit.
Planning doesn’t require endless hours, lists and notes, just a little intentionality, notepad and a pen.
A few tricks for planning:
Include 1 Pantry/Freezer meal in your meal plan each week. This is a meal that does not include any fresh meats or produce and ONLY uses foods from your pantry and freezer. There will be no waste IF you don’t get to make this meal during the week…just save it for next week. For some tips on how to create a healthy pantry/freezer meal, check out this post.
First, prepare the meals with ingredients that will turn the quickest. For example, prepare fresh fish on the day of or next day after purchase. Make the recipe with the fresh asparagus before you make the recipe with the frozen broccoli. Prepare the meal with the fresh pork loin before the fully cooked chicken sausages. Simply, re-order the meal sequence… no extra work required!
Keep your meal plan in the kitchen on the fridge or on a bulletin board so that you and all the family members are able to reference it at any time. It eliminates the question, “What’s for dinner?” and provides focus when we are frazzled. Also, write out 2-3 snacks for yourself and kids so that they know what they can reach for each day during snack time (if they don’t notice the fruit bowl you have waiting for them on the dining room table!). You can change up the snacks each week to keep it interesting and it ensures that the fresh fruit and veggies you planned for snacks are actually eaten.
Stick To Your Shopping List
When was the last time you walked into the grocery store with a list and walked out with ONLY the items on your list? Never?!? Join the club!! But, we spend more money and increase the changes of food waste every time!
Sometimes we are making choices based on what looks fresh and appealing. Maybe the asparagus looks appealing and delicious OR maybe the mangos are perfectly ripe. Definitely, make produce choices based on what appears to be the freshest, but make sure you don’t buy more than what you intend to eat or use.
Inventory Your Pantry and Fridge 1 Time per Month
A good friend told me one time that she made dinners for her family of 4 for an entire week shopping her pantry, freezer, and fridge only– no grocery shopping required! I was astounded! I can’t claim that title, but it is true that ingredients begin to pile up and our neat and tidy shelves can easily become disheveled over several weeks with ingredients, extras, and little bits.
Plan to inventory your entire pantry, fridge, and freezer 1 time per month. Set a reminder on your calendar to do it on a specific day each month before you make a trip to the grocery store. You may find the beginning of the month is the perfect way to start fresh, but the key is choosing 1 day and sticking to it.
Then, create meals for that week that are specifically designed to help you use up those ingredients. Maybe you plan a chicken and vegetable soup with any fresh or frozen veggies you can find, canned beans, little bits of rice or grains that aren’t enough for a regular serving. Don’t forget to use up those fresh herbs you might have around. Add chopped, fresh herbs before serving so they stay flavorful and don’t lose their color.
This is the perfect time to be creative, resourceful and inventive. Who knows…maybe you will create a mouthwatering masterpiece!
What could you do with $1500 each year?! Would you spend it? Invest it? Give it? What is 1 strategy you can implement today to save your hard earned dollars and reduce food waste?
“Wasting food is like stealing from the poor.”
–Pope Francis
References
Natural Resources Defense Council, Save the Food
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Several years ago, when working in a traditional job, I packed the same lunch almost every day. While predictable does equal easy in many ways, it did get a bit boring and monotonous. But after cleaning up the kitchen from dinner every night, prepping and packing lunch for the next day wasn’t (and still isn’t) very appealing. Agree?
But this inspired me to begin thinking a bit more outside the box as to how I could turn leftovers into a completely different meal.
Acorn squash is one of more than a dozen winter squash varieties and like the name indicates, it is a large replica of those oak tree acorns that pepper the ground during the fall and winter. Quite possibly you have passed by these cute green and orange gourds a time or two at your grocery store or farmer’s market. It has a delicate squash flavor with slightly sweet attributes and boasts a whopping 9 grams of fiber per 1 cup serving.
Research is showing more and more the importance of not only regular exercise but daily activity and movement.
The American College of Sports Medicine and many other healthcare institutions recommend that individuals reach a goal of 10,000 steps per day. While this is no magic number, there is researching showing that increasing steps around this target may lower body fat, improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood pressure (in hypertensive individuals).
Not only do more steps equal better health but less sitting may equal longer life. Studies like this one demonstrate that the more sitting, the higher the risk of early death. That makes me want to stay active, keep moving and live well!
Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states. –Carol Welch
Maybe you are like me and wear an activity tracker religiously. There are dozens of brands, some of the most popular being Fitbit, Moov Now, Garmin and MisFit. It is the best way I have ever kept up with my daily steps and general activity. I especially love the Fitbit Group Challenges that I do with friends and family where we compete for the most steps. There have been many nights when it was late, but I started walking around the house, not just to reach my 10,000 goal but to beat another person who was ahead of me! It’s so fun and definitely keeps me moving. And, who doesn’t like a little competition!?
But I have noticed as my seasons in life have changed, my normal activity level is altered. When my daughter was smaller, I would take her out for daily stroller rides and fresh air. Now as a 1 ½ year old, she refuses to go in the stroller and our walks are at her pace and only the distance she can go. While she is definitely gaining speed and endurance, my overall activity level has reduced and some days I am struggling to get just to 10,000 steps, especially when she just wants to play in the leaves and doesn’t want to go on a walk!
So, this has forced me to do a lot of brainstorming about how to increase my steps. I certainly don’t want to lose my competitive edge! But the reality is, I just feel better when I am more active. While I certainly could adjust my exercise and add more minutes to reach my daily target goal, the research shows that health and fitness is More Than Exercise and is about being active throughout the day and sitting less. In fact, sitting less could literally add years to your life!!
When we stand up and move around, our heart begins pumping blood faster, sending oxygen and nutrients to your muscles and brains. This wakes up our body and gives a little energy jolt, caffeine free.
If you are looking for some ways to stay active and increase your steps, here are my top 10 creative ways to make it happen!
10. Walk while on the phone.
This is my absolutely favorite way to get more steps because it is so easy. Essentially, if I am talking on the phone, to ANYONE, I stand up and walk around. I intentionally plan phone calls with friends and family so that I will be able to walk. Twenty years ago, this would not have been a viable option because phones had cords attached to them, but not anymore! If the phone is in your hand, stand up and begin moving.
9. Arrive 5 minutes early to your destination and go for a quick jaunt.
My mother-in-law’s philosophy is that if you arrive on time, you are late. She always reaches her destination with 5-10 minutes to spare. If you are early, it is easy to wait in the car or sit in a waiting room checking social media before the appointment time, but what if you got out of the car and started walking? How would you feel if you took 2,3,4 or even 5 minutes for some fresh air and movement. Give it a try!
8. Consider a standing or treadmill desk.
Many of us find ourselves sitting most of the day at a desk and in front of a computer. Clever companies have created solutions to help us get moving. While a standing desk or treadmill desk may be a financial investment, it is an investment in your health and longevity. Definitely check out some of the options as they may not be as expensive or clumsy as you expect. HOWEVER, my current solution is to stand at my kitchen bar while working during the day. When I am brainstorming ideas I will walk in place and best of all, it keeps me from sitting.
7. Set an alarm to alert you each hour to get up and move for 2 minutes.
When the alarm goes off there are dozens of ways to get some steps… walk to the restroom for a break (maybe on another floor), walk up and down some steps, walk in place, go outside for a few minutes of sunshine, do some lunges down a hallway… A timer or alarm on your phone or computer will work perfectly, but there are also several apps you can download that will alert you to stand up and move. Check these out:
StandUp! Work Break Timer– set a customizable alarm to alert you from every 5 minutes to every 2 hours; you determine what days you want the alarm to sound. You can customize it to your work schedule AND the app allows you to limit the alarm to certain locations (like your office) so that it does not sound if you are out to lunch or out of the office.
Move– Get reminded every so often to stand up and do a quick exercise. The app has over 300 random exercises to keep it interesting (10 squats, 20 jumping jacks, etc). You can turn off any exercise you don’t want to do. You get to determine how often you are reminded and the type of alarm you want to hear.
Human– All-day activity tracker that encourages you to move at least 30 minutes every day. It seeks to help you answer the question “Am I doing enough?”
6. Turn up the tunes.
This method gives me the most joy and laughs, especially when I am dancing around the house with my daughter. There is something about a good beat that gets you groovin’!
5. Play with your kids!
As parents, it is easy to fall into the trap to check social media or clear out your inbox when you go outside with your kids to let them play, but this tip is not only good for your body but great for connection and fun! Play hide-and-go-seek, chase, monkey in the middle or any of the other fun school yard games you remember from long ago. Climb up the fort and slide down the side with your child, push your kids on the swing… there are so many ways to get moving and enjoy it!
4. Family walk before or after dinner.
When my husband gets home from work there are few things I enjoy more than a family walk. It is a great break for me to get out of the house, enjoy some conversation with my husband and allow our daughter to get the rest of her energy out before dinner, bath and bedtime. If it works better for your family, plan this after dinner. Who knows, maybe your neighbors will notice and you can start a neighborhood trend!
3. Park further away.
This idea is not very creative OR new, but I mention it because I still don’t notice people doing it. It is simple and not too hard. Step 1- Drive to the store. Step 2- Look for the furthest parking spot in the lot. Step 3- Park. Step 4- Walk in. Yep, it’s that simple and you will pass by the person in the car who is still waiting for the close parking spot. You will lose few, if any, minutes and gain many steps. What a win!
2. Plan walking meetings.
These are the perfect way to catch up with a friend or brainstorm new ideas with a team member. Take a walk and talk. When a friend asks to do lunch or coffee, I usually tell them I am available for a walk at a park or on a greenway. Just determine now that meetings and get-togethers revolve around activity.
1. Use the stairs.
Regardless of whether you are at work, away in a hotel, or at the mall, look for the stairs. They are ALWAYS there. Decide that wherever you go, you get there by taking the stairs. While I will admit this is a bit challenging if you have a stroller, we taught my daughter early on to go up and down the stairs holding our hands. Simply refuse to take the escalator or elevator. Yes, some amazing inventor created some nifty contraptions totransport people from point A to point B, but God created our legs to take us places!
You don’t have to implement all of these ideas to see results and keep your body moving. Pick a few of your favorites, write them down and put them in plain sight. Plan how you will implement them into your day. Your fitness tracker or pedometer won’t lie.
Our overall health and fitness level improves with consistent exercise minutes, but it soars even more when we are moving throughout the day.
Standing up isn’t complicated. One more step is not hard. Let’s take just one more.
Let’s “Wake up with determination and go to bed with satisfaction.”
Get my FREE PDF with all 10 Creative Ways to Get More Steps by clicking on the picture below.
TRUTH: Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.
DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through this link, your cost will be the same but Healthy Inspiration will receive a small commission to help with the operating costs of this blog. Thank you for your support!
You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients. –Julia Child
Vegetables have an amazing array of robust flavors, but just like cooking a piece of meat to the proper temperature, different vegetables shine with different preparation or cooking techniques.
“Show me your friends and I will show you your future.”
Have you ever heard that statement? My youth pastor was known for making that proclamation and it always stuck with me. That little piece of wisdom has dramatically influenced how I make friends and whom I choose to place in my close, inner circle.
Of course we interact with dozens if not hundreds of people every day, but the fact remains that the people we choose to spend the most time with, have the most influence on our lives. Their values, beliefs, convictions and language add to the environment in which we live. It doesn’t mean we lose our individuality, but the more time we are in their presence, the easier it is to be influenced by what they say or do.
While some people speak toxic trash, others speak life-giving truth.
As you are running towards your 2017 goals, persevering, developing healthy habits and wiping out damaging behaviors, it is critical that you consider the people around you. These individuals are powerful and have the ability to lift you up and drag you down.
Attracting and inviting the right people into our lives won’t only encourage us, but has the power to bring out the best in us.
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
— Proverbs 27:17
In my years of nutrition counseling, the individuals that experience long term progress were those that invited support. They actually asked for it, sought it out and created relationships that promoted personal growth. They realize this was a journey that they could not walk alone and actually needed people to cheer them on. These individuals realized that “Negative Nellie” made them feel hopeless and “Diet-Crazed Sally” rode a rollercoaster to nowhere and “Lazy Lana” was staring at the consequences of her inaction.
These clients realized the power of the people around them and the power of those they allowed into their inner circles. Surrounding themselves with positive people actually helped them persevere when the journey was tough.
When I was working for an outpatient bariatric program, I co-lead monthly support groups. I was always wowed and amazed as I would watch people walk in feeling frustrated, depressed, and out-of-control and leave an hour later feeling uplifted, encouraged, empowered and courageous. It wasn’t me; it was the other patients that sat in those same chairs and offered support, ideas, empathy and a listening ear.
Those positive, uplifting patients played a necessary and dramatic role in helping others stay on track, keep moving and not be discouraged by bumps in the road. This happened every single month. Again and again. What a beautiful picture it was.
We all reach places of despair and frustration, when we feel hopeless and at the bottom of a pit. We all get weary along the journey, wondering how many more steps until the future looks brighter. We all need someone to relate, empathize and simply say that they care.
We need people, uplifting people, to keep walking and eventually reach the future we envision.
Are you walking with any like-minded people on your health journey? Choose people that have a vision for their health and are constantly moving towards it. Choose people that treat their bodies kindly. Choose individuals that don’t follow the next diet craze and instead, pursue a healthy lifestyle that includes real food with the occasional treat. Choose those that speak truth, affirm, encourage and uplift.
If you would like to find some health-minded individuals that can support you on your nutrition and fitness journey, here are a few ideas:
Walk/Run groups– You can often sign up for these through sporting goods stores, meet-up groups and track clubs. A simple online search can help you find groups in your area.
Church/social groups– Consider attending or leading a book club or Bible study group with the focus on health and fitness. This is a great way to learn, share ideas and find support! There are several programs specifically designed for small groups including: 7 Pillars of Health by Dr. Don Colbert, First Place 4 Health, The Daniel Plan by R. Warren and D. Amen and M. Hyman, or Lifesteps Weight Management Program.
Dietitian Consult– Registered Dietitians are excellent resources to help you assess barriers and formulate plans to achieve goals. They can help you develop a customized meal plan, strategize difficult situations, and direct you to beneficial resources. Many dietitians also lead support groups, grocery store tours and cooking classes to help take concepts and make them easy to apply.
Health Coach Consult– These health professionals can help you identify and assess motivation, integrate health recommendations into your lifestyle and create healthy language to meditate on that empowers you to thrive. Make sure you find a credentialed Wellness Coach; many Registered Dietitians have also received training and credentials in health coaching.
Remember that healthy individuals are those that not only talk the talk but walk it out. Consider people that demonstrate consistency. Having a gym membership does not make someone an exerciser. People that value health and fitness regularly carve out time for these activities, demonstrating that they are a priority in their lives.
I encourage you to write down a list of healthy behaviors you want to practice regularly and then look for these in the people you know. If you envision a future where you have energy, vitality, a healthy self-image and feel good putting your clothes on each morning, invite some people along the journey that can see you there too!
If you see something beautiful in someone, speak it.
— Ruthie Lindsey
Choose people that speak truth, cheer you on and help you go to the next level. Keep your future bright.
TRUTH: Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.
DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through this link, your cost will be the same but Healthy Inspiration will receive a small commission to help with the operating costs of this blog. Thank you for your support!
Meal subscription services are gaining popularity and attention. These trendy services claim to make your life better by doing your meal planning and grocery shopping for you! Essentially, they help you combine fresh, seasonal ingredients into a mouthwatering meal. Each meal subscription service is slightly different, but the general idea is to deliver fresh ingredients to your doorstep each week along with easy-to-follow recipe cards. Many of these services boast super fresh and locally sourced ingredients, reduced consumer food waste, healthy and nutritious recipes and most importantly, flavorful, delicious meals. Recently I had the opportunity to try out Hello Fresh.
Do you have any habits you dislike? Things you do you wish you didn’t? Are there any habits you want to form, but have struggled with the follow through?
Benjamin Franklin once claimed,
“Your net worth to the world is usually determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted from your good ones.”
Convicting?!?
We all want to be people of purpose- people that contribute value to other people’s lives and live in a way that respects ourself and honors our Creator.
The thing about it is that our habits, good or bad, often affect others. If I choose to multi-task during family time, it doesn’t just affect me. If I choose to stay up late on social media, my daughter experiences the effects of my lack of sleep the next day. If I don’t meal plan, my family ends up “scrounging” for dinner, as we like to call it.
Even more convicting are the words spoken by the Roman poet, Ovid,
“Habits change into character.”
Ouch!!
In my position as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and healthy living advocate, I talk with individuals about much more than numbers, research and nutrients, I am in a position that requires me to talk about habits, behaviors and life rhythms. We all develop patterns that have a certain rhythm and sometimes, when we find that they are leading us down a path we dislike, we have to interrupt these patterns and find a new rhythm. But, this can be quite challenging!
Just because I have talked about behavior change and healthy habits with individuals for years doesn’t mean it is a piece of cake (eh, fruit?) for me, either. I too have to identify motivation, expose self-doubt, and agree to commit. I have to determine how to go about breaking habits that are not supportive of my goals and developing ones that lead me in the direction I want to go.
After leaving my job in a clinical outpatient office and becoming an entrepreneur, where I am totally in charge of my schedule, time management, expectations and endeavors, I found that I was struggling to develop the new habits I desired. All of my routines, habits and schedules from my previous season in life were completely obsolete and I found myself having to establish new ones and struggling immensely.
I truly wondered what had happened to my “initiative-taking”, motivated, achiever self! What was halting my progress? Why was I feeling stuck? Why did I find it so difficult to follow through on a goal and tackle my to-do list?
Have you ever felt that way… When you wonder what happened to the person you know you are? Maybe you noticed that what you are doing isn’t matching what you are planning to do in your head. It doesn’t mean that there is no motivation, but as Paul states,
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do (Romans 7:15).”
While fear certainly left me frozen in place at times, I realized there was more to it.
As lover of order, rules and structure, I never thought I would have to work so hard to set up a good morning routine, develop a work schedule, go to sleep earlier or set boundaries on work and social media. While I found myself making slow progress, it was very slow, indeed.
And, I was not OK with that!
During a work-life balance talk I was listening to a couple of months ago, I was introduced to Gretchen Rubin’s 4 Tendencies Framework. Her research and observations on human nature, habits and tendencies led her to develop this framework that for me was eye opening. After taking the short quiz I experienced a “Eureka!” moment as to why I have been struggling.
Don’t you love when you realize that you are not unmotivated or unambitious, but the lens you see through and live through is just different? Finally, this information allowed me to extend grace to myself AND set up new systems to help me with unhealthy habits I wanted to change and new ones I wanted to form.
So often I have worked with individuals who make statements like, “I just need more motivation.” OR “I just need to become more self-disciplined.” They have a desire in their heart to make a change but continue to struggle, telling themselves they are wrong, bad and not good enough. They see someone else experiencing success in an area and believe they should be able to follow that path and arrive at the same results.
The reality is that these individuals have motivation and even a vision for where they want to go- they have already made a huge step in seeking out counsel from a Registered Dietitian. It’s establishing the healthy, consistent habit that is perplexing.
Jim Rohn states,
“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”
If you have dreams to live, behaviors you want to adapt and habits you want to change, learning a bit more about how God made you to think and respond is essential.
I learned that I have a natural tendency to be an Obliger. I naturally want to meet expectations of others, AND I will forfeit my own in order to meet those of others. This is why I excelled in a structured working environment. I was given expectations and I rose to achieve them. I was asked to complete a task and I went above and beyond. But in a entrepreneurial setting, I make my own schedule. No one is asking me to do anything. As much as I hate the lack of structure and crave policy, there is no one to give it but me.
For an Obliger, the key is to set up external accountability. As I have begun doing this in my life (and it is a bit difficult in a small business, but has made me think outside the box), I have found myself accomplishing more and feeling more accomplished. And, we all want to FEEL accomplished, skillful and proficient!!
I meet with another small business owner and friend about 1 time per month to encourage each other in our endeavors and hold each other accountable. At the end, we always give a verbal plan for our next steps and goals and follow up on these at the following visit. It has been so much fun to have another friend who supports my efforts, sees my progress and all the tiny details and acknowledges them. It meets this innate need in me to be affirmed, but also dramatically helps me by providing accountability.
As I have begun to look at other failed goals in my life (like not sticking to a defined bedtime and reading a certain number of books each year), I have realized that my personal key is setting up clear accountability…and encouragement. I can use all my tips and tricks for goal setting, but for me, without external accountability, I don’t tend to move as much, push as hard or believe in myself as often.
Truly, this has changed my outlook. I am not unmotivated or lazy in certain areas of my life, I am just wired differently and need certain tools and people to help me get where I want to go.
For me, it wasn’t until I left a very structured, predictable life rhythm for a less structured and irregular life schedule to highlight this very real need for accountability and affirmation.
If you have been struggling with a habit or behavior, I encourage you to check out Gretchen Rubin’s free quiz. I would love to hear what you think and if you feel it is accurate for you. The great thing about this quiz is that you can’t really be a mix. You tend towards 1 of the 4 but there isn’t much gray area.
These are the 4 categories but I encourage you not to self-diagnose and honestly take the quiz to see your own personal results.
Upholders respond readily to outer and inner expectations
Questioners question all expectations; they’ll meet an expectation if they think it makes sense–essentially, they make all expectations into inner expectations
Obligers meet outer expectations, but struggle to meet expectations they impose on themselves
Rebels resist all expectations, outer and inner alike
Your results will identify how you tend to respond to other’s (and your own) expectations AND will provide a bit of feedback about how to counterbalance that so that you can progress forward at the level and speed you desire.
If you want to make changes, YOU CAN. Sometimes we just need to get to know ourselves a bit more to understand how to successfully execute.
YOU REALLY DO HAVE WHAT IT TAKES.
TRUTH: Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights.