Most of us have resolved to eat better on the road this year. No doubt, we have already succeeded in some ways and likewise have been challenged. After conducting some quality research, our team has found five key questions to help you avoid falling into bad habits from our past.
Check out these five, quick questions to help you uncover proven ideas for eating better this year:
1. Do you eat emotionally?
A lot of us find ourselves reacting to emotional triggers with food, especially when we're traveling. It's common. You are not alone! But in order to fix it, we need to approach the topic with great candor. Ask: do you find yourself reacting to an emotion with food? When? When you're anxious? Bored? Overworked? Does the food make you feel better or worse?
Think about it. Emotional eating happens. Ultimately, however, the food choices we make in these situations don't always make good eating sense. When we pinpoint our emotional triggers, we can start to take action. For example, do long drives or facing a tedious project trigger that grab for a quick food fix? Take a moment and outline these kinds of triggers. The solution? Making a plan to nourish yourself through these moments, which brings us to our next idea:
2 - Do you need a plan for dealing with a emotional eating triggers?
Yes! Most of us do. So write down the list of triggers that challenge your eating habits. Don't be afraid to be honest about which foods actually help you feel better or perform in each situation. For example, sugary food often leaves us feeling even lower than we felt at the original trigger moment. Consider this: Would taking a brisk 10-minute walk invigorate you in the middle of a long project? Or might a quick phone call to a colleague or writing a note to a family member refresh your mind? After each emotional trigger, can you come up with an action or healthful food alternative in place of unhealthy food fix? You may be amazed by how powerful you feel when you stop eating emotionally-triggered foods and start caring for your self in more proactive ways.
3 - Do you feel balanced in life?
Feeling overworked or underworked, are two common triggers for making less nutritious choices as well. If you're overworked, try to find areas to free up space in your life. If you're underworked, perhaps there's a volunteer project, hobby or improvement task you can identify. In either case, be sure to notice whether or not you're getting enough sleep. When we're over or under worked, we often end up sacrificing sleep! And get this -- getting enough sleep can help us manage emotions, anxieties and stress better, so always be sure to get your sleep! This can become one of the most simple solutions to keep yourself balanced all day long, and less likely to turn to unhealthy food options in their place.
4 - Do you keep yourself nourished throughout your day?
No one works best with fluctuating blood sugar levels. When our blood sugar drops, we can become vulnerable for grasping at any food nearby. So consider whether or not you feel you're fueled all day long. Contrary to common thought, powering through a day without taking a minute for a snack or a lunch break can actually cause us to be less productive, not more. So value this concept, as an easy, self-care mechanism and plan to eat great food for fuel, and at regular intervals, all day long.
5 - Do you enjoy what you eat?
Many of us cannot recall our breakfast or lunch foods after 24 hours - we simply fall into mindless eating habits. So instead, regard each food you eat as your power source. Let your mind think about how each bite of food tastes, feels and satisfies your senses. Truly enjoy each bite! When we focus more on each meal, we tend to make better choices, eat more slowly and feel more satisfied with every bite.
Let us know how these tips help you eat better and how much better you feel, perform at work and approach your travels - follow us on Twitter, Instagram and like us Facebook and consider joining our private group, too! Let's keep the conversation going!
~Journey on, Janes!