Ways To Live Healthy With A Busy Schedule

Deadlines, family, social life, late nights and early mornings… It’s sometimes easy to forget how simple it really is to take control of your life and your health. There’s a way you can enhance your everyday health, increase productivity and feel amazing even if you’re super busy. Here are some of my tips how I keep maintaining HEALTHY LIFESTYLE although I have a super busy schedule.

For the past seven years, I run a small business together with my husband. It’s a day to day struggle to stay in business, to provide food on the table, pay loans and bills, and to have a family and life along the way. Although we love every second of that crazy, stressful, hectic life, it led us to almost complete disaster regarding our health.

In one point of our lives, we worked so hard, and we were under so much pressure. We slept too little. We ate too much of unhealthy junk and store bought meals (I had zero time to cook). It’s was easier to skip breakfast and overdose with caffeine and then overeat with junk food at work, ending up with eating fast (junk) dinner at home. Plus we haven’t moved our asses off that darn office chair, NEVER, and at home, we were literally couch potatoes. Brain dead couch potatoes. Our life was a mess. We ended up both emotionally exhausted, tired, and heavily overweight with many serious health issues just waiting to pop up.

For some time we were both still ok, but then that terrible lifestyle started seriously caching on us. It seems like everything was piled up – piled up – piled up…. until one day that pile became too big to hold and all started crashing. I knew all along that something has to change, but I still keep having these silly excuses. I felt like I don’t have time to make healthier choices, nor I have time to learn to live differently. I was so busy with my work that I totally forgot about myself and my physical (and mental) health… and the health of my family on that matter.

When my body literally crashed and when I started to experience health issues, that’s when I decided to CHANGE my life. Luckily my change didn’t come too late.

In that process of rediscovering HEALTHY FOOD and the joy of eating HEALTHY food, I’ve lost 110 pounds. I started to feel better. But that wasn’t all. Since I sorted my messy life and started to eat and live healthy every day, I suddenly started to have TONS of energy. I’m even MORE productive at my work now. 

It took me some time to build new habits. But now that I live this HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE, it makes me (and my family) so much healthier and happier.

I know you have a busy schedule. The truth is, we ALL have a busy schedule in some way. I know you think is not doable to lead a healthier life. I thought so too. But guess what?! I was WRONG. With a little planning and effort, you CAN lead healthier happier life even if you are “to busy”. Maybe my story and these tips inspire you to implement some changes in your life. Here are my ways to live healthy with a busy schedule. 

I keep HEALTHY FOOD stocked in my house.

If your kitchen is stocked with healthy food, it’s easy to be on track with healthy life. You’ll cook healthy meals, you’ll snack healthy snacks, you’ll eat more HEALTHIER. Period. When your pantry and fridge is empty, it’s easy to give in to fast food, takeout, and other temptations. So I keep my fridge and my pantry fully stocked with all healthy stuff.

I bring HEALTHY MEALS with me to work.

This saves not only time and money but also cuts down inches on your waist too. A first week of starting this new routine can be a bit pain. Planning and prepping food is something you need to get used to. I usually prepare lunch box at evening – veggies, salads, cooked grains, sometimes that can be dinner leftovers… Next morning I just grab my lunch box and go to work. I also prepare some healthy snacks too – energy bars, fruits, raw energy balls, for my between meals office nibbling.

I sneak VEGGIES in all my meals.

Vegetables are the important source of fibers and essential vitamins and minerals. Adding greens to a smoothie, or having fresh tomatoes with eggs for breakfast, or having salad complement a dinner… I can sneak those precious nutrients in almost every meal. It only takes a little imagination.

I have my BREAKFAST every morning.

I never skip breakfast no matter how busy I am. Breakfast is the most important meal of my day. It always consists of some complex carbohydrates, high fiber foods like whole grain bread and some protein rich foods. Also, I make sure I add up some healthy fats like avocado, healthy olive oil, nuts or seeds. Breakfast fills me with needed energy so I can have a productive day. It only takes a little time to plan breakfast meals ahead, and maybe do some preps at evening. It’s time well invested. If you’re looking for some HEALTHY breakfast recipes, take a look HERE. 

I make sure I’m always well HYDRATED.

Staying well hydrated is a must for good health. That’s why I always have my bottle filled with fresh water. But I’m kind the person that tends to forget to have a sip. That’s why I have my Ulla. Ulla is a smart hydration device, and I have it attached to my bottle. Ulla signals me and reminds me to drink my water. I always carry a bottle around, and I make sure I have at least eight glasses of water a day (that’s around 1/2 gallon or 2 liters per day). I have one whole post dedicated to Ulla – Hydration Reminder. You can find it HERE.  

I PLAN my HEALTHY MEALS for week ahead

I’m not THE master of meal planning. I’m complete noob. My meal planning takes only 15 minutes tops. I browse some Pinterest and internet or inspirations for meals I’ve saved. I just sit on Sundays and make a list. Also I do quick grocery shopping list too + I do my online shopping for things I can’t find in stores (it saves my time AND MONEY). And that’s it. Nothing fancy. Meal planning helps me a lot to be on track with HEALTHY weekdays meals for me and my family.

I make EXERCISE a priority.

Exercising is important for maintaining healthy life so make it your priority. I simply have it calculated in my weekly schedule. Every morning I do my yoga as part of my morning routine, and at evening I do my runs. On my resting days, instead of watching Netflix, I go out and just walk around the neighborhood. Some nights when I have extra time, I even do gentle bedtime yoga – stretching and relaxing. Exercising fills me up with needed energy, keeps my body and my mind health. 

It’s possible to be both the busiest and the healthiest version of yourself. I know, it’s always easier said than done, but the impact a few changes can have on your body (and your mind) is totally worth it. I will end up this post with one of my favorite quotes – It’s not about HAVING time. It’s about MAKING time. 

Now let’s chat in comments…. Do you have difficulty finding time to incorporate healthy habits in your busy day? How do you maintain your healthy lifestyle while chasing your work and busy schedule?