No matter how crazy work or life may get, never let “I’m too busy” be an excuse. Eat well and stay fit no matter what with The Busy Bee’s Ultimate Guide To Staying Healthy.
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Welcome to another great Wild Workout Wednesday Link Up where Annmarie from The Fit Foodie Mama, Angelena Marie from Angelena Marie: Happy, Healthy & Balanced, Michelle at Fruition Fitness and I bring you workout ideas, motivation, inspiration and recipes to try. Join us each week by reading along, linking up and grab the button to proudly display on your blog/in your posts!
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Those of you that read this blog on the reg know that I’m not just a blogger. I have a pretty great full time job “on the side,” that keeps me quite busy. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with blogging, and it’s even harder to keep up my healthy routine. When I have early meetings, that usually means I can’t get my workout in, and if I end up working late, I can’t have the healthy dinner I planned.
It’s tough to find a balance when you get slammed by work or life, but I try really hard not to let “I’m too busy” or “I don’t have time” be excuses to fall off the healthy living train. I know a number of you (if not all of you) can relate to feeling overwhelmed and therefore tempted by unhealthy habits at times, so I’m here to share some of my favorite tips and tricks, as well as some great tips from some of my busy blogger friends, to help you stay healthy no matter how crazed you may be.
So get your little busy butts ready for The Busy Bee’s Ultimate Guide To Staying Healthy.
Tip #1: Get into meal prep
I’ve talked a lot about meal prep before. It will truly save you so much time and help you stay healthy even on your busiest of days. Spend an hour or two in the kitchen on Sunday whipping up snacks and meals for the week. Bring said snacks and lunch to work with you, so that 1) you have them handy when you’re busy and hangry and 2) you’ll be less tempted by any not-so-healthy office snacks that may be floating around. I keep a bunch of healthy snacks in my desk drawer for whenever I need them. If you don’t have time to make lunch on the weekend, bring all the ingredients you’ll need to whip up a healthy sandwich or salad to work and make it on the fly.
Meal prep resources:
A Meal-Prep Plan for 5 Days of Healthy Lunches – A Lady Goes West
5 Must-Know Meal Prep Tips – Fitful Focus
Make Ahead Breakfast: Sweet Potato Crust Frittata – Dani California Cooks
7 Healthy & Easy Packable Snacks When You’re On The Go – Simple Holistic Girl
Stock Your Pantry for Healthy Work Lunches – Suzlyfe
Beginners Guide To Meal Planning and Meal Prep – Jill Conyers
Tip #2: Make it quick or let it sit
If you’re not about meal prep, don’t stress yourself out with recipes that require you to spend hours in the kitchen. When I’m looking for good weeknight recipes, I look for something quick, or something that I can just let sit (aka – a crockpot recipe). Go on Google or Pinterest and type in key words like “Healthy 5 Ingredient Dinners,” “One Pot/Pan Meals,” “Easy Crockpot Dinners” or “Quick, Healthy Weeknight Meals.” That way, you can find a recipe that you can make in a jiffy or that allows you to just throw everything in a crockpot before work and have a delicious meal waiting for you when you get home (crockpots also make your house smell amazing!).
Quick & easy recipe resources:
35 Quick & Easy Dinner Recipes – Reach Your Peak
3 Go-To Meals When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking – Talk Less Say More
Quick & Delicious 15-Minute Garlic Herb Spaghetti – The Refreshanista
Basil Pesto Zoodles with Heirloom Tomatoes – A Cup of Kellen
Pumpkin Seed Buddah Bowl – Danielle’s Kitchen
15 Minute Vegetable Ramen Stir Fry – Pumpkin and Peanut Butter
Super Quick Paleo Chipotle Chicken Salad Sandwich – Fitful Focus
Healthy Chicken & Cashews – Fitful Focus
One Pot Tomato Lentil Pasta – Emma’s Little Kitchen
Hawaiian Tuna Burgers – Healthy Helper
No Bake Mint Chocolate Protein Bars – Fit Mitten Kitchen
Dark Chocolate Trail Mix Energy Balls – Fitful Focus
Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken – Strength & Sunshine
Vegetarian Slow Cooker Tamale Pie – That Girl Shannon
Easy Crockpot Pulled Pork Bowls – Fitful Focus
Tip #3: Squeeze in a do-anywhere workout
First and foremost, try to find a time that you can dedicate to fitness. If you can, wake up an hour early to sweat it out before work. If you’d rather exercise in the afternoon, do so right after work, so you don’t have time to go home and get distracted by chores or the couch. You also don’t need to spend time schlepping to a fancy gym. You can get a pretty stellar workout using just your bodyweight and limited space or you can just step outside go for a run.
If your day is one of those really crazy ones where you have to be at work early and stay late, get in a little fitness throughout the day. Take the long route to the bathroom, go for a quick run during your lunch break or try some “in office” workouts (examples below!).
Better yet, if your office offers any sort of employee wellness program, take advantage! My office offers in-office yoga every now and then and occasionally partners with some boutique fitness studios to offer discounted classes. Plan to get in some workouts with coworkers, and put it on your calendar just like you would any other meeting.
Quick workout resources:
50 Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do Anywhere – Greatist
20 Minute Full Body Plyometric Workout – Lean, Clean, and Brie
30 Minute At Home Workout – A Cup of Kellen
3 Move Total Body Dumbbell Workout – A Lady Goes West
10 Minute Bodyweight Arm & Shoulder Workout – Fitful Focus
Heart Pumping, Do Anywhere Workout – Fitful Focus
Small Space Workout – Born To Sweat
30 Minute Full Body At Home Workout (No Equipment) – Simple Holistic Girl
10 Easy “Workouts” to Try at Work – Running On The Fly
5 Simple Hacks for Keeping Fit at the Office – Run With No Regrets
Tip #4: Do what you can, when you can
You can’t do it all. Your health and wellness are extremely important, but if trying to squeeze in a workout stresses you out or means you won’t get enough sleep, skip the workout that day and get back at it tomorrow. Life is all about balance. Even Wonder Woman can’t do it all. Seriously, I hear she’s a lousy cook. 😛
Now it’s time to see how all you busy bees are staying healthy! Add your healthy recipes, workouts or other health/fitness focused posts to the Wild Workout Wednesday Link Up (full link up rules here) and share with #wildworkoutwednesday!
Let’s Chat:
How do you stay healthy when life gets crazy?
Does your workplace offer any healthy living incentives?
Thank you for sharing my post! I think that keeping healthy ingredients on hand at all times is a huge helper for me when things get busy. Because running out of food is the number one way to fall into that ordering out trap, which just leads to money and energy drains.
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Muscle Activation Technique For Endurance Athletes
EXACTLY!!! Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Great tips! I think sometimes people feel like they have to do it all or nothing. Doing the best you can, is great advice. Also meal planning is a must. If you don’t, you just don’t eat as well.
Julie @ Running in a Skirt recently posted…Things I’m Loving Lately 22
AGREED!
Meal prep does really help on busy days but I can certainly be better! Thanks for the great ideas and the link up
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner recently posted…A Weekend at Canyon Ranch
Same here. When I have more time to meal prep, I always have a healthier week.
These tips are so on point, Nicole! Meal prep for me is key! And fitting in short, but effective workouts. Can’t wait to check out some of these links!
Woohoo! Thanks, Jen.
I love this and I’m also bookmarking it on my home and work laptop. Thank you for including such great resources.
I work from 7-4 so I usually squeeze in my workout after work but meal prep is going to be key for me to try to eat healthy at all times
Kimberly G recently posted…The Perfect Portion Cookbook Review
Awesome! Meal prep is the toughest for me to squeeze in, but it’s so key!
I can’t imagine healthy living without weekly menu planning and Sunday meal prep. Great resources Nicole!
Thanks, Jill!
These are all great tips Nicole! Meal prepping helps so much, I love having healthy food to grab when I don’t have the time to cook a whole meal!
Angelena Marie recently posted…TRX Training Day + Booty Burning Workout + Premier Protein Banana Nut Bread Smoothie
Agreed! If I’m in a hurry and don’t have something prepped, I’ll most likely grab something unhealthy.
This is a great list of resources. I think healthy lifestyle takes some prep work but we all have time somewhere in our day to make it work.
Jen @ Pretty Little Grub recently posted…Sports Supplement Review: Beta-Alanine
Agreed! Thanks, Jen!
This list is absolutely fantastic!!!!!!! Thank you for including me! I am sharing these resources everywhere!
Woohoo! Thanks, Serena!
Great job on these tips Nicole! For me, meal planning is big. If I don’t have healthy food on hand, I’m constantly diving into the wrong foods sabotaging my fitness goals.
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious recently posted…WIAW…Why You Should Count Calories & Exciting News
I’m the same way. I need healthy food ready to go or I’ll most likely grab something unhealthy.
Thank you so much for featuring my tuna burgers!! This is an awesome post with great resources!
Thanks, Kaila! I have to try those burgers.
I really enjoyed this post! So true that you have to dedicate time to working out and do what you can when you can- it’s the story of my life now as a new mom 😉
http://Www.thepetitefastinista.com
So happy you liked it, Julia! Being a new mom is no easy feat!
Great tips!! Meal planning is huge and love all the resources here. I definitely think it is about balance and not everyday is perfect.
Great post!
Natalie recently posted…Things People Say While I am Running.
Thanks, Natalie! 🙂
Tip #4 FTW… it’s my mantra when I’m feeling overwhelmed.
Rachel recently posted…Product Review: For Two Fitness
Woohoo! It’s a great mantra!
This is such a fantastic resource! I work full-time as well and it’s a real balancing acting make sure I’m eating well, working out, and having time to relax! I’ll definitely have to check out some of these recipes!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…Goals for the 2016 Cherry Blossom Run
Hooray! I hope you like some of them!
These tips are fantastic and I adore your graphics! I love the roundup of resources, thats the best idea Ive seen in a while! Thanks for sharing
AutumnPTW recently posted…20 Minute Blogiversary HIIT Workout
Thanks, Autumn!
Great tips! I have been trying to get more into meal planning and prep, but it’s a slow process!
Jenn recently posted…race report: princess half marathon {2.21.2016}
Small changes lead to big ones, right?!
I love this post! Sometimes I find it hard to squeeze it all in. I’ll be a little relieved when my marathon is over–just because of all the time the training takes!
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…Adventurous Smoothies with Green Blender
Marathon training really can take over your life. You’re almost there!
I’m really trying to come to terms with tip #4, especially as a new mom. Its impossible to fit it all in in one single day. As long as I try my best that’s all I can ask of myself.
Kathryn @ Dancing to Running recently posted…Wine and Dine, Take 2
Absolutely! You have 300x more responsibility and things to do now that you have a little one – it’s all about finding that balance.
Love this post and all of the resources! SO awesome!!
Annmarie recently posted…Ultimate Sandbag Upper Body Exercises to Improve Running Form
woot woot!
I seriously need to meal prep more!
carmy recently posted…5 Fitness Hacks That Make Working Out a Priority
I hope these tips help!
Hi Nicole, What a great resource! So many excellent posts all compiled here. I think it’s awesome that your work offers classes.
Ashley @ A Lady Goes West recently posted…A sunny Easter weekend and my weekly workouts
Thanks, Ashley! I need to take advantage of those classes more, for sure.
I love to cook and if I can fit it in on Sunday to make a larger meal plus some type of grain salad and a batch of hummus, that will get me through the week with some healthy options for lunch.
That’s a great plan!
Love these tips! It IS so hard staying healthy, balanced and all that jazz working full-time while also fitting in exercise and blogging. I definitely always feel better even after just doing a super small workout, so tip #3 is right on.
Thanks so much for sharing my protein bars! They’re one of my favorites 😀
I can’t wait to make them! They look awesome!
Great tips and love the links to the quick easy dinners. I am always been inspired by those of you who do meal prep!
Sandra Laflamme recently posted…Wellness Discussion: Low Blood Sugar and migraines