Grinnin’ Through the Grind: Keep it Healthy

Last week I shared my life update – a major switch from starving artist gal to steady paycheck gal. (In case you missed Goodbye, jammies…hello, grind.)

Reinstating this hectic schedule has been a challenging transition, and it got me thinking about the healthiest approach, the surefire way to hold onto a grain of peace amidst the sea of chaos.

Hence, this little three part series…Grinnin’ Through the Grind.

Our daily food habits can make or break us – simple as that.

Being strapped for time sends us into the arms of fast food, frozen meals, and vending machines. Eww, eww, and eww.

I’m going to tell you my biggest secret for staying healthy. I make food a priority.

Here are some sustenance musts that not only get me through the day, but keep me fulfilled without filling out my waistline…

1. Eat a big ass breakfast  If you start off your day right, you will not go wrong. It always shocks me how many people skip breakfast. An hour into work they’re weak, grumpy, and heading for something conveniently yucky just to hold over until lunch. I love fresh oatmeal with cinnamon and fruit or raisins (please ditch the packet oatmeal…it’s so not the same!) or veggie scrambles.
2. Snacks aren’t just for kids  Those long periods in between “meal times” should not exist. Lightly fuel your body every few hours. Nuts or nut butter and fruit, Greek yogurt with honey or cinnamon, hummus and veggie of choice, or straight up baby carrots. Not a day goes by when I’m not chomping on carrots at my computer.
3. Brown bag it  The eating out thing every day? Costly for your wallet and your girlish figure. Grab a chunk of organic turkey from a deli, add some fresh tomato, and a little bit of cheese or avocado. Also, use those Sundays to make a ginormous batch of goodness. My hubby and I trade off between homemade soup, pasta salad, or my new fave…zesty quinoa salad (I add extra veggies and decrease the cumin). The best way to keep the leftovers interesting: add fresh spinach, tomatoes, or a little cheese – something different each day – and depending on the dish, alternate between serving hot and cold.
4. Healthy choice my foot!   Food in a box is not really food. It may seem like the better choice, and compared to fast food, I suppose it’s marginally better. But, long winded chemicals in the ingredients is the red flag, people. And, I’ve gotta ask you…does it even taste like food? Didn’t think so.
5. Caffeine is not your friend  You feel like ass, your energy levels skyrocket then dive bomb, and let’s be honest…your breath is funky. Let me introduce you to two friends who will always make you feel like a million bucks…water and tea. No matter what, water should be your constant companion. Tea is a great way to change up the water routine and add some herby extras. A phenomenal alternative for you coffee drinkers out there is black chai tea. Black tea, the most robust member of the tea family, has way less caffeine then coffee, so it gives you a friendly kick in the butt instead of a punch in the groin.

But, what about the vending machine in the break room, Britt?

My dear friend, if you have to ask you need to reevaluate the numbered offerings in that crusty machine. Go ahead and look at every single piece of packaged crap in there. Row after row of obscenely processed calories which are probably well past their expiration – it’s quite the party.

And, there you have it…eww.

Your eating habits dictate your life. And, when you’re working long days, you need clean energy to get the job done. If you feed your body with kindness, you may even find yourself grinnin’ through the grind.

How do YOU keep it healthy on the job?

*Coming next week…Grinnin’ Through the Grind: Keep it Classy