Let's Start Today!!!

Hear nah......... one of the biggest challenges that we as working women face is eating healthy. I am sure many of you can attest to this.

Some of us have to wake up early in order to avoid that highway traffic. If you have children you have to get them ready for day care or school, ensure that they had breakfast and lunch is packed and that they are fully dressed by the time you are ready to leave home. If you have not made or taken breakfast at home then you usually opt to visit a lil food stall or a doubles vendor. 

In addition to not preparing breakfast there are also days where we do not have time to prepare lunch or too darn lazy to do it. Once again visiting those food stalls which are usually selected based on convenience and cost that most times equate to unhealthy choices like Chinese food or KFC.

 

The after work routine somewhat mirrors the morning with the same traffic woes and other responsibilities; significant other, studies and everything else that life throws at us. So dinner also turns out to be a quick fix - bread and something, wings & fries or crix and tuna (the ready to eat ones).

There's no denying that the working woman has evolved and our jobs are just as demanding as men's. We attempt to balance our lives but at times we may fall short, compromising our health.

In my Sunday Prep article I mentioned the fact that we often make these special promises to ourselves and one of them was to make healthier food choices. We start off hot and sweaty making declarations like “Ah givin the doubles man ah rest this week” or “I am going on a no flour diet” or “Is serious oats this week” or “I will be having smoothies for breakfast from now on”.

For more disciplined ladies this might last for about 2 weeks. If you not very strong willed then the doubles man will see you by the end of the first week and if you have no kinda self-restraint like yours truly it will last ah whollllleeee 2 days.

But on an already serious note. Isn’t it funny or sad (depending on how you view it) that we decide to become health conscious when we hear of sudden deaths relating to heart failure, like Devon’s over the weekend (May His Soul Rest In Peace). Or when we hear of persons dying due to lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Then after a couple weeks of mourning we revert to the same unhealthy practices.

Ladies let’s make an effort starting today to take care of our bodies.

I am going to share with you a couple snacks than can be prepared within 30 mins. No fancy ting eh. But it’s simple and quick.

With some research and office inspiration, I present to you some great healthy snack substitutes:

1.   Yogurt!!!: it's the automatic healthy snack that we gravitate towards to prove we are healthy eaters right? Well this is what we must pay attention to - the sugar factor. Consuming all the fancy yogurt may be defeating the purpose with the added sugar that some popular brands carry. To get your fill of protein, probiotics, vitamin D, and calcium—without the additives and sugar, unflavoured yogurt is the better bet. Just add your own fruit or granola.

2.    Peanut Butter and Apple Slices: Apples are healthy and convenient, but eating it alone can become kinda boring. Coupling them with peanut butter is surprisingly a very good combo. Now, there's always been the debate as to whether peanut butter is healthy or not. Yes, peanut butter contains fat but it is the unsaturated type, which is considered healthy as it can improve blood cholesterol numbers. It’s important to note that I'm talking about natural peanut butter that’s low in sugar and high in fibre. To change things up, you could use banana slices instead of apples. Or instead of peanut butter use another nut butter, such as almond butter and my manager’s favourite Cashew Butter (It can be found in Massy Stores but it's a bit pricey). 

3.   Raw pumpkin cubes: Doh knock it till yuh try it! Uncooked pumpkin tastes like a mix of cantaloupe and carrot. Eating pumpkin raw is a good source of Vitamin A, which keeps your skin healthy and free from dryness. Furthermore, vitamin A can naturally boost your immune system, making it key in year-round cold and flu protection. Raw pumpkin has a hearty, rich flavour that makes it a good stand-alone snack or side dish. A handful of raw cubed pumpkin is a great mid-morning snack. 

4.   Lettuce wraps. This is a great idea for lunch or dinner. Substitute the flour wrap for lettuce and add your meat (chicken, tuna, turkey, etc.) and veggies as normal - cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, corn, peppers, onions, etc. There are endless possibilities. The key is getting lettuce solid enough to hold the ingredients. Iceberg and romaine lettuce are best suited for this low carb meal. 

5.   Smoothie: Who doesn’t love a good smoothie? The magic bullet is one of the best appliances everrrrr created. My go to recipe is:

1 apple

1 banana

4 strawberries

Julie Mango and/or Paw Paw slices

1 tablespoon of cranberry

1 teaspoon of flaxseed and or chia seeds

Eating right is just one aspect of a healthy lifestyle we also need to exercise regularly, avoid stress and keep only positive energy in our space.

Hope this article was insightful. Do you have and healthy snacks? Kindly share J

For my next post I would like to discuss women who wear uniform and how they find ways to make it fashionable.

Inspired by C. Fermine