5 Simple Nutrition Tips You Can Use Immediately, By Everyday Busy Women
Leftovers from dinner a couple of days ago? Takeaway for lunch from the store with the shortest queue? Deliveroo / Food Panda / Honestbee at whatever's available at 11pm? Cup noodles?!
Does your regular meal sound like the above options for you? So many of us struggle with time to even consider preparing our own meals ("meal prepping"), and resort to buying whatever is available and most convenient. Just like a car, we wouldn't fuel it with a lower grade fuel than recommended; so why do we refuel our bodies - the vehicle that keeps us going - with substandard food?
Nutrition doesn't have to be complicated; for the busy woman, the simplest of choices can make all the difference! Read on for a quick nudge back in the right direction, as 5 ladies in the health & wellness spheres share with us some tips on how we can eat better for a healthier life.
When it comes to nutrition, it's important to keep things simple. One thing I tend to get clients to focus on is increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables at each meal. By focusing on adding more colour and green choices, this will naturally fill them up and help cut back on the processed, unhealthy items. Fruit and veggies are low in calorie and nutrient dense, which means they are packed full of vitamins and minerals, lots of fibre and antioxidants. Try to aim for a good hand size portion at each meal and some smaller servings at snack times.
Born and raised in New Zealand, Chrissy grew up in a sporty & athletic family and went on to study Sport & Exercise Science and then a Masters in Human Nutrition. She is a Personal Trainer/Coach, Nutritionist, fit model and mum to her 2 gorgeous kids. Based in Hong Kong.
Start eating a low-carb, high-protein, balanced with healthy fats breakfast. My favourite breakfast is 2 eggs (a perfect source of healthy fat and protein), a black coffee with 1 tablespoon Brain Octane or MCT oil, and 2 scoops of collagen or gelatin. This all-time favourite breakfast will not only keep you satiated until lunchtime but will also keep you alert, sharp and productive.
- Izabela of Thrive In Shanghai
Izabela is a Certified Primal Health Coach and Applied Positive Psychology & Coaching Psychology (APPCP) Master's student who is all about a holistic approach to health. Based in Shanghai, China.
As I'm usually on-the-go or travelling, consuming real natural foods without those harmful chemicals, or the city's "fresh local dishes" are typically easy and convenient ways to refuel my body. Experimenting and finding what suits you, your body and your needs at that point in time is imperative. Personally, I prefer low-carb, high-protein, good healthy fats meals (especially during weekdays) where possible for performance i.e. to ensure my energy levels stay well and consistent to thrive with my busy daily personal & professional schedules. More importantly, given food plays such a big part in our society & social lives, be kind to yourself and try finding something sustainable for you e.g. a simple one can be a 80:20 lifestyle, as it's tough (and stressful) to strive for perfection all the time! ;)"
Jaslyn is a Certified Holistic Health Coach (Integrative Nutrition, IIN) and founder of The Busy Woman Project & healthy social connections platform Broc & Bells; on a mission to help raise human consciousness for health-conscious busy individuals to live authentically, sustainably and be healthy mentally, physically, emotionally, socially.
Choose to eat more healthy fats every single day, regardless of the source. By healthy fats, I do mean unsaturated fats coming from nuts, seeds, avocadoes, coconut oil and fatty fish. Fats is by far the most underrated and deficient macronutrient that women ingest and it is so often the cause of hormone imbalance, thereby affecting our moods, cognitive function, digestion, weight fluctuations, periods, symptoms and even our beauty outlook; basically everything that a woman cares about.
Melissa is certified as an American Council of Exercise (ACE) Personal Trainer and an Institute for Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Based in Singapore.
If there is just one simple philosophy that I live by and encourage all my clients to adopt, it is to eat WHOLE foods. A whole food is any natural food that has not been processed or has been refined as little as possible. We don't realize how much of the food that we put into our bodies has been processed in some way - even including things like sauces and refined vegetable oils. Simply by eating a variety of whole foods, we ensure that our bodies are getting the right nutrients (as opposed to empty calories). Hence, if there is one step I would recommend anyone to implement in their daily lives, it would be to incorporate more WHOLE foods into their diet. This can be as simple as including a salad before each meal or changing up one meal a day (such as breakfast). I like to focus on inclusion rather then exclusion - instead of thinking about the things that you can't eat, focus on getting in more of the good stuff. Over time, the healthier foods will automatically crowd out the more unhealthy foods.
Tisha is a certified health coach, plant-based nutritional consultant and real-food advocate. She founded Wellness with Tish to combine her work as a psychologist with her passion for health. Based in Singapore.
Read more: Easy Gourmet Recipes For The Time Starved Busy Woman (10 min or less)
Love the tips? Share the piece with a friend who's struggling to eat better! What else are you looking to learn in terms of your nutrition? Drop us a note at ladies@thebusywomanproject.com. xx