Colourful Palate

Amidst the busy-ness of finals, work, social commitments, church, and family…I’ve been having a harder time making real meals and finding time to get to the gym. The way my schedule is set up, the only time I can usually make it to the gym is around 6:30 a.m. – and this is after going to bed at 1:00 a.m. the night before. It’s typical, everyday life that everyone has to deal with…but you can only do it so long before you get sick.

A few days ago, my body literally rebelled and said, “Charissa, that’s it! If you’re not going to sleep, I will give you a fever until you do.” I had to call in sick for work, drink lots of ginger/lemon tea, and spent 13 hours sleeping off a fever. The next day, finally feeling rested, I was completely fine. Sometimes, we have to respect our body enough to let it rest, even when you feel like there’s no time.

I think the answer to keeping fit lies in the word ‘keep’, i.e. looking after your body all the time. Our bodies are miraculous self-repairing mechanisms, so it’s never too late to start acquiring some good habits.

For instance, I like eating out. However, it doesn’t mean that I do that five times a week! If I only visit my favorite restaurant on a Saturday night once in a while, I can make the occasion really special.  It’s these little choices we make that make a difference in our bodies. Resting when we’re tired. Making a hot pot of soup instead of ordering pizza. Doing pushups and planks when you can’t make it to the gym (my current workout plan till I get more exams over with!).

Honestly, there’s a million little health tips we can use when life get’s busy and overwhelming, but if you try to do them all…it’s pointless, because all of a sudden, you’re overwhelmed again. It’s just 12 more things added on my already overloaded to-do list. Here’s my advise…

When life gets overwhelmingly busy, PICK 3 THINGS you are going to do to keep healthy during all the stress!

That’s it. Just three.

When your mind is so busy and overloaded, you start putting the dirty dishes into the fridge instead of the dishwasher (I speak from experience!), you know you’ve got to chill. Stop trying to do it all! Now write those three things on a piece of paper and tape it to your fridge or above your mirror. Right now during finals, or the Christmas stress, or whatever crazy busy-ness you’re going through, those three little things are the only things you worry about healthwise. Life will slow down and then you can really prioritize being healthy and fit, but a couple weeks of this will not hurt you! Do what you can.

So here are some ideas! Drink a glass of water before every meal. Water is a perfect cleanser for your body. It will fill up your stomach, so you won’t eat as much, as well as helping reduce cravings.

Pack snacks with you for when hunger hits. My favourite is Greek yogurt with cashews and fresh strawberries!

Also, don’t skip meals. Pay the most attention to your breakfast which has to be nutritious enough to get you through the day. Don’t be afraid to have eggs and bacon or even a piece of dark chocolate with your coffee as it will only ignite your brain activity and fuel you with energy.

As for lunch, try to consume veggies together with some good quality protein. Personally, a staple in my diet is my “low carb pizzas” (low carb flatbread wraps), which I top up with green pepper, kale, or tomatoes. Then I get full quicker, and probably won’t “need” any desert. If, on the other hand, you have just a light salad, it’s easier to think you’ve earned that cupcake.

If you can’t afford a gym membership, find a good used exercise bike or treadmill and do a 15 minute workout in your house – or pick a couple workout videos from youtube.

There aren’t excuses for not living a healthy lifestyle. There aren’t. You do the best you can with what you have.

Got a healthy little habit you do every day? Share it.

This post is brought to you by one of my partners. Occasionally, I do these posts to keep me from eating more than just beans and rice for every meal. However, I only allow posts that fit in with my lifestyle and my beliefs on food and fitness.