Three Steps to Eating Healthier On The Go

The hustle and bustle of the average American day makes it hard to resist the convenience of high fat fast food and prepackaged convenience foods. With fast food chains on every corner of the commute and the abundance of prepackaged items at every gas station, it is not surprising that many people find themselves overindulging in high fat, high calorie, sugar and sodium laden choices that do little to provide nutrition and energy for the busy day. Curb the urge to succumb to the plethora of junk food available in three easy steps.

Step One: Assess the Situation

When is it that you find yourself munching on a box of extra large fries and slurping down a double chocolate shake? It is very likely that your weakness in the battle against junk food occurs at predictable times. For many, a double chocolate mocha and chocolate frosted doughnut marks the midpoint of the morning. Others find they need a calorie kick around 2:00 to get through the rest of the work day. Many find their worst dietary choices to be made at the traditional dinner time, when the daunting task of cooking a wholesome meal gives way to a quick stop at the nearest drive through window.

Determine your own habits by keeping a journal of everything you eat. Keep track for a week and then study your recordings to determine what your habits are.

Step Two: Plan Ahead

Once you´ve figured out at what times of the day you are most likely to eat things you shouldn´t, the next step is to plan ahead so that you are not tempted to make the wrong choices.

The best way to ensure that you will make the right nutritional choice is to prepare your own food at home and then take it along with you in a small cooler designed for this purpose. It takes a little preparation, but it is preparation well worth the extra time. Keep in mind that taking your own food doesn´t mean hours in the kitchen cooking everything from scratch (unless you find yourself so inclined). Healthy "heat and serve" foods are available at the local grocery store and entire cookbooks are devoted to the preparation of healthy meals in a hurry. There are also many prepackaged healthy snack options available at your favorite grocery and if these don´t appeal to you (or even if they do) fresh fruits and vegetables really make a wonderful choice. The point is, it is possible to combine healthy eating with convenience. However, these healthy options are not as plentiful as fast food restaurants, you have to seek them out.

If you find that the dinner hour is your weakness, the time you find yourself resorting to unhealthy choices, consider making your own meals "to go." Spend a few hours on a weekend putting together several meals and then freeze individual servings that will be easy for you to take along. If you are typically home during the dinner hour but struggle to get a home cooked meal on the table before 10:00 at night, you´ll be amazed at how much time you save when you begin dinner preparations the night before. Decide what you´ll make and do all that you can ahead of time so that when you get home making dinner is as simple as assembling the ingredients and cooking.

If you fall into the category of a good majority of busy Americans, eating dinner at a restaurant (sit down or fast food) is quite often an unavoidable reality. Planning ahead of time will ensure that even these meals are healthy. Request nutritional information from each restaurant where you frequently dine. Arm yourself with the knowledge of the healthiest options from each restaurant before you go so that you can make the healthiest choice.

Step Three: Stick to the Plan

We all have good intentions but follow through on a change to healthier eating is often poor. Once the novelty wears off people find themselves unmotivated and fall quickly back into the routine of poor eating habits. Remind yourself every day of the importance of healthy eating and stick to your plan.