Hey, friends! This morning, I’m off with Lucas to his one month checkup, and since he’s due to be getting a nice ol’ shot, I’m planning on crying my eyes out and devoting the rest of my day solely to him (mom guilt, much?). So to keep you all entertained, I am super happy to present a fun guest post to you all today, courtesy of Laura. Laura gives some great tips on how to stay healthy on the go here, so be sure to keep reading and check it out. I’ll be back soon! xoxo
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Hello my fellow ‘Sweet Tooth Sweet Life’ readers! I’m Laura from Fueling a Life – a new blog where I write about how I fuel my life with fitness, fashion, food, and fun!
I’m a fitness fanatic, (wannabe) fashionista, and fervent foodie.
Oh, I’m also a college student, learning how to balance double majoring, health coaching, blogging, interning, and enjoying my social life, all while maintaining a healthy lifestyle… It sounds like a lot, and at times it can be – but with patience and positivity, it can be done!
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Before I start blabbing away about what I’m actually here to say, I just want to thank Courtney for allowing me to get on here and talk to all of you! I’ve been a fan of her blog for over a year and I’m honored to be a little part of it! Thanks, Courtney!
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Without further ado…
As you may have noticed, I’m a pretty busy girl. And as you may know, us busy folk often find ourselves putting ourselves last. We prioritize work, school, kids, relationships – basically everything – before our own well-being. We’re constantly ‘go, go, go!’ and our health – and happiness – can suffer. It’s appropriate to address this topic since Courtney is a new and soon-to-be working mom like so many of you, and a new school year is beginning for all of us students. It’s the perfect time to regroup and learn how to stay healthy on the go!
Here are some of the ways I try to make it all work:
1) Pack.
You know yourself – and what time your stomach usually starts to growl! If you know how long you’ll be out, decide what meals or snacks you’ll need while you’re gone.
For example, if I’ll be out between 4 and 5:30 and don’t plan to make a pit stop at Dunkin or Starbucks, I’ll toss almonds and an apple in my bag. This way I have a snack on hand when I start feeling my energy level plummet. Plus, I’m making a healthy choice and saving money!
2) Wake up earlier.
I know… I hate the sound of this one too. But if you get up just 20 minutes earlier, you can squeeze in a quick workout before you shower. By the time you’re done, you’ll feel more awake than you would had you slept a few more minutes – you’ll also feel super productive (and like you earned that cup of coffee)!
Mug shot. …Get it?
If I won’t have any time in the afternoon or evening (or if I know I’ll be way too tired by then), I’ll wake up an hour earlier so I can go for a run or fit in a full workout.
If I’ll have some time to squeeze in a short workout later in the day, I’ll wake up just 20-30 minutes early and do the ‘first half’ of my day’s workout.
Here is one of the quickies I created! You can find a million others on Pinterest, Fitness Magazine, Shape, etc.
Breaking up your workout not only makes it easier to fit in, but it’s also easier on your mind! Two ‘25 minute workouts’ sounds much better than one ‘50 minute workout’…and at the end of the day, the results are the same!
3) Plan.
My planner is practically my bible. I’m a total to-do list dork, but it helps me stay organized and sane! You don’t have to be a total freak like me (who uses sticky notes like it’s her job) to keep your life in order.
Each night, scribble a simple list (or use your iPhone app). This will not only remind you what needs to get done tomorrow, but it will also help you figure out what meals/snacks to pack, and when you can squeeze a workout in.
On Sunday night, I recommend making a tentative ‘week plan’ (and if you’re feeling motivated you can map out meals and workouts). At least get a general idea of the week to come. If you know one day is beyond busy or you have something fun planned for the entire day – make that your rest day (or one of them if you take two per week). Planning your day(s) off will give you motivation to get a good workout in on the other days!
As weird as it sounds, you should schedule your social life! Students may not need to do this one as much since we live, go to class, and go out with our friends – but parents should! Plan a date or evening out with friends, call up a babysitter ahead of time and don’t cancel when you start having ‘mom guilt’! You’ll be rejuvenated and actually able to parent your kids better after some time with people your age. (<– Note from Courtney – SO true! Even just an hour away can make you feel 100 times better!)
4) Rest.
I’m totally guilty of over-working myself. In high school, I went right from school to XC or track practice, then straight home for hours of ‘AP’ homework and studying. Weekends were filled with meets, hangouts with friends, and then cramming on Sunday night. I went nonstop every single day. I’m not sure how I made it out alive – but I realized I just can’t do that anymore.
Since I chose not to continue running competitively in college, I now plan rest days – a concept that was foreign to me back in high school. As I’m sure all of you know, your muscles need to recover and rebuild, and your mind needs to refresh.
Sometimes it can be almost impossible to find time to relax. I know most moms feel like they can never (or ‘should’ never) take a break from their kids, and taking a break from work or studying can make working women and students feel like they’ll fail. But the truth is – we might actually fail (our children, our job, or our classes) if we don’t step away for a minute (or twenty).
Take at least ten minutes every couple hours to put down what you’re doing and clear your head. Some things you can do for a few:
- Sit and meditate
- Jam out to a few songs
- Take a short nap
- Take a walk
- Watch one episode of your favorite show (but seriously – just one)
- Work out (if it’s not a rest day!)
- Catch up with your favorite blogs
- Online shop (well, maybe just browse)
- Do whatever your hobby is!
Just make sure that once the time you allot yourself is up, you get back to work!
5) Don’t stress.
The best way to avoid going crazy and getting totally stressed out is to…
NOT STRESS.
I know that sounds like the worst piece of advice ever, but hear me out.
If you miss a workout (and it’s not ‘supposed to be’ a rest day), or you eat junk for every meal, or you fail a huge test, or your kids go to bed upset, or you feel like nothing’s going right – DO NOT WORRY.
We all have ‘one of those days’. And that’s okay!
Just stay positive, learn to laugh, put things in perspective (will it matter tomorrow/next week/next month/next year?), and imagine being in a happy place.
Give these 5 simple tips a try to ensure that ‘one of those days’ doesn’t happen often. 
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If you’d like to see more of the workouts I do, the delicious and (mostly) nutritious food I eat, the outfits I wear, and the friends, family, and fun that fill my days – check out my blog, Fueling a Life, and follow me on Twitter and Pinterest! You can also email me at anytime at fuelingalife@gmail.com – I would love to hear from all of you!
Question from Courtney: How do YOU stay healthy on the go? Any tips or tricks? Feel free to share below!
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