We're a family of routine...
We like the way we plan out our meals for the week.
We like the time of day we eat.
We LOVE the healthy choices that we’ve surrounded ourselves with.
When extended family comes over or we go out of town, our routine gets turned upside down.
So how do we stay pretty healthy in these situations?
In short, we follow the same principles we try to echo in many of our other endeavors in life.
What to do When Your Routine Fails
Get Back To The Basics
For starters, get back to the basics. Having family over or vice versa can be unpredictable so understand the basic principles of nutrition and let them guide you.
Ask yourself these simple questions each day.
Are you getting in some protein and vegetables today?
Are there minimally processed options?
No, every meal doesn’t need to be clean and well balanced but making sure a few of the core basics are covered does help. Think about what will help give you the energy you’re looking for. Heavily processed or sugar rich foods may be helpful for quick energy, but may rob you of that energy later on. Getting in some minimally processed sources of vegetables and proteins will help provide you with the essential nutrients for sustained energy during the exciting times with loved ones.
Stay Hydrated
Water is essential in so many ways and ensuring that you’re well hydrated will allow you to feel energized and satiated.
This is essential for when my brother or friends come to town because the mornings start with multiple cups of coffee while the evenings are filled with beer flights and bar food. Staying hydrated will help your body flush out toxins and stay refreshed for the next day.
Old man note: Staying hydrated also helps prevent the three day hangover that all of sudden comes when you hit thirty years old.
Slow Down
Having friends and family around can be exciting and tons of fun. When we are wrapped up in the moment, we often feel like time if flying by. I LOVE this feeling, however I often forget to really take it in. I forget to really recognize the warmth in my heart that I’m feeling as I connect with loved ones. Slowing down and being mindful of the love and connection you are feeling is very helpful in staying on track with your health goals.
Not only will you enjoy your time more with your friends and family but you’ll notice what your body is telling you.
When we slow down to eat and drink we start to feel the signals our body is telling us. We notice the signals that tell us we're full. And we also notice when we truly want more or maybe even want something different.
Remind Yourself of the Big Picture
In most cases, the days or weekends when we're out of our normal routine are just a small percentage of our overall health journey. It wasn’t just one weekend of eating which resulted in the body we have now, so it won’t impact our body too much to take a weekend off of our health plan.
Visiting with family and friends is a special time that should be nourishing and fulfilling. Allow this time to do just that. If you feel you can balance both then go ahead and do it, but this should remain a low-stress environment.
The core ideology around what it means to live a Pretty Healthy life is to put family first. We do this by trying to be our healthiest self; to live a thriving life well into our nineties. We also do this by setting our health goals aside sometimes to truly be present with loved ones and value connection over everything.
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