The dieting technique for busy professionals
Want to simplify your nutrition regime?
I get it. As busy professionals, we either don’t have the time or we don’t want to put the time into counting calories and meticulously planning every meal.
You are most likely on the go all day meeting with people and working on 571 projects at the same time.
We need something structured that will help us build a few pounds of muscle and shred off the excess fat. But it needs to be simple enough for us to follow whether we are at home, traveling or out on a business lunch.
I would imagine health & fitness is important to you but you have a lot on your plate with work/business. You just need something simple and straightforward to follow so you can get back to work.
I understand that…I’ve been in the same boat.
There used to be seasons when I would focus on building my body and my business would suffer and other times when I was focusing on building my business and my body would suffer.
But it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Let me share a simple solution with you that will help you master your body like you master your business.
Set & stick to an eating & fasting schedule
Keep things simple by designating a time frame on when you will fast and when you will eat. This is something that is easy to do whether you are home, traveling or on the go.
Want an easy way to do it?
Plan out a 16-hour fasting time and an 8-hour eating window you can stick with no matter where you are or what you are doing.
Intermittent fasting can:
Increase duration of fat burning
Aid in digestion
Help prevent overeating
Lower blood sugar and insulin levels
Improve mental clarity and mood
Reduce inflammation
Increase energy
Promote anti-aging
Want an example of how you can do this?
Stop eating at 8 PM and don’t eat again until 12 PM noon the next day. Don’t complicate this any more than that. If it’s after 12 PM and before 8 PM then eat, if it’s not, then don’t eat!
Stopping your busy day to prepare food to eat is a pain.
That’s why I now only eat twice a day and have a protein shake mid-day as needed.
Consider adopting these habits as well to make things easier for you.
Fast from 8 PM until noon and eat only two meals a day.
Simplify your lunches
If you’re at home and breaking your fast at noon for lunch, stick with something that will take you 15 minutes or less to prepare.
Want something easy to prepare?
Fry up a couple of eggs, add some diced veggies and a meat if you’d like and you’re good to go.
Another thing to consider is eating leftovers from dinner the night before. While preparing dinners cook as much as you can at a time so you will have leftovers for lunch the next couple of days.
You also may want to consider buying premade meals.
Here is a resource to buy overnight oats: buy overnight oats. Just add unsweetened almond milk and pop in the fridge overnight. Use code SIMPLY to save 10%.
You can also order from Freshly for quick and convenient premade meals. If you want to try them out and save $40 use this link: Order from Freshly.com
Oftentimes you may be out on a business lunch for your first meal of the day at noon.
If this is the case, go for a more dinner plate/entree type option that has these 3 things.
A protein source (chicken, fish, lean beef or turkey, or vegan-based alternative)
A carb source (baked potato, sweet potato, rice, or you can skip this completely)
Veggies, literally anything you’d like (and no, fries and chips don’t count!)
Skip out on the pasta, bread, sandwiches, anything with heavy creamy sauces and cheeses and add in a salad with an olive oil-based dressing (not creamy) if you’d like.
You don’t have to ask the server to make special alterations. Just keep it simple, follow these guidelines and you can still eat a normal meal and not get made fun of by your colleagues and business buddies.
Keep your lunches simple.
Have a mid-day protein shake as needed
If you are able to make them at home consider making them in bulk. Get in at least a scoop of protein and some fruit in your shakes.
If you want extra nutrients add in a tablespoon of MCT oil or coconut oil. This healthy fat helps improve brain functioning throughout the day.
For more ways to make protein shakes check out this video.
If you want to make it simpler consider stocking up on premade protein shakes or buying one on the run.
Enjoy a good dinner
If you keep everything else simple and eat two meals a day this is the only meal that will take some preparation.
How relieving it is to know that you only have to plan out one meal a day!
Bottom line. If health & fitness is important to you learning how to cook a few basic meals is important. It doesn’t have to be super fancy and complicated.
And if you don’t cook often now that’s fine. Start by cooking dinner a couple of nights a week.
Pick a protein
Pick a veggie
Pick a carb
Cook in olive oil
Cooking meals fresh at home will save you money. And the meals can generally be healthier without the added preservatives, artificial sweeteners & colors and other additives if you are buying whole foods.
Learn how to cook simple and quick meals in my new Summer Shred program.
Conclusion
As busy professionals, we don’t have time to exercise for hours at the gym, count calories and spend all day in the kitchen.
But by following these few simple strategies you will set up the basic pillars for living a healthy lifestyle.
Set & stick to a fasting and eating schedule eating only 2 meals a day.
Simplify your lunches with premade meals, restaurant meals or meals that take you no more than 15 minutes to prepare.
Have a mid-day protein shake as needed.
Enjoy a good dinner.
Not doing any of these yet and want somewhere to start?
Start with the intermittent fasting (eating and fasting schedule) eating only 2 meals a day. This is the most important strategy to focus on.
Work in the other strategies over time.
Health & fitness doesn’t have to be overly complicated and meticulous.
Having some structure by following these steps will make things easier.
-Coach Kyle