5 Tips for Eating PCOS Healthy in a Time Crunch
The most common reason I hear for not eating healthy or exercising is, “I don’t have time.” I get it, you’re busy, but guess what? So are your fit and healthy co-workers, neighbors, relatives, and friends.
Here is a little tough love, reality check. There’s nothing “more special” or “unique” about them that magically grants them time to exercise and cook a healthy dinner. They make it a priority because they know how awesome life is when you feel like dynamite.
To be successful you have to cut corners = Unhealthy, this belief is false. Busy, successful, no time doesn’t have to mean unhealthy. In fact, I believe true success is having time for your priorities….but that’s a whole different topic
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We only have today. Let us begin”
~ Mother Teresa
While lack of time is a convenient (and common) excuse for living an unhealthy lifestyle, you must know in your heart of hearts that you deserve better. Right? I thought so! Oh, and by the way? You can totally eat healthy even when you don’t have much time.
Here are 5 tips to eating smart even when you’re constantly on the go.
Tip #1: Be Prepared.
When you’re crazy-busy, the best way to guarantee adherence to your healthy diet is preparation. It takes the same amount of time to unwrap a banana and a hard-boiled egg as it does to unwrap a sugar-laden breakfast treat from the vending machine.
Of course, the vending machine fare seems easier because it’s always there. This means that your job is to make sure that the banana and hard boiled egg are always there, too. You and I both know that you’re already spending time shopping for and purchasing food. So why not use that time more constructively and purchase healthy food?
Schedule time on the weekend to do your grocery shopping for the whole week. If you don’t like cooking, buy a rotisserie chicken, remove the skin and turn it into five different meals for the week. Badda-bing, Badda Boom. Done.
Tip #2: Create Go-To Meals.
Most people habitually eat the same five meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Count me as one of them.
I start every morning with a PCOS Latte or PCOS London Fog. YUM! I enjoy it with one of my five regular breakfasts:
- Chia pudding and berries
- Quinoa Breakfast Power Bowl
- Veggie Egg Scramble with Avocado
- A protein smoothie
- Hard-boiled egg and fruit
- or a Protein Bar if I didn’t have time to plan ahead
What are your healthy go-to meals? Create your own list that can be made easily and eaten even when you’re brain dead. When you have these go-to healthy meals in your back pocket, it’s almost like you’re putting your weight loss journey on autopilot. Spending two hours on Sunday to plan your meals for the week will save you time, money, headaches, and calories.
Tip #3: Make It Mobile.
During the week, resist the temptation to patronize restaurants, vending machines, and conference room potlucks by packing your healthy lunch. When you prepare your own food, you are 100% in charge of the ingredients. All the cool kids are doing it.
There are many fashionable and functional soft coolers available these days. I have one that looks so much like a purse that I may have inadvertently snuck a healthy lunch into a venue that prohibited outside food. If there’s a will, there’s a way! 😉
If your job keeps you on the road all day, invest in a cooler or hot pot that plugs into your car. Need something even simpler? There’s always the good ol’ Thermos. You’ll be grateful come 3:00 pm when you’ve passed up the salty gas station sandwich for your own homemade salad. There’s nothing worse than an afternoon slump that could have been avoided!
Tip #4: Know Thy Restaurants.
Even with your best intentions and pre-planning, an unscheduled dining out experience could crash your healthy living party.
Thankfully, most restaurants have healthy choices on their menus. If they don’t have something that fits your plan, don’t be shy: ask them to prepare a special dish. You’re the boss!
Need help? Check out the free app called Healthy Out. Type in your zip code and it will list nearby restaurants with menu suggestions. All the nutritional information is at your fingertips to help you make a wise choice.
Tip #5: Don’t Give Up.
The first week of planning will take longer, but once you get into a rhythm, you’ll save time and money. If you find yourself in a situation where you can’t eat 100% healthy, watch your portion sizes. And remember: perfection isn’t required for healthy living, just hop back on the horse at your next meal.
Bottom Line: If you choose to eat healthily, you can do it with simple preparation. I never leave the house without a protein bar because when I get hungry, I have to eat. Otherwise, I turn into a cranky three-year-old throwing a tantrum and eating a gallon of ice cream. Trust me, it’s ugly, so I avoid it at all costs.
Download Your Free Copy
The hard part is getting started, making new habits, and creating new patterns of what you buy, what you prepare, and what you eat. That's where I come in! Grab the PCOS meal plan snapshot. Not only will you learn what to eat but I included some sample meals as well. Then you will get a series of emails to help you adopt new healthy eating easily into your daily routines
Ashlene Korcek PA-C
Hi there! I’m Ashlene Korcek, the PCOS Mama and founder of Nourished to Healthy
I help women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome balance their hormones naturally so that they can take back control of their bodies, boost their fertility, and ultimately live free from the symptoms of PCOS. Like you, I have PCOS, I was diagnosed while struggling with infertility and was told I likely would never have children. Even as a board-certified Physician Assistant I felt lost about what to do and very alone! Fast forward 5 years and I have 3 healthy children, but I never want another woman to feel lost and alone the way I did!
You can break free from the downward spiral of PCOS and feel amazing in your own skin again!
