Take Care of Yourself by Planning Ahead

One of the best ways to take good care of yourself is to plan ahead.  There are certain eventualities that are nearly guaranteed to occur in the course of any given day.  Eating, sleeping, working, taking care of our family, exercising, etc. we know we need to organize our day so that we are able to "get it all in."

Speaking of eating, we need to stop and consume food--at regular intervals--to give our bodies energy, to satisfy hunger, to charge the metabolism and to become satisfied.  About every three hours or so, our bodies need a boost.  A snack is often a bridge between meals as well as the pause that refreshes.  Between breakfast and lunch, a snack might be fruit or veggies or yogurt.  The afternoon snack between lunch and dinner, however, often needs to be more substantial, satisfying and composed of a protein, whole grain carbohydrate and maybe even a healthy fat.  Half of a turkey sandwich on wheat bread with avocado, tomato and cucumbers could do it.  A peanut butter whole wheat wrap with thin sliced apples would also fit the bill.  This afternoon snack needs to give us energy and solve a hunger problem so that we can power through the afternoon til dinner.  If there are after work activities, this snack becomes even more important.

Sometimes a snack can also be a treat.  When we planned for it and have room in our SmartPoints for it, something special might be just the thing.  The trick here is to plan ahead--it's a way of taking good care of yourself.

Healthy living is a daily effort.  While we can't be perfect, we can get smarter about making sure our meals and snacks deliver.  It's nice to know that we have something nice to look forward to.  A container of cut up strawberries is all I need to get through the morning.  It keeps me on track and away from spur of the moment urges that tempt when healthy options aren't available.

There are many ways to take good care of yourself.  Having snacks available at all times is one of them.  Be prepared.  Find yourself satisfied.  Find yourself happier with more energy.