Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

This year has been full of ups and downs, and if there’s one thing that can be said for 2021, it’s that things certainly didn’t always go according to the plans I made for myself. 

Now I’m planning out 2022, and while I have goals I would like to reach and new things I would like to try, I also know that the reality isn’t so simple. That’s why I’m planning a Plan B through Z for 2022. 

Sometimes our plans to attend our meetings, eat healthy meals, get in plenty of steps, and find time for rest just don’t happen as we would like for them to. 

I recently found myself in one of those situations where plan “A” definitely was not going to happen, so I want to share today how I worked with the pieces I had when I couldn’t follow through on my plans. 

This is how I made it through a day of constantly shifting alternatives when my plans went off the rails. 

1. Get in steps wherever possible. 

I love a good workout, and I honestly consider my time exercising self-care. It gives me a chance to do good for my body, and I feel better physically and mentally when I’ve had a workout. However, I recently found myself at the airport after a busy day of meetings, and a workout just didn’t fit the agenda for the day. I hadn’t planned for things to be so rushed, so I had to get creative. 

I wasn’t in a position to get a workout on my Peloton, so instead of launching a full workout, I did what I could. I parked as far as I could from my destinations so that I could walk as much as possible, and that helped me get in my steps on what was a pretty stagnant day. It wasn’t the long, leisurely walk I had planned, but the movement was great for my body. I also walked up and down the hallways of the airport while I was waiting to board my flight.  

2. Eat healthy when you can

You can’t always choose your preferred restaurant when you’re dining with other folks, and that was the case for me. We had Chinese food for dinner, and while it wasn’t what I would typically choose for a healthy dinner, I loaded up on protein and veggies as much as possible, and having someone else prepare our dinner and saving myself that energy helped me feel better mentally than if I had been on the hook for preparing a full meal. 

3. Allow for an early bedtime. 

When your day is full of responsibilities, there’s nothing better than a bit of time in the evening to recharge on the couch or head to bed earlier than usual. Even if you don’t actually go to sleep, enjoying a glass of wine with a light PFC meal, or reading a book in bed may help you feel much more recharged mentally than if you had opted to take care of one or two more chores. 

Sometimes, knowing when to call it a day and start taking care of yourself is what you really need most for your health.

When life throws you curveballs, do something that’s good for your body and something that brings you a little bit of joy. Take a deep breath, and remember you can always start over tomorrow. 

How are you ringing in the New Year? Let me know in the comments!

If you need some inspiration for healthy living, please join me in my Facebook group Never Diet Again for a great community filled with great discussion!