How to Live Conveniently Healthy With INFUSIONS by Chicken of Sea
Today’s post is all about the importance of fitness, snacking and convenience and is brought to you by INFUSIONS by Chicken of the Sea. As always, all opinions are my own.
Having a baby sure has shifted some things around here. Leisure time spent hanging out at the gym for hours on end just isn’t possible with a little one at home. We are battling nap time, feedings, early bed times and I need health and wellness to easily be infused into my life to be the best mom I can be. This year, I have made a solid effort to focus on in-home workouts and schedule classes where I can bring CJ to ensure I fit in some time to sweat. You see, exercise clears my mind and enables me to be a better wife, mother and friend to everyone around me.
It is my therapy and in today’s blog, I am sharing some tips to help you infuse fitness into your lifestyle. Of course, healthy eating goes hand in hand, so I will also share what a typical day of healthy eating looks like for me to ensure my blood sugar remains stable and my energy remains high.
In terms of workouts, I would suggest investing in a few pieces of equipment like a set of resistance bands, dumbbells (light and heavy), a medicine ball and roller for recovery. There are plenty of exercises you can perform using only your bodyweight, but you can really maximize your effort by adding a bit of resistance to almost any exercise.
Download Apps: Technology is such a wonderful thing because there are tons of apps you can access on your phone or on your smart TV. I love Daily Burn, SWEAT, Class Pass Live and Peloton.
Find a mommy and me class: Finding something to do with your little person can be the best excuse for you to skip a workout. Thankfully, there are tons of opportunities for you to workout with your little one in to. Look for a Fit4Mom class in your area or search mommy and me workouts in your town! There should be a bunch of options out there for you.
Follow #TaylorsToningTuesday or save workouts on your favorite #Fitspo accounts: Follow my hashtag for at-home workouts you can do anytime, anywhere or save workouts as you scroll through the gram for when you have some time to yourself. Bodyweight workouts can be simple and effective and do not take a ton of time to work up a sweat.
Choose one exercise a day: Some days I like to choose a simple exercise like a lunge or a squat, and I perform three sets of 12-15 reps every hour. Many times I hold CJ in my arms for added resistance and by the end of the day, I could have easily infused 100+ reps of an exercise. Feel free to alternate an upper and lower body moves. Think you don’t have time? Squat while you wait for coffee, squat while brushing your teeth. Squat right after you go to the bathroom. I promise there is time!
Keep a jar of workout moves on the counter: A while ago I wrote down a bunch of exercises: squat jumps, star jumps, plank jacks etc. I left them on a bowl on the counter and I would pick out 3-5 exercises and then get to work! I would perform each exercise back to back for one minute and repeat 3-4 times depending on how much time I had. Usually, it would take 20 minutes or less and I ALWAYS felt better.
With that said, you can exercise and exercise and exercise, but without a diet full of whole, nutrient dense food, you really are doing yourself a disservice as you will likely not see the results of your hard work.
Snack Smart: Personally, I think snacking is the key to sustaining your energy and feeling satisfied throughout the day. In fact, studies have suggested that eating more frequently throughout the day may help stabilize blood sugar and keep your metabolism revved up!
With that said, not all snacks are created equal. I am not a huge calorie counter, but a good snack should contain 140-160 calories and contain a good ration of carbohydrates, fat and protein. Proper proportions of macronutrients (C,F & P) will help sustain your energy and help you feel fuller, longer.
A great example of a well-balanced snack is roughly one hard boiled egg and one half of a large apple. Or one pear with a Tbsp. of nut butter.
I also love snacking on INFUSIONS as a post workout treat. The line, as you know from my previous post is comprised of only wild caught tuna, olive oil and spices. The calories are in the 150 range and offer a great punch of fat and protein. I will pair infusions with a healthy carb like a small piece of sweet potato toast, celery or with a small handful of grapes to keep me satisfied until my next meal. They’re great to keep on hand in your desk or your gym back for an on-the-go snack and punch of protein.
A little meal prep goes a long way: I always prep a little bit of food one Sundays. For example, I make healthy carbs like quinoa, brown rice and sweet potatoes. I hard boil eggs, grill chicken and roast a variety of vegetables. This way, when hunger strikes, I have a variety of goodies to choose from and I will be less likely to grab for an unhealthy snack that will only satisfy me for a short term.
Find Healthy Grab and Go Items: As I stated in my previous post, many brands are creating an abundance of healthy, packaged items. In our busy lives it can be hard to cook three meals a day. While shopping, make sure to read your nutrition labels and know your ingredients. You food should contain FOOD, plain and simple.
For examples, the Basil INFUSIONS Wild Caught Tuna has tuna, tomato puree, extra virgin olive oil, water, less than 1g of sugar, salt, distilled vinegar, sweet basil, oregano, thyme and basil, all simple ingredients that I can feel good about consuming.
Locate Healthy Options: We are always on-the-go, and sometimes default to unhealthy items because of convenience. I like to locate a delivery and a takeout option for a quick lunch or dinner. Sometimes, being on the road can offer up some pretty hefty roadblocks in terms of staying healthy, so if you arm yourself with healthy options you can stay on track.
With all of this said, I hope you can take a look at the big picture and use some of these tools to empower you to live a healthy, yet balanced life. I want to encourage you to continue to read your labels and next time you are at any Publix location, pick up INFUSIONS by Chicken of the Sea. Store them in your desk at work or in your pantry like me, for an easy yet healthy on-the-go, protein packed snack.