DISCOVER YOUR ZEN
Healthy Eating While Shopping
Eating Healthy While Shopping
In the USA, Black Friday is traditionally recognized as the day after Thanksgiving and many people spend the day shopping big sales.
No matter what time of year you go shopping, it presents itself with roadblocks to being healthy. But, the holiday season can be especially intimidating. Did you know that shopping centers, even outdoor areas, pump smell into the air to tempt you into buying food? They do this at amusement parks and movie theaters too. This should help you understand why you’re so tempted.
- Eat Before Shopping – When you know you’re going to spend the day shopping, eat a healthy and filling meal before you go. Even if you’re going to stop to eat at some point, starting out full is the best way to stay in control.
- Take Water – It’s important to stay hydrated when shopping so you can keep your stamina up. Many times, people think they’re hungry when they’re just thirsty. Keep drinking your water (one-half to a full ounce of water per pound of your body weight) each day.
- Bring Healthy Snacks – Put some healthy snacks in your purse or backpack for eating if your blood sugar takes a dive. Shopping is physical work, so a balanced snack with plenty of protein, healthy carbs, and low in unhealthy fat and sugar is your best bet. (I like a piece of fruit or sticks of carrot along with some nuts.)
- Dress Comfortably – Dressing comfortably might not seem important when you’re shopping for the holidays, but it is. You’re less likely to feel tired or like you need a break (which usually means eating) if you’re comfortable.
- Plan Where to Eat – Part of holiday shopping is going out to eat someplace that you enjoy. So, plan it in advance so that you know where you’re going and what you’re going to eat by checking out the online menu.
- Eat Sides – If you end up in a place you didn’t plan to go, look at the side menu. Often, they’ll have wonderful steamed veggies for sides that you can make a meal from. Just ask them to prepare them without the oil and butter.
- Share – More than likely if you’re going shopping with others, they’re not going to have a plan and may stop to get snacks especially things like caramel-covered apples, coated nuts, and other holiday-inspired food. Instead of being a party pooper, offer to share. Then just have a bite or two.
- Enjoy – Focus on the shopping. It’s a challenge to find just the right thing on your list for each person. Enjoy that process. When you’re actively shopping you’re doing something that’s very healthy because it involves walking, bending, standing, and even using your arms pulling clothes off the racks and putting them back.
Shopping is a fun activity that can be healthy if you plan what you’ll eat and where you’ll eat it. Keep focused on the people with you and the task at hand to avoid feeling as if you’re missing out. The truth is, the healthier you make your life every day, the longer you’re going to feel like going shopping in the first place.
TODAY’S ACTION STEPS:
1) You should be exercising according to your planned routine. (You can use the exercise program I provided, if it works for you.) If you’re not ready to go FULL OUT with the exercise plan yet…that’s OK. If you’ve been trying out my suggestion of creating a habit, then you may want to add on another step if you haven’t done so yet. Read through the Week 4 – Day 2 module if you’re not sure how to create this “habit chain.”
So…every time you wake up, or finish washing your dishes after dinner, or whatever that regular activity is that you choose as the one to trigger your workouts…put on your workout shoes. (That’s the first link in the chain.)
Then do the next step you’ve been practicing. If your chosen workout is taking a walk after dinner each night, maybe you are heading to the front door and grabbing a jacket. If you want to do a home workout from the exercise plan I’m giving you, then maybe you’re putting on some workout clothes – a top and a bottom. (That’s the second link in the chain.)
NOW, do the next step. (That’s the third link in the chain.) If you plan to go for a walk, just step outside your front door and stand on your porch…and celebrate! If you’ll be doing a home workout, then grab your mobile phone (to access the Fitness App) and stand in your home exercise area…then celebrate! Whatever that next step is just do that. Every day. Every time you put on your workout shoes…AFTER every time you do that trigger activity (washing dishes, waking up in the morning, etc). Remember to celebrate every time you get to the end of this “habit chain.”
If you need a little more time to reinforce those first 2 links in the “habit chain” (e.g. putting on your workout shoes, then putting on some workout clothes), that’s fine. Just keep doing that and don’t worry about adding on right now.
2) If you already completed the Week 1 workout plan, then you can start the Week 2 plan today. Log in to the Fitness App on your COMPUTER – https://doctorvenus.com/app-login/ – to access the Week 2 workout plan.
3) If you already received the Week 1 (and 2) meal plan, then the Week 3 (and 4) meal plan has been uploaded to your Fitness App. You should be making preparations (taking stock of your pantry/refrigerator, grocery shopping, and meal prepping) for Week 4 meal plan [same as Week 3] which starts on Monday.
4) Do a sitting meditation for 5 minutes. Spend the 5 minutes sitting in a quiet space. Just relax with your eyes closed. No goal. No stress. The plan is to do this every day.
5) If you have any questions about anything…let me know in the Facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/discoveryourzen/
Previous ACTION STEPS:
(Not a complete list, but some important highlights.)
1) Log in to the Fitness App on your COMPUTER – https://doctorvenus.com/app-login/ – and go to the FORMS tab. If you haven’t completed the Client Agreement form and the PAR-Q form from Day 1’s ACTION STEPS, do that today and sign them. Be sure to click SAVE when you’re done. (You can not receive the meal plan and workout plan when they are released until we have those completed forms on file.)
2) If you haven’t done so yet, send an email to team@DoctorVenus.com and state whether you want a vegetarian or non-vegetarian meal plan. It will be sent to your Fitness App by the next day.
3) If you haven’t done so yet, send an email to team@DoctorVenus.com and let me know whether you want an exercise plan for weight loss (focused on burning calories) or for building/maintaining your mass. So you just need to indicate whether you want a BURN or BUILD program. It will be sent to your Fitness App by the next day.
4) Download the Set Your Goals Checklist and complete it. CLICK HERE to download.
5) Download the Program Planner that you can start using, if you wish. CLICK HERE to download.
6) Download the Kitchen Clean Out handout and use it to guide the clean out of your kitchen BEFORE you start your meal plan. CLICK HERE to download.