#1 habit for feeding yourself well
Before I had kids and before I had my own business I was a fly by the seat of my pants kinda gal. With no one to take care of and not many responsibilities, I was free and spontaneous and lived each day as it came. Living in NYC meant most meals were eaten out which also meant that I had a few extra pounds around my waistline that frustrated and annoyed me.
And then I had my first son Max. No longer was my life my own and eating every meal out was also not as fun and relaxing as it once was. Luckily, living in Hell's Kitchen I had a fishmonger, a butcher, a Mediterranean market and Whole Foods within walking distance. So every day I would lug the stroller down the flight of stairs of our apartment and grocery shop for that day's meals.
However, once we moved to Kelowna 9 months later, grocery shopping every day became a chore and frankly quite inefficient. I also felt that I wasn't feeling myself as well as I wanted and was committed to losing the baby weight that I had put on from my pregnancy.
So I began to plan my meals. Over the years I had collected issues of Gourmet and Food and Wine magazine. Every week I would pour over the foods mags and tear out delicious looking recipes and make my weekly meal plan. At the same time I would put together my master grocery list for the week and then do a big grocery shop so I would have what I needed. Over time I refined my recipes that fit the criteria I was looking for:
Delicious
Healthy and plant-centric
Simple, fast and easy to make
Through my strategic meal planning I've been able to refine my diet so that I'm feeding myself and my family well and I'm saving time in the week. This weekly habit of meal planning has made dinner prep such a more easeful and streamlined experience. I'm not having to figure out what to eat each day and then see if I have all the right ingredients. I'm at the weight I want to be, I feel great in my body and most importantly, I'm eating foods that deeply nourish me.
With so many demands on my time and energy with 2 kids and a business, eating a healthy diet and not spending too much time and energy on it is such a priority for me. By having a habit around feeding myself well, I'm able to free up so much more mindspace that I can then use on my many ideas and creative pursuits outside of the kitchen.
Whatever your goal – you need a plan of action to get you there. Whether it's getting better sleep, eating a healthier diet, being more active, enjoying your life more – you need to figure out the steps that will get you there. Then you need to schedule it in. You need to put it on your calendar and stick to the plan. Because without a plan, your goal is simply a wish.
This isn't rocket science. But a reminder that without a plan, the likelihood of reaching your goal is greatly reduced.
“From the my heart to yours thank you. Sunday sadana, chana masla in the crock pot, vegetarian spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove, potatoes baking in the oven, big beautiful salad made, smoothies ready to go, thank you so much, Sunday’s are so much better since starting Align and Thrive in October. The rest of the week flows along, healthier, happier, more organized, not rushed during the week, and occasionally when the wheels fall off, simply begin again.
Totally grateful, thank you so much Dana
The one thing that truly amazes me, learning about Ayurveda, and oneself is great, experiencing the habits and Ayurveda is mind blowing, rock om!
PS, you were so right when you said it’s all spiritual!!”