Eat Great, Live Great
“Having dinner before 9 p.m. or at least two hours before bedtime is associated with a 20% lower risk of breast and prostate cancer, compared with eating after 10 p.m. or going to sleep within two hours of dinner, according to a study in the International Journal of Cancer.”- Healio/HemOnc Today (7/17), CNN (7/17)
When it comes to the simpler dietary changes, eating at least two hours prior to bedtime is a very reasonable commitment. No need to go hungry, to eat anything you don’t particularly enjoy, etc. (aka- no glaring barriers). The one obstacle which some people encounter when trying to adhere to this guideline is getting home late from work and not having any food prepared to eat immediately. To overcome this barrier, here are some suggestions you might try to employ:
MEAL PREP. I typically recommend dedicating ~1 hour of time on Sundays and Wednesdays to meal prepping your food for the next few days. This way, if you don’t get home until 8pm, you are eating at 8:05pm instead of just starting the cooking process at this time.
MODIFIED MEAL PREP. If you don’t have time to prep full meals in advance, at least prep the protein foods as typically these are the item that takes the longest to cook. To make it a full meal, simply mix a bag of salad or toss some frozen veggies in the microwave to pair with your protein dish and voila! Dinner is served.
FROZEN FOODS. Frozen foods have caught a bad rep for their typically-high sodium content. However, there are plenty of frozen foods that are a-okay to include- the important thing is being able to distinguish between the good and the bad. To minimize sodium content, look for frozen varieties that are not pre-seasoned or pre-sauced. There are plenty of frozen veggie options that do not contain any sodium at all!
GRAB-AND-GO. Always, always, keep healthy grab-and-go foods on-hand. Whether we’re talking packets of tuna, pieces of whole fruit, pre-chopped veggies, unsalted nuts, etc., it’s extremely helpful to rely on these items in times of emergency. Whether you utilize them as snacks throughout the day so that you’re not starving by the time you get home later in the evening, or you munch on them once you get home to hold off your appetite as you prepare your actual dinner, these quick & easy nutritious go-to options can certainly help prevent overeating at the later hours in the day.
If you are in need of further suggestions for how to maintain healthy eating habits despite your busy schedule, contact me today for a free dietary consultation!