Eating Healthy When You're Stressed Out and Under Pressure

I get it.  Life is busy.  

One thing I *don't compromise on when I'm busy is eating healthy. 

*Things I am willing to compromise on:  1) volunteering - my automatic response is "No"; 2) cleaning - it can wait; 3) TV / social media - mostly it doesn't appeal to me as a way to spend my time, especially if there's stuff to get done.

Healthy Food = Non-Negotiable 

Because, when I don't eat well, I don't feel good. 

It's as simple as that. 

It's not for losing weight.  It's not because of certain beliefs. 

It's because INPUT affects OUTPUT.  

If you want to have

• energy
• less inflammation
• better metabolism
• good digestion
• clear thinking

then it's time to decide you will NOT compromise on eating healthy.  

Ok, at least 80% of the time. The other 20% is "fun food." You know, movie-theater popcorn, margaritas, and chocolate. Everyone has their own little guilty pleasures. Just make sure that's not the main course. 

I think as long as you mostly eat healthy, you can splurge a little from time to time. Some people plan a "cheat day." I've done that before, but I found that a "cheat day" often leads to a "cheat week," and that never pans out very good. Also, if I eat junk all day long, ugh, I feel terrible. 

When I don't feel like cooking, here's what I say to get motivated:  just chop some garlic.  For some reason, once the garlic is smashed and ready, (maybe it's the aroma, or just that the hard part is done) it's easier to get things rolling. 

One more thing, when I say "eating healthy," I mean a variety of normal foods. It's not low-carb, it's not vegan, it's definitely not low-fat. It's regular, plain 'ol food. It is plant/vegetable-based, but does include animal protein (for me). 

THE "WHY" OF EMOTIONAL-EATING

Years before I opened my acupuncture clinic, I had a job that I was kind of starting to hate. Sometimes, I'd not go in for a shift. It wasn't a huge deal - it was just a stupid bar job. Nobody's life was in danger. In fact, I'd argue that the less I showed up, the healthier everyone would be.  

Instead, I'd swing by Whole Foods and pick up a pint of Chunky Monkey and a little bag of chocolate-covered raisins, go home, and pig out in the kind of peace and quiet only a comfy pair of sweat pants can provide.  

Stress will do that to you!

I had a consultant that put it like this, "When you don't EXPRESS, you SUPPRESS." 

Meaning, emotional eating (suppression from ingestion) happens when there's something bugging you that you haven't figured a way out of ... yet. 

Instead of mindlessly reaching for the Cherry Garcia or a P.Terry's seasonal Salted Caramel Milkshake, stop for a second. Ask yourself: What's really going on here? 

Journaling, meeting with a counselor or therapist, or even calling a friend can help you figure your way out. 

Chances are, your search for PLEASURE, in life, in general, doesn't end on a plate.

What really lifts your spirits, turns you on, and rings your bell is out there, but it's not something you eat, most likely, unless your big goal in life is to become a pastry chef or an ice cream connoisseur. 

STEP 1:  PLAN IT OUT

Start with breakfast because we usually end up eating the same thing or rotating through a couple of things for breakfast every day.  

What are your breakfast go-to's?  

Mine are:  

• Plain yogurt - stir in protein powder, (organic, unsalted, plain) peanut butter, a cut up Lara bar (or fresh fruit), and museli.  Approximate time ~ 2 minutes.  
• Egg tacos:  I use Cassava tortillas by Siete Foods, warm those up in a pan w/ butter, adding a bit of grated, organic and raw cheese at the end.  Next, I cook some torn kale leaves in a little more butter.  When the kale is slightly wilted (1-2 minutes), add 2 eggs and scramble.  Add salt and pepper.  When it's cooked, add the egg and veg mixture to the tortillas.  Add salsa if desired.   Approximate time ~ 5 minutes.
• Banana pancakes:  This is a decidedly high-carb recipe and therefore, sometimes I feel tired after eating it, but I do love pancakes. It would be part of my death-row meal, if you get my drift. There's no added sugar other than the banana, and syrup if you top it off at the end.  Smash up 1 or 2 very ripe bananas.  Mix with 1 egg, 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 cup of flour (I use gluten free or Einkorn ancient grains organic wheat).  Cook like a pancake!  I top mine with peanut butter and molasses, but you do you.  Approximate time ~ 10 minutes.  

 With this in mind, on my weekly grocery list, I make sure we have 

• Plain yogurt
• Grass-fed Butter or Ghee
• Fruit
• Eggs
• Leafy greens (I keep some type of lettuce leaf on hand as well as a more savory green I can cook like kale, spinach, or collard greens)
• Milk (I get raw - unpasteurized - or Milkadamia / Ripple)
• Peanut butter (organic, no oil / sugar / salt added if possible) or other nut butter
• Salsa
• Pantry basics - sea salt, spices, baking powder, etc.  

For lunch and dinner planning, I think about (1) what sounds good, (2) what's in season, and (3) what do I feel like making (or NOT).  

Let's say we're planning on making a big pot of soup this week, a stir-fry, and a 1-pan meal.  If you make a big enough batch for your family's needs, this may be enough for the whole week, cooking-wise.  

STEP 2:  HAVE 5 GO-TO EASY RECIPES 

If you're not familiar with cooking, there is work involved in this step.   

Once you've made something 10 times, you'll eventually memorize it.  That's when it becomes a beautiful thing.  

I say "have 5," because you only need a handful of easy, nutritious recipes to fill in the gaps between eating out, events, or traveling.  

My easy recipes include: 

• 1-pan meat and veggies - pick a protein (chicken thighs, sausages, tempeh, etc.) and pick 1 or 2 veggies (sweet potatoes; broccoli; brussel sprouts; carrots; etc).  Cut the veggies into 1/2" - 1" pieces.  Toss with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper or seasoning.  Lay them onto the sheet pan.  Nestle the protein in there and cook for 30-40 minutes (check halfway to toss, and close to the end for doneness) at 400 degrees in the oven.  
• Stir-fry - same idea - pick a protein (ground beef, lamb, turkey, tofu, etc.) and 1 or 2 veggies (squash, cabbage, mushrooms, etc).  Cook the protein in a pan on med-high.  Remove from pan, add a bit more butter to the pan and cook the veggies until softened.  Add the protein back in, add a sauce for ~2-3 minutes until thickened.  Eat on top of rice, soba, or quinoa.  I make my own sauce - it's SO easy (recipes are all over online*) and I think tastes better, but a pre-made sauce is totally fine too.  

• Crockpot Stew - crockpot meals are a gift you give to future you.  Brown the seasoned (salt and pepper or a seasoning mix) protein in a med-high skillet for 2-3 minutes, then put it in the crockpot with 1-2 raw veggies of your choice.  Add about 1 cup of sauce or broth.  Cook on low ~6-8 hours.  When you get home - dinner is served!  
• Salad - a hearty salad is so enjoyable when it's hot out.  I try not to turn my oven on in the summer. 🥵  I use a combo of butter leaf, red leaf lettuce, or kale; kimchi or cooked, sliced and roasted beets; nuts or seeds; goat cheese; avocado; hard-boiled eggs; radishes or cucumbers; or whatever is in my refrigerator!  Topped with a bit of my new, favorite dressing:  Bragg's ACV Vinaigrette.  
• Ramen - I buy pre-made egg noodles that I get from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Also, I buy pre-made bone broth, but you do what works best for you.  My go-to ramen broth recipe:  heat 4 cloves of minced garlic, 2 inches of grated ginger, and 1 T sesame oil in a large pot on medium heat. Cook, stirring until fragrant, ~ 1 minute. Stir in 4 cups broth (I use a combo of bone and veggie), 1 teaspoon chili paste, and 1/4 cup of miso. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer 5 minutes. Taste w/ 1 tsp sea salt (I usually also add 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce/tamari).  Cook the noodles in a different pot.  When it's all done, divide it into bowls and top with sliced green onion, grated radish, sliced beef, or hard-boiled eggs. I sometimes cook spinach, mushrooms, or kale into the broth as well.  

Other things I'm adding to my grocery list, if we're low or out of them may be:

• Miso, Soy Sauce / Tamari, or pre-made sauces
• Garlic, Ginger, Green Onions (I use these ALL the time, so just plan to keep them in stock) 
• Rice, Noodles, or Quinoa (whole grains) 
• Goat cheese
• Avocado, Radishes, Beets, Cucumbers, Mushrooms, Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli, or whatever looks good at the market that week.  I base my meals on the veggies - this is an important part of healthy eating!  
• Bone and Veggie Broths
• Organic Proteins (ground meat, chicken, tofu, eggs, nuts, beans, etc.)  

STEP 3:  ACTION

Now that you have your planned meals and groceries, don't forget to use them!  

If it's a busy day, or I'm tired or stressed, I don't make something time-consuming or hard.  "Breakfast for dinner" it is.  Or heating up last night's dinner.   Or a quick salad.  Or a sandwich (with TONS of veggies in there - I use saurkraut, pickles, pesto, sprouts, cucumbers, etc.) 

Don't make it hard on yourself. 

But also, feed yourself well.  

Download our free "Easy Grocery List" here.  

* my go-to stir fry sauce:  1/2 cup bone / veg broth + 1/3 cup tamari / soy sauce + 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar + 2 teaspoons sesame oil + 2 cloves garlic (diced small) + 2 teaspoons grated ginger + 1 Tablespoon cornstarch (makes it thick)  

One other nice side-effect of eating and cooking at home more is your food bill will go down significantly.  Yes, groceries can be expensive.  Especially if you're buying high-quality ingredients, but eating out is SO much more expensive.  Not to mention the sky-high health care costs associated with eating poorly.  

I like to say you can pay now with good quality food or pay later with poor health and the expenses associated with that (copays, deductibles, medications, pre-existing conditions, denied claims, ER visits, hospice ....).  THAT is expensive.  Organic eggs in the long-run, are quite cheap in comparison. :) 

STEP 4: WHAT NOT TO DO

I don't buy or store junk food in my house. If I do, it's because I plan on eating it that day. Because, if it's there, I will eat it. I don't buy something thinking my will-power will save me from certain disaster. 

When I want a quick snack and cooking is NOT an option, I have things around that are relatively healthy that won't feel like sabotage to my diet.

Ideally, something with protein because that will often scratch that craving itch. 

For example, I make this 30 second chocolate brownie thing that's very satisfying for a sweet craving, but really has almost no added sugar in it.  I put 4-6 dates in a small bowl and cover with about 2 tablespoons of dark chocolate chips. I stick that in the microwave for about 20 seconds and stir in a spoonful of peanut butter. You're welcome.  

Or I'll slice up an apple. Or have some organic popcorn with melted butter and sea salt. Or make a smoothie with frozen fruit, whole milk, flaxseed, and SP Protein. Or plain yogurt with a scoop of SP Protein, fruit, and granola or museli. Or a little pack of dried seaweed. Or a protein bar.

Keep healthy snacks around just in case you're out of garlic.