I’m talking about times when:
- You’re starting a new job or a new business.
- Working on a health, wellness, or fitness goal.
- Saving to pay off student debt.
- You have a family goal (like a new baby in the house or you’re suddenly in charge of your children’s schoolwork).
You only have so many hours in a day, with a limited amount of energy. When you’re faced with a real-life “out of balance” goal or situation, there are a couple of things you can do about it.
First, accept it. “To everything, there is a season…” That’s been solid wisdom for thousands of years — because it’s true. If you try to do it “all” … it’ll almost always just lead to disappointment, burnout, and unneeded stress. Try to give the other areas of your life some attention. I’m talking about things related to:
- Finances/money
- Your family and your friends
- Your health and wellness
- Your self-development and learning
- Your spirit
If you ignore those areas of your life, before long you might find yourself feeling unhappy, unfulfilled, and feel like something is missing from your life. You might not be able to devote time to every area of your life every day, but carving out time once a week can make a real difference.
You can also upgrade how you spend your time. For instance, let’s say you’re working on a nutrition goal for the new year and normally order takeout or go out to eat with the family on the weekends. Then, you end up indulging in meals that don’t align with your goals, but what if instead you created a new “family dinner” at-home routine? Everyone could chip in and help prepare dinner together and if you have kids in the house who are old enough, maybe they can be (mostly) in charge. Your family will remember these times for years to come — and you’ll all be eating healthier foods. It’s a win-win.
Chopped Salad Recipe
Since we’re on the topic of healthier foods, have you ever had a chopped salad before? Because everything is chopped up into tiny portions, you get deliciousness in every bite. Prep in advance for a grab-and-go lunch, or put your family to work to create a healthy dinner. As an added bonus, because of all that chopped goodness, they require less dressing than most other salads, which is perfectif you’re trying to be more conscious about what you consume or if you have a body transformation goal.
TIP: taking the time to really chop up those ingredients before you put them in the salad bowl pays off.
Feel free to customize this salad recipe to suit your own tastes. Try adding chopped grilled chicken, chopped extra-firm tofu, or stirring in 1 cup of cooked quinoa.
Greek Chopped Salad
(makes 4 servings)
Dressing:
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp fresh black pepper
Salad:
4 oz (112 grams) roasted red peppers, chopped finely (about the same as 1 red pepper)
4 cups (170 grams) romaine lettuce, chopped
2 small cucumbers, chopped
1 cup (150 grams) grape tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1 (15-oz.) (425 grams) can salt-free cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup (30 grams) feta or goat cheese, crumbled
(optional: 8 oz. (225 grams) chopped grilled chicken, 1 cup (215 grams) chopped or shredded tofu, and/or 1 cup (185 grams) cooked quinoa)
In a large salad bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
Next, add all of the salad ingredients except the feta cheese, and stir to incorporate the dressing. Top with feta and enjoy.
Thomas Fitness Consulting was launched in 2017 after Laura Thomas decided to fulfill her dream of helping professional women and expecting and new mothers find strength and energy through movement and accountability support. She currently serves the greater Westlake and Broadview Heights areas in-person and also offers virtual coaching. For more information, visit thomasfitnessconsulting.com.