Be prepared.  Being prepared is different for everyone and while many plans can lead to success, not having one leads nowhere!  I’ve found being prepared means knowing where my food is coming from and having a routine. Never start your day without finishing it.  This simply means know what your day will look like before you actually begin. For me mornings are a hectic time. Raising small humans comes with many responsibilities. This includes morning duties like packing lunches, brushing teeth, and avoiding meltdowns over important choices like waffles or pancakes.  Even with all that I make sure to take 15 minutes every morning to put together my day. Morning meal prep doesn’t take long and I premake some items during the week, namely my proteins. Otherwise I generally gather fruits, and mixed veggies often in the form of a salad. I have my easy fallbacks (e.g. protein bars) now and again when I am in a hurry, but generally eat minimally processed foods throughout the day.  Here is a sample menu of the foods I would take on a typical 8-10 hour day away from home.

• Breakfast- 1 egg and 1 egg white scrambled, 1 piece whole grain toast, 1 serving of strawberries
• Snack 1- Greek yogurt w ¼ serving grape nuts
• Snack 2- Protein Bar
• Lunch- Large mixed vegetable salad with cucumbers, raspberries, avocado, 6-8 oz turkey breast, and low-calorie dressing
• Snack 3- Carrots and 4-6 oz turkey breast
• Snack 4- Banana and cucumbers

I find it easiest to have a routine and while I try to rotate foods often I generally keep the menu simple.  I truly only have about 10-15 minutes to get my food together for the day but I have found it sets the tone for the rest of my day and helps me maintain my energy throughout.  If you aren’t a cook and rely on restaurants or eat in the workplace you can still set up strategies for success with a little effort and investigation. You will find many restaurants provide nutritional information as do many workplace cafeterias. What may seem inconvenient at first pays off tenfold once you establish a consistent routine and become informed of your options.