Meghan Ritz: Hello, I am Meghan Ritz, Physician Assistant and Assistant Director of the Metabolic and Bariatric Institute at San Juan Regional Medical Center, and I'd like you to join me today as I share practical tips to help you make health a non-negotiable part of your busy lives. In the hustle and bustle of our daily existence, finding the time and energy to prioritize our health can be a challenge.

As we navigate through the demands of work, family, and personal commitments, it is easy to overlook the fundamental parts to health and well-being. Proper nutrition, regular exercise, and adequate sleep are vital for vitality.

As a healthcare professional, I have witnessed the transformative power that proactive health choices can have on a patient's quality of life. I have also learned that being able to make these choices requires learning how to balance the demands of our busy schedules with the desire to live a healthy life.

Personally, as a mother and wife, I certainly have felt the tug of my own hectic schedule. And as I continue to become busier, I understand that to be able to continue to prioritize a healthy lifestyle requires renewed commitment to making it a part of my weekly routine. For me, this means finding ways to ensure that I nourish myself and my family with wholesome meals and carving out personal time for regular exercise. A mantra that I like to follow is to plan the work and work the plan.

Maintaining a healthy diet can be tricky. However, with some strategic planning, it is entirely possible. Set aside time each week to plan your meals. Get the family involved in the meal planning. This not only distributes the workload, but it also encourages everyone to make healthier choices. To avoid planning burnout, have a rotation of your family favorites. Breakfast for dinner is always a hit at my house. Who does not love a veggie and cheese omelette? Add a simple salad and crusty bread and you will have a balanced meal on the table in no time. Find simple and quick recipes that require minimal preparation. You can find these healthy recipes that can be made in under 30 minutes easily on the internet.

Anticipate busy evenings and utilize crockpot recipes so that you have a hot meal waiting to eat when you get home from school, work, or sporting events. My family loves it when I make a crockpot of pulled chicken that can be easily used for salads, sandwiches, and tacos, or served alongside vegetables and rice throughout the week. It also makes packing lunch a breeze. Cook large batches of healthy meals when you have the extra time on weekends, and freeze portions for later use. Big batches of soups and stews, extra pans of lasagna or enchiladas can make for convenient nutritious options to have on hand during hectic days. You can even cook a big pot of rice and freeze it into convenient portions to have on hand. This is especially useful for those longer to cook whole grains.

To save time, it can also be helpful to chop up all your vegetables on Sunday night for your other meals throughout the week. Store them in Ziploc bags or containers so that you can execute recipes with ease. Using this tip, you might be surprised how easy it is to make a quick stir fry using chicken cutlets and vegetables, in even less time than it would be to order takeout. Purchasing pre-cut vegetables, fruits, and lean protein options from the grocery store might cost a little bit extra, but it will help save you on the preparation time. Use this option for those weekends where your schedule is so jam-packed that all you have time to do is plan the meals for the week. Prepare grab-and-go snacks like fruit, nuts, or yogurts for those times when you need something quick and portable. Avoid packaged foods if you can, and trust me, your kids will get enough of this food from other sources. So, make sure you always have something more nutrient-dense to keep their diet balanced. Having these items for you will also help keep you from relying on vending machines or co workers' snack stashes when the late afternoon snack attack sets in. If having large amounts of snack items on hand is too tempting, bring only what you plan to eat for that day.

Incorporating physical activity into a busy schedule is another challenge that many of us face. Yet with a good plan in place, it's entirely possible. Remember, plan the work and work the plan. Treat exercise like any other important appointment. Write it in your calendar and block out specific times for workouts and stick to those commitments. You might even need to evaluate your schedule and identify less important activities that can be reduced or even eliminated to make time available for exercise. Remember your health goals when prioritizing your activities. If possible, exercise in the morning. Set your intentions by laying out your clothes, shoes, and earbuds the night before. Going first thing in the morning ensures unexpected events later will not interfere with your workout. And, if you're like me, I am less inclined to go to the gym in the evening after a long day at work or have too many after school activities.

Short, intense workouts can be highly effective. Spend 10 minutes in the morning walking the dog, then another 10 minutes in the evening. If you have a flexible lunch break, use part of it for a quick walk or a brief workout. If you add it all up, now you have fit in 30 minutes of physical activity. Be sure to bring workout clothes or shoes to the office to make this easier. Invest in some basic workout equipment for home exercises. This eliminates the time it takes to travel to the gym, or if you're a night person, you can set yourself up for success by squeezing in your physical activity after all your other obligations are done. Incorporate simple exercises into your workday.

Stretch at your desk, do chair squats, or take short breaks for a quick walk around the office, inside or outside. You can also catch up on work-related calls or listen to meetings if you're doing low intensity exercises. Resistance bands are great for this. If weekdays are too hectic, just make sure you schedule longer workouts on the weekend. This can give you more time for activities like hiking, biking, or group sports. However you fit it in, just remember that the key to creating a habit for exercise requires that you find a routine that works for you and is also something you will enjoy doing for years to come.

Balancing work, family, and health is no easy feat, and I appreciate the time that you took out of your day to listen to this podcast. Before we part ways, it's important to note that everything I've shared today is rooted in my perspective and experiences. Incorporating small lifestyle changes for a healthier living isn't a one-size-fits-all endeavor. So, feel free to adapt and personalize these suggestions to suit you.

Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts. Hopefully, you picked up a few practical tips for squeezing and exercise, and at least a couple nutritious meals at home amidst the complexities of your own busy schedules. I leave you with a final thought, healthy living should not be an all-or-nothing approach. Small sustainable changes add up and can significantly impact your overall health.