Food is what fuels our bodies. Yet with our busy schedules and unhealthy processed foods constantly available to us, we actually prevent our bodies from being fueled efficiently, and, therefore, performing at our best. Although the goal is to attain a healthy food-life balance, many of us try every way possible but still can’t figure out what works best for our body and work schedules.

This is when you need a nutritionist. Nutritionists have a wide job description, playing part clinician, part detective, and part counselor. They offer reliable information about healthy eating, diet plans, and meal prep, and show you how you can combine all three into a food-life balance that works for you. It is the job of a nutritionist to provide their patients with counseling and guidance on good nutrition and healthy eating habits.

In 2010, the CDC reported that more than one-third of all adults in America were obese, and 12.5 million Americans aged 2 to 19 years old were obese. If you’ve ever felt like you’re alone in your struggles to find a healthy food-life balance, think again – it’s a widespread problem that a lot of professionals and executives face.

The Struggle to Find a Healthy Food-Life Balance

You don’t know what to eat

One of the biggest problems for many people who can’t find food-life balance is that they simply don’t know what they should be eating. It’s time-consuming to do the research on your own, and when your life is driven by your busy work schedule, food-life balance just isn’t a priority.

You don’t have time for trial and error to see what works for you

The best way to find food-life balance on your own is through the process of trial and error. Trying different foods and eliminating certain foods to see what foods give you the most energy to help you push through the day is an effective method for determining an appropriate diet. But if you don’t have time to figure out what you should be eating, then you probably don’t have for experimenting with trial and error either.

You can’t figure out what is disrupting your food-life balance

Despite your efforts to eat nutritious food, you still don’t seem to feel any better. Or maybe you are attempting to make too many changes all at once. Unfortunately, feeling discouraged, too many failed attempts at changing your lifestyle, and depriving yourself of certain foods can also drive eating disorders such as binge eating, or disordered eating.

Not enough motivation or support  

When you work alongside other busy professionals who also don’t have time to make their health and eating habits a priority, can make motivation difficult. It’s also tough if your family or roommates also have unhealthy habits that hold you back, and choose not to support you when you’re trying to make healthy changes. You need to develop a support system to hold you accountable and motivate you throughout your journey.

Lack of tools to better manage stress

Stress at home or at work can lead to stress eating and over eating. Persistent stress, however, leads to secretion of the hormone, cortisol, which increases cravings for ‘comfort foods’ such as sweets and fats. When your busy work schedule leaves you with limited sleep, little exercise and an increase in alcohol intake, it also leads to excess weight gain.

Solutions (How a nutritionist can help)

1. Nutritionists are food experts. A nutritionist’s job is to tell you what healthy foods to eat. They know what foods belong together, how to balance protein with carbohydrates and vegetables, and how often you should be eating to get your metabolism running again. If you don’t know what you should be eating, hire a nutritionist who can tell you.

2. Nutritionists give personalised attention to your health needs. Every person is unique meaning that no one nutrition plan works for all. Age, height, weight, and gender all affect what diet will work best for you. Nutritionists also take into account personal aspects like physical activity, special needs, family history, and present health conditions. Instead of reading generic healthy food guides in books or online, a nutritionist can provide you with a personalized eating and exercise plan, to help you find a healthy food-life balance.

3. They are problem-solvers. If you can’t figure out what’s disrupting your food-life balance, it’s likely that a nutritionist can. It’s their job to act as detective and counselor to figure out what work or family related stress might be affecting your food-life balance. They can also play detective with food, having you try different diet plans to see what does and doesn’t work best for your specific needs.

4. Nutritionists give the motivation and support you need. Eating is personal and often requires behavioral changes; trust in your nutritionist to help you solve, and/or adjust problems that occur along the way, and then celebrate once you’re on the right path!

5. They help manage stress related eating. Nutritionists typically receive some counseling and psychology experience which enables them to help adults understand why they eat too much and find healthier alternatives to managing stress. It is part of your nutritionist’s job to help you develop a healthy body image and break your abusive relationship with food.

Online Solutions

If hiring a nutritionist doesn’t seem like an appropriate option for you, then ExecFuel’s 6-week online program is your alternative. It’s a practical step-by-step program that includes easy to follow weekly modules, nutrition, and fitness education, and eliminates confusion by teaching you the right nutrition to improve your life. Designed to fit into daily life, busy professionals no longer have the excuse that they don’t have time to focus on their nutrition. You’ll receive personalised meal plans and recipes, along with learning how to make healthy choices when you dine out. As a busy executive, you need to know how to manage your weight when traveling, entertaining clients, or attending corporate functions. A diet can be too strict for a busy lifestyle, but ExecFuel gives you a non-diet approach that will still help increase your energy levels and maintain a healthy lifestyle while travelling or working long hours.

Article source: http://execfuel.net/2016/03/24/food-life-balance/