21DSD Day 13 and 14: 4 ways to take control of your health

Hope you had a good weekend. I got a chance to relax a bit with friends and family. Instead of posting updates about my food intake, I wanted to combine Saturday and Sunday posts and share a few things that help me to slow down and focus on staying healthy.

I have found that the more I dive into expanding my business, the harder it is to find balanced over my health and time spent with family. Running a business can be very consuming and at the same time so rewarding, but it is important to find a sense of balance and hold on to the things that matter most. Listening to our body can especially be pushed to the side during crazy working weeks.

And if you're anything like me, you turn to stressful eating even on a full stomach. The problem here is that the body doesn't need a snack, but actually "hungry" for stress relief. So during the 21DSD, I've started to closely tune in to my body's needs and implement 4 things to help defuse some stress:

1. Make a list to be more organized: My husband has been telling me for years to make lists to keep track of time spent working on something, in order to not overwork myself beyond what is necessary. I'm still working on staying consistent, but when I do this, I find myself finishing faster with some time to spare on doing something for myself. These days, a 5 minutes shower is note taken for granted. 
2. Prepare ahead during your time off: It is very common to slip up and get off track eating well when you haven't prepared snacks and meals for the week ahead, especially when you know you will be staying super busy with work. Take some time during the weekend to write down meal plans (Practical Paleo and 21DSD book and cookbook provide pre-made plans) and stock the fridge with the necessary whole ingredients. And if you know that you will be out and about, make sure to have nutrient-dense snacks on hand. This will give you clarity and fuel to go on with an insane week. 
3. Short workout: Lets face it, finding time to hit the gym is not always possible on a busy schedule. But dedicating 5 - 10 minutes to moving your body in short bursts of exercise can boost your mental performance. Look at sprinting, jumping jacks, or bicycling in short bursts. Mark gives good insight on the subject. 
4. SLEEP: Something I should be doing now instead of typing this. I do take naps when my son naps a lot of the time. You just have to give your body the opportunity to restore itself again.

Just a couple of ways that help me take control over my health during stressful weeks. Feel free to let me know what has worked for you.