Eating well while crazy-busy: an iphone picture story

A lot of people are very busy.  Too busy, they say, to eat healthy.  What they mean is that they're often on the go and may not have consistent access to a kitchen or even a fridge.  From August 30 to September 1, I fit these criteria.  I slept on friends' couches and ate grab-'n-go meals for 2 days straight while packing and moving.  Throughout it all, I took pictures of everything I ate to show you that it is possible to make healthy choices when you have no time or means to cook!  So without further ado, here is everything I ate:

Breakfast: plain lowfat yogurt with granola, fruit and coffee -- Crema Cafe in Harvard Square

Lunch/snacks: I picked up these items at a Russian market to have on hand while packing.  I didn't really know what the pastry would turn out to be...

It was a sour cherry danish - delish, but definitely a splurge!  I rounded it out with an apple, some almonds, and plenty of water.

I crashed at Jeanine's that night.  Before we went out to dinner, I snacked on some black grapes she had set out.  I was famished!

Dinner was shabu-shabu, or Asian hot pot.  It's kind of like fondue!  I ordered beef, veggies, and vermicelli rice noodles.  I ate half of the beef but everything else.

I also required a beer.  Packing is hard work!

Later on I had to go back to my previous night's residence to pick up some odds and ends.  I couldn't resist cuddling with Rebecca and Alex's dog!

Moving day!  Breakfast was a yogurt parfait with granola and coffee at Blue State Coffee.  The yogurt was not reduced fat, but it sure was good!  Plus, I knew the higher fat content would keep me full for a while.  I ate about 3/4 of it.

Snack: my other apple and a handful of almonds.

Lunch, finally!  I knew I needed some good fuel for moving later on, so I got a chicken burrito with cheese, salsa, rice, black beans, and guacamole, all in a whole wheat flour tortilla -- at Anna's Taqueria.  It was so big I could only eat about 2/3 of it.

Victory dinner!  After the move, I took my hungry movers out to Sunset Grill and Tap in Brighton, where I ordered some nachos for us to split as an appetizer.  Even though it was only a half portion, it was so huge that we only put away about 1/3 of it -- come on, guys!

My portion of nachos (multiply it by 2), and a Sierra Nevada

Kyle and Willy thought it was hilarious that I, an [almost!] nutrition expert, was chowing down on a burger the size of my head.  I ate about half, plus a few chips, before throwing in the towel.

Thanks, guys!

So there you have it!  While this is not how I would like to eat all of the time, I managed to keep my energy levels high by snacking wisely, making reasonable menu choices, and stopping when full.

Want to health-ify your crazy-busy days?  Be sure to stock up on healthy snacks to have on hand (like fruit and nuts), replace sugary drinks with water, and choose lean meats, low-fat dairy, and whole grains whenever possible.

What are your secrets for eating healthy on the go?