Why does the summer move at lightning speed?  It seems like yesterday that school was ending and we had endless days of the pool, rest, and relaxation ahead of us.  

In the summer, I still meal prep my lunches.  I have found that I often wait to eat lunch later in the summer because I’m not confined to my teaching schedule.  However, if I don’t have a plan for when I’m hungry, I am more likely to overeat or make a higher calorie choice.  Having a plan for my lunches and ensuring they are ready to eat helps with this.  I also have a high protein plan for my breakfasts, but since I don’t have to race out the door by 7:10 AM, I can prepare it in the morning.  

Now that we are starting school, I wanted to share how I prioritize my health while working 50+ hours per week for the next two months and raising 3 children:

• Meal prep or have a plan for meals: I have a lot of meal prep haters in my life, but it really is helpful.  I prep breakfast and lunch for the whole week and try to stretch healthy dinners to last at least 2 nights so I don’t have to cook as much.
• Exercise early: During the summer, I still exercise at 6 or 6:30 AM to make sure it gets done.  During the school year, I have to unfortunately move that to 5:20 AM, but luckily, I have a workout partner who holds me accountable.  To accommodate this:
• Go to bed early: I have to go to bed earlier to make sure I’m getting at least 7.5 hours of sleep.  This is especially important for fat loss!  I try to get in bed by 8:30-9:00 PM during school nights.
• Water water water: I always bring water with me everywhere.  This isn’t actually different from the summer, but still important. I have a history of kidney stones, so I have to drink enough water.
• Tame the activity calendar: There are so many back to school events, plus sporting contests.  Add in assignments for children and deadlines for work and you can quickly get overwhelmed.  Make sure you have a family calendar to keep track of everything.  

If you want more help in removing chaos from your life, pre-order my book Putting Your MASK on First to get a play-by-play on how to incorporate these strategies into your life.  If you need a personalized, one-on-one approach, I am taking new clients for the fall!  Let’s work together so you have a bullet-proof foundation before the holidays!