To put it simply, our bodies need energy to get through the day. More often than not, energy comes from the foods we eat. It is important to eat regular meals to ensure your body gets all of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients it needs to perform at its best. 

Decreases in appetite can happen for many reasons like stress, lack of sleep, finances, or medications but finding a way to eat a balanced diet helps you stay healthy, fight off sicknesses, increase energy levels and balance your mood.

Food is often a trigger warning for me and many of those in my community, so please remember to always consult a trained professional or trusted adult before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. 

From my kitchen to yours, here are my tips to help you remember to eat:

Set Alarms 

I’m the first to admit that sometimes I get carried away in the hustle and bustle of life. I often find myself lost in a task to only look at the clock and realize it’s been hours since I’ve moved or eaten anything. To help break up my days, I set alarms on my phone to remind myself it’s time to eat. 

Have On-The-Go Snacks 

Forgetting to eat can happen, especially when you’re feeling busy or are on-the-go. To avoid skipping meals or binge eating later, I often have snacks in convenient locations. Because I spend so much of my time traveling, I keep water and high protein snacks like granola bars, trail mix, and jerky in my bookbag, car, and purse. No matter where I am or what I’m doing, I can always grab a simple snack to keep me feeling full and energized until my next meal. 

Convenience, convenience, convenience 

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m no chef. My meals usually consist of simple, easy to prepare ingredients that I have on hand. If you have followed me on Instagram for a while, you know I’m a big fan of microwavable meals, especially when I’m running low on time and fresh produce. 

My go-to microwavable meals to keep in the freezer are Birds Eye Single-Serve Meals for One and anything from Amy’s. Both Birds Eye and Amy’s can be found in most grocery chains across the US. 

Microwavable meals are a must-have! I love having the Amy’s microwavable meals in my freezer

Meal Prep 

You’re probably reading this tip thinking “Duh, Mik, I’ve heard that one before” but it is really one of the most important steps to remembering to eat on a regular basis. Keeping already made meals in your fridge eliminates the stress of trying to decide what is for dinner or going through the hassle of making it. 

When I prepare a recipe for myself, I always aim to cook for two or three to guarantee that I have leftovers for quick and easy meals in the future. A cookbook that has literally saved me on multiple occasions is Damn Delicious: 100 Super Easy, Super Fast Recipes, and A New Way to Food. 

When it comes to eating, everyone’s preferences are different. 

My advice is not to focus on how you should schedule your meals, but instead, ask yourself what times of the day you can eat that your body will respond well to and thank you for.

At the end of the day, you only have one body and you have to treat it with the love and respect it so deserves.