You’re running out the door and you are hungry—what do you grab? Fast Food? Coffee? Often our meal choices are based on time constraints instead of nutritional value. Typical on-the-go food is high in fat, salt or sugar, and low on all the good stuff. Here are a few quick tips to create a healthy meal that will give you all the energy you need to complete your hectic day.
 
Decrease the bad: Whole-fat dairy products, such as milk, butter, yogurt, or cheese are often the largest source of saturated fat in our diets. To keep your heart healthy switch to 1 percent milk. (Often skim or non-fat dairy products have a large amount of sugar to replace the flavor lost from the process of removing the fat.).
 
Increase the good: Eating fruits and vegetables reduces your chances of diabetes and heart disease. Support your local farm market.
 
Breakfast Ideas:
Most people skip breakfast because they feel they don’t have time to spare. Here are a few breakfast ideas that you can grab faster than you can poor your cup of joe: a piece of fresh fruit, bran or wholegrain muffins baked earlier in the week,  and or weight control oatmeal (microwaves in less than 3 minutes). Blend fruit and yogurt for a smoothie you can enjoy in the car. Keep a stash of Bare Naked Granola in your car or desk. This deliciously hand crafted snack contains no trans fat, no refined sugar, no cholesterol, no high fructose corn syrup and, best of all, requires no preparation. 
 
Snack Ideas:
Prepackaged single serving snacks are a great way to grab a quick meal while reducing your chances of over-indulging. Some examples of single serving snacks include:
100 Calorie Packs, reduced fat string cheese, reduced fat yogurt, Cottage Cheese Doubles, and Special K Bars. 
 
Remember, a healthy day begins with a healthy breakfast because eating healthy is much harder to do if you’re starving when it’s time to choose what to eat.
 
Thomas R. Pote, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Massage Therapist, B.A. in Health and Exercise Science, is the owner of Mobile Massage. Mobile Massage is a local company that caters to people on-the-go by bringing the luxury of the spa massage to their clients. Whether it’s at home, in the work place, or in any other comfortable setting, his team of therapists will bring all the essentials of the spa experience to you. For more information, visit www.mobilemassagellc.com.