I’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately.  Work has been taking over my calendar and I haven’t been able to keep my priorities at the level I want them to be.I’ve been able to do some meal prepping for my workdays since meal prep just consists of boiling and peeling some eggs, preparing overnight oats, and sometimes defrosting some frozen vegetables. The rest of my lunch/snack at work is supplemented by leftovers from the night before. My daughter’s goal of eating healthily keeps me accountable as well.  I support and encourage my daughter to eat in a manner that helps her be strong and fit by planning meals at home that include lots of veggies.

Tonight, I prepared a very simple broiled shrimp and oven-roasted veggies.  The shrimp was a hit with the whole family and the veggies were enjoyed by all except my son who does not eat vegetables. The leftover roasted vegetables were tossed with farfalle pasta for lunch the next day.  I added some feta cheese and olives to my pasta salad and packed it up for my workday lunch.The other part of restoring balance for me includes working out.  I have been having full days and evenings and have just been too exhausted to workout before bed.

I finally got back into a routine after a final whirlwind of activities last weekend with tennis, track, and parties. I found a new mobile app that I have been trying out called Keep.  This Keep Home Workout Trainer app has a variety of workouts demonstrated by real-person video tutorials. It allows you to set a plan and customize your training program to stay on target.  Best of all?  It is free. I use this app in conjunction with my online Athlean XX for Women program that I paid for a few years ago. This program has workouts that are quick (33 minutes or less) and include strength training in addition to some cardio.  I’m hoping that this combination of apps and workout styles will help me reach my goals of staying fit and healthy as I get older.

Now that the kids are getting older and busier and more independent, my husband and I have been able to go out on a couple of date nights recently. Keeping our relationship strong is especially important now as we prepare for a life with children who don’t live with us.

We have recently been able to get seats at Moon and Turtle, one of our favorite Hilo restaurants, where we indulge in amazing smokey sashimi and crispy Brussels sprouts and whatever else is on the menu for the evening.

Finding balance in life is a struggle but is so important as I believe that this balance ultimately helps me be more productive in all parts of my life.