In the long, cramped, and stressful days during a PCS the last thing that you’re likely thinking about is healthy eating and exercise. In fact, it’s far more likely that you’re concentrating on not pulling your hair out from the stress and food is an afterthought, only relevant when your stomach is loudly grumbling and you’re searching for whatever is easiest to grab to quiet it down so you can go back to dealing with your never-ending to do list and the long miles ahead. But this is a mistake, because although fitting in exercise and healthy eating may feel like something you don’t have time for, it will make all the difference in your mindset and stress during a PCS. Remember that quote from Legally Blonde? “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy!” Well, it’s true, and healthy eating will raise your energy and mood level too. Happy Spouse during a PCS means happy everybody. Here are a few tips to fit in healthy eating and exercise during your next PCS:
Photo Credit: Linh Nguyen
- Eat a healthy breakfast! You may think that you don’t have time to eat a healthy breakfast while on a long road trip to your new duty station, but taking an extra five minutes to eat a good breakfast will give you so much more patience and energy to power through your day. I like to pack oatmeal & peanut butter packets and use hot water from hotel rooms to make a quickie bowl of filling oatmeal. Whole grain bagels with nut butter and whole grain cereals are good options as well.