The most common excuse I hear for not eating healthy is, “I don’t have time.” I get it, you’re busy, but guess what? So are your co-workers, neighbors, relatives, and friends.

And by the way, there’s nothing “more special” or “unique” about them that magically grants them time to cook a healthy dinner. They make it a priority because they know how awesome life is when you feel and look your best.

While lack of time is a convenient (and common) excuse for living an unhealthy lifestyle, you must know in your heart of hearts that you deserve better. Right? I thought so!

Oh, and by the way? You can totally eat healthy even when you don’t have much time. Here are 5 tips to eating smart even when you’re constantly on the go.

Tip #1: Be Prepared.

When you’re crazy-busy, the best way to guarantee that you stick to healthy eating is preparation. It takes the same amount of time to unwrap a banana and a hard-boiled egg as it does to unwrap a honey bun from the vending machine.

Of course, the honey bun seems easier because it’s always there. This means that your job is to make sure that the banana and hard-boiled egg are always there, too. You and I both know that you’re already spending time shopping for and purchasing food. So why not use that time more constructively and purchase healthy food?

Schedule time on the weekend or on your day off to do your grocery shopping for the whole week. If you don’t like cooking, buy a rotisserie chicken, and turn it into five different meals for the week.

Tip #2: Create Go-To Meals.

Most people habitually eat the same five meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Many mornings, I opt for oatmeal and chicken sausage or a sandwich on sprouted bread.

What are your healthy go-to meals? Create your own that can be made easily and eaten without you giving it a second thought. When you have these go-to healthy meals in your back pocket, it’s almost like you’re putting your weight loss journey on autopilot. Spending time during the week or the weekend to plan your meals for the week will save you time and money.  And no, you don’t have to spend all day Saturday prepping and planning to make this strategy work for you.

Tip #3: Make It Mobile.

During the week, you can resist the temptation to patronize restaurants, vending machines, and conference room potlucks by packing your healthy lunch. When you prepare your own food, you are 100% in charge of the ingredients.

There are many fashionable and functional soft coolers available these days.  I have one that looks like a purse.

If your job keeps you on the road all day, invest in a cooler or hot pot that plugs into your car. Need something even simpler?  There’s always the good old’ Thermos.

You’ll be grateful come 3:00 pm when you’ve passed up the salty gas station sandwich for your own homemade salad. There’s nothing worse than an afternoon slump that could have been avoided!

Tip #4: Know Thy Restaurants.

Even with your best intentions and pre-planning, an unscheduled dining out experience could crash your healthy living party.

Thankfully, most restaurants have healthy choices on their menus. If they don’t have something that fits your plan, don’t be shy: ask them to make some tweaks to help you stay on track. You might be surprise at how accommodating some restaurants will be to special request.

Tip #5: Don’t Give Up.

When you first start planning, it may take you a little longer, but once you get into a rhythm, you’ll save time and money.  If you find yourself in a situation where you can’t eat 100% on-plan, do the best you can with the options that are available. You can always start over in 3 hours.

Bottom Line: If you choose to eat healthy, you can do it with simple preparation. What steps will you take to set yourself up for success?