Derailers Come in Small Packages

The following post is sponsored by Pure Protein. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

It can be tough to stay on track with workouts and healthy eats when you’re flying solo. Work projects pop up that demand you stay late at work, workouts get passed up for outings with friends. But add a kid or two or three, a busy schedule, endless laundry, overnight wake-ups and parental fatigue and you’re at a whole other level of trying to stay on track.

Every parent knows how a sick kiddo or forgotten lunch box can throw us completely off schedule. And if you’re not prepared, those moments can derail you in a hurry. When you’re on a really tight schedule with naps and school pickups and after school activities, it doesn’t take a lot to mess up your day. Sometimes just a bit of bodily fluid can make your plans take a backseat like this video so hilariously and accurately demonstrates.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9dSAItMzFc

Bless their hearts. They don’t mean to be our derailers, that’s just their job. To make us more flexible, more understanding, more patient, and more prepared. I can’t count the times when I’ve planned a specific workout at the gym, but gotten called back to the gym childcare center because of a baby who just wants mommy. When duty calls, you drop your weights and get back to your baby! But when you’re prepared to go off the rails, you can cushion your fall a little better.

My morning routine is filled with derailers. My husband leaves for work early, so I’ve got to get all three kids dressed and fed and out the door with all of their accoutrements on my own. Luckily, my two older kids are fantastic at getting ready — so much so that only occasionally does my 4-year-old get out the door without his underwear on under his pants. But it’s a lot of moving parts in the morning — snacks for two of them, lunch for one, diapers for the littlest, swimming suits and gymnastics outfits … Oh and then there’s the four school library books that we have to track down in a mad scramble on Thursday mornings. It’s a lot of chaos, so it’s really easy for me to overlook getting my own breakfast. This has, on occasion, led to the unfortunate stop at Dunkin Donuts for a Boston cream donut after drop-offs. Instead of making that a habit, I’ve instead started throwing together an easy smoothie using Pure Protein Powder before I leave the house.

While my kids are munching on their toast or cereal, I throw in a frozen banana, some frozen mangoes or peaches, kale, a little water and some of the Pure Protein 100% Whey Protein Vanilla Cream powder, and I’ve got a delicious filling smoothie that even my kids steal from me. With 160 calories and 25 grams of whey protein, it’s a much more balanced breakfast than that sugary donut when my derailers strike, and one that keeps me full until lunchtime and gets my day started with fruits and veggies. Now that’s a morning victory!

Like Jenn and Kristen, I’ve also had the Pure Protein Bars and Pure Protein Crunch on hand and I love them for both post-workout snacks and for when I’m feeling munchy in the afternoon. The peanut butter bites in particular have stolen my heart.

What is your biggest derailer? Other complicated times are when we’ve had rough nights — it’s hard to bounce back in the morning and have the energy to work out! —Erin