Carolyn Fallon, a fitness educator and blogger, wrote this guest blog for momaha.
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Being a Mom isn’t easy, and anyone who says different has never been a Mother (or so this non-mom is told by family and friends who take great pride in the title).
After having your kids, it’s likely that you put yourself last for EVERYTHING: Proper fitness, nutrition, sleep, showering, and wearing actual clothes with makeup. Do you regret the decision to have given birth to our children? Absolutely not.
But if you would like to get back on track to a happier and healthier mom, follow these eight simple steps!
Fitness tips:
1. Find varying physical activities that are fun and will keep you interested. A few easy activities such a walking whenever possible, biking, skating, or just running around and playing with your kids outside are great ways to fit “getting fit” into your hectic daily schedule!
2. Practicing yoga early in the morning before your kids are up, or later at night before you head to bed is a great exercise for a whole-body workout! According to the orthopedic surgeons from Syracuse’s Orthopedic Center, yoga has multiple benefits, including increases in balance, flexibility, overall strength, and endurance. Yoga also can help to get all-over toning as it works muscles in the body not normally worked by other activities, as well as assisting you in the management of body stiffness, stress reduction, and even emotion regulation. Use this resource as a way to start your regular practice of yoga.
3. Getting up and doing regular household chores can lead to more strength, weight loss, and energy as well. Chores such as weeding, raking, mowing the lawn, washing a car by hand, shoveling rocks and/or dirt to plant trees or flowers, and carrying items repeatedly up and down stairs are great activities that will leave you sweating and feeling great.
4. Using equipment at home for at least 30 minutes daily is strongly advisable for busy moms. Doing exercises at home can be easier if you have little ones, and can set a great example if you have them join in WITH you. Try a stationary bike, lifting 5 pound weights to a workout video, or running/walking on a treadmill. Also, if you have little ones that like to get their groove on, try doing an at-home video of Zumba.
Nutrition tips:
1. Snacking throughout the day is almost inevitable. If you make healthy snacks more readily available, you will not worry about what you are snacking on. Keep fresh fruits and vegetables stocked in your refrigerator and on the counters and slice fresh fruits and put them in a seal-able bag if you are on the go most of your day. Getting creative with these snacks found on Pinterest will also make you more likely to eat them day after day.
2. Limit the amount of sugar, trans and saturated fats, sodium and cholesterol that you ingest. Reading labels on all bought foods is extremely important to your health. A general rule of thumb to follow is if it’s not fresh and won’t go bad within a few days (with the exception of freezing items), it’s probably not very good for you.
3. Make sure to stay hydrated by drinking at least 8 cups of water per day, and limit your alcohol intake to 1 drink a day. If you find it difficult to drink plain water all day long, try adding some lemons and/or cucumbers for some extra flavor!
4. Take your children shopping with you to a farmer’s market and have them help pick out new foods. Stick to fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and juices.
Busy schedules can make it hard for Moms to find time for self-fitness and nutritious eating. Follow the above steps as much as you can – and remember, nobody’s perfect! Even if you can only do 1 or 2 of the above tips each day or week, it’s a start in the right direction. Moms want their kids to be healthy, but kids want their Mommas to be healthy, too.
Carolyn is a 20-something with a passion for life, fitness and overall well-being. She is an avid cycler, golfer and has been known to bust some serious moves on the dance floor. Check out Carolyn’s blog at http://fullonfit.blogspot.com/
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