Motherhood brings many amazing and wonderful changes. Unfortunately, it also comes with a few unwelcome adjustments.
One of the most noticeable is the physical transformation of your body and the amount of time you now have to take care of yourself. However, maintaining a healthy mom lifestyle is possible.
It just requires a little extra effort and determination. Here’s a list of healthy mom habits with tips and resources I’ve found helpful in my own health and fitness journey.
Develop a plan.
Take the time to think about a system that will work best for you. Do you need to budget in a gym membership or would it be more practical for you to work out at home?
Would you prefer to try a specific diet or simply focus on counting your calories? The extra time and effort required to create a healthy mom plan that’s actually possible to implement will pay off in the long run.
This may include some trial and error, but once you find a system that works, you’ll be more likely to stick with it.
Track your calories.
Keeping track of what you eat can be tedious, but it’s beneficial for several reasons.
It reveals details you may not realize about your eating habits. Counting calories holds you accountable to consuming the right amount of food.
It’s a tangible goal that is clearly defined each day. I didn’t see worthwhile results in my weight loss efforts until I combined calorie counting with exercise.
There are many different tools available to help track your calories. A friend recommended the following app and I’ve found it extremely helpful.
My Fitness Pal
My Fitness Pal is a free program that counts calories and keeps track of your overall fitness goals. It’s user friendly and packed with resources.
You simply enter how much weight you want to lose each week and it tells you how many calories you should consume each day. You can track what you eat, your exercise workouts, and your progress.
My Fitness Pal even includes healthy recipes and links to blog posts on exercise, wellness, and much more. It does offer a premium service, but I’ve found the free version more than sufficient.
(Note: Entering each item you eat can seem overwhelming, especially in the beginning. Make sure to explore the different options that make this task easier.
Use the search tool to scan bar codes and quickly find products. Create recipes for dishes you eat frequently so they can be added at the touch of one button.
There’s even an option for copying items from a previous day instead of re-typing each individual food.)
Choose a fitness program.
Let’s be honest—counting calories is hard work!
That being said, the time and effort spent tracking eating habits will show little results when combined with a sedentary lifestyle.
Simply put–to be a healthy mom you have to get moving!
If you don’t enjoy exercise, try to find something you can at least tolerate. I absolutely despise running, yet I forced myself to run on a treadmill for years.
When I was introduced to the idea of online workout videos, I felt like a whole new world had opened right before me. While I still don’t look forward to exercising, it’s less intimidating because I’ve discovered a more enjoyable option.
There are endless different opportunities to become active. Select the most desirable for your personality and stage of life.
Try to include a combination of strength training and cardio. Commit to exercising at least three to four days a week.
The workouts don’t have to consume a huge chunk of time. Even 30 minutes of high intensity exercise several days a week can be effective.
I’ve found video workouts extremely practical because they’re free, easily accessed, and can be completed right in my own living room.
If you want to give them a try, here is my favorite source for workout routines.
Royal Change/Sydney Cummings houdyshell
Royal Change is a YouTube channel with many different types of workouts. Sydney Cummings Houdyshell is a positive and upbeat trainer that provides an exceptional workout experience. She includes many different workouts that vary in difficulty and length of time. She even has a playlist of pregnancy workouts!
Create a weekly fitness schedule.
Look ahead each week and plan what days will include a fitness routine. I DREAD exercising—it’s never something I look forward to with excitement.
Nevertheless, I’ve found I can mentally prepare myself to be ready if it’s already part of my schedule.
I make the decision to stay accountable ahead of time. I refuse to let myself become distracted or make excuses that might keep me from working out.
Make a weekly/monthly meal plan.
Plan meals a week or month ahead and use that plan to write your grocery list. I’ve found if each meal is already pre-determined, I’m less likely to eat unhealthy foods.
I’ve also noticed I make wiser purchases at the store if I’ve already compiled a list of healthy options. (This also helps with the grocery budget and makes evenings flow more smoothly.)
Make meal planning easier! Download my FREE weekly menu planner template.
Eat smaller portions.
This was a game changer for me. I’ve always eaten relatively healthy, but discovered I was consuming far too much food.
I learned how to cut down my portion sizes and train my stomach to be satisfied with smaller amounts. This was extremely difficult at first, but slowly became easier over time.
I’ve found I enjoy the feeling of being just full enough versus leaving the table uncomfortably stuffed.
Read “Finding New Self-Image With a Post-Baby Body“ for more on my long journey back to health and fitness.
Don’t feel guilty about taking care of yourself while you care for your kids.
One of the best ways to be an example for your kids is to take care of your own body. They see everything you do. They watch what you eat and when you exercise.
By making time to be a healthy mom, you’re demonstrating firsthand the importance of a balanced lifestyle. As a bonus, you’ll have more energy to parent if your body is healthier!
Allow yourself grace when parenting your children collides with your fitness goals. It’s impossible to count the number of times I’ve had to stop a workout to console a crying baby, discipline a toddler, or work through a sibling dispute.
Things will come up that demand your attention. Deal with those situations effectively, but refuse to allow them to become excuses for giving up on your plan.
Here’s a few tips I’ve discovered through the years that have made it easier to get in a few minutes of exercise:
For babies and toddlers:
Confine them to a small space nearby (think bouncy seat or pack and play). Make sure they’ve been fed and changed before you start.
Give them plenty of toys to keep them busy. Be realistic and keep the workout short. You might also consider exercising during nap-time.
For preschoolers and school age kids:
Train them to respect your time. Explain what you’re doing and clearly lay out your expectations.
Discuss acceptable activities to keep them entertained while you exercise. Make it clear you are only to be interrupted for emergencies. (This may sound a bit extreme, but I’ve found it necessary if I ever want to complete a workout!)
Consistently deliver rewards and consequences depending on their behavior while you exercise and they will quickly learn. On the other hand, consider including them in the workout!
My girls enjoy trying new videos with me and it often makes the experience more fun for all of us.
Take baby steps.
Don’t try to implement everything at once.
I began with three very simple workouts each week. I slowly increased the intensity of the workout and then added a fourth day.
When I felt confident in my fitness routine, I began to count calories and cut back on my food intake. It took me over a year to lose 25 pounds, but the habits I developed during that time have proved invaluable.
Treat yourself.
Give yourself little rewards along the way. I have two nights each week that I indulge in a treat of my choice. (It almost always includes something chocolate!)
I try to stay disciplined the rest of the week so I don’t feel guilty about treating myself on those nights.
Acknowledge set-backs and move on.
Life will happen. Distractions will come.
Someone will get sick and you’ll miss a week of workouts. An exceptionally rough day might cause you to seek out the tub of ice cream that’s been calling your name.
Refuse to allow setbacks to turn into defeat. Start again with new purpose and determination to become a healthy mom.
Don’t give up on your healthy mom goals.
Learning how to live healthier is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes hard work, perseverance, and time.
Don’t give up, no matter how many obstacles you experience or how long it takes you to see progress. Each person is different and every journey is unique.
The accomplishment you feel when you reach your goals will be well worth every drop of sweat and counted calorie that it took to get there.
Celebrate accomplishments.
Recognize and reward your hard work. Commemorate every 5 pounds lost or a month of working out consistently.
Be proud of yourself and how far you’ve come. A healthier version of you that can more fully enjoy life is worthy of celebration!
Download your FREE weekly menu planner template here.
