This month’s blog is all about surviving September, creating calm and feeling fantastic.
I am guessing that you are reading this blog because you care about your health, right? Yet, does this scenario sound familiar: low energy, cravings, mid-afternoon slump, poor sleep, getting through the day high in caffeine or sugary snacks? I get it because I have been there, and I want you to know that, even though this is the way many mums feel, it’s not OK. You don’t need to just suck it up and hope things will magically improve. The reality is things won’t improve unless you’re ready to do these 5 things:
1. Where are you right now?
- Choose that it’s no longer acceptable to feel the way you do.
- Choose to make yourself and your health a priority for the first time in a long time.
- Plan everything the way you want it to be.
- Bring everyone along on your healthy journey (most of the time).
- Commit to taking some time out for yourself every day.
Of course, do not want to put too much pressure on yourself but try to do one thing a day that will move the needle forward towards your health goals – it almost doesn’t matter what it is just so long as you start. Your health journey is an ongoing marathon and not a sprint.
2. Make yourself a priority
Juggling work, looking after kids, managing the family and the kids’ diary, cooking and doing any other chores around the house: no wonder you’re exhausted! You try but can’t do everything at once and often there is something that is a tipping point. The secret is to streamline (what do you have to do yourself vs what can you delegate/ ask for help with) and change that ONE thing and other things begin to fall in line. For many of my clients that tipping point is usually meal planning.
3. Plan everything the way you want it to be
Unless you actually have a plan, whether you achieve what you want is completely left to chance. You know what they say; a goal without a plan is a wish. And you can probably do better than that! When I’m working with busy mums like you, planning is THE thing that makes the biggest difference. That means planning not only your meals but also when you will exercise, when you will do those ‘mummy admin’ jobs and when you will take time out for yourself to relax and recharge your batteries. Yes, you do need to plan your ‘me’ time in your diary too! Of course, it might be that not everything you plan actually comes to fruition. Such is life, don’t beat yourself up.
4. Bring everyone along on your healthy journey (most of the time)
Cut out the stress of having to cook a raft of different dinners every evening – instead try to adapt what the rest of the family has with what you (or indeed any other grown-ups) might be having.
Keep meals as simple as possible and follow these 3 very basic rules as a basis for a healthy diet:
- Eat protein at every meal and snack.
- Pack in as much veg as you can.
- Be careful with starchy carbs (e.g. potatoes, rice, pasta
and couscous) – these make you stack on extra weight and kill your energy.
5. Commit to taking some time out for yourself every day
When you are up against it (and when aren’t you as a mum?), things seems difficult. LIFE is stressful. This is a direct order from someone who’s been there. You NEED to take care of your self-care. Self-care is not selfish! In fact, self-care is essential for every mum. You have to do this. Not sure what self-care is? It’s those little things you must do every day just for your enjoyment. It is different from a non-food reward, which is something you might do as a special treat for work well done. This is not even the baseline for what you need to do to make your life OK and survivable. Self-care is the recognition that only YOU can make yourself happy and that, if you make sure that you dedicate some time EVERY DAY purely for yourself, you will have more fun, you will be more fun to be around, and you will have far greater reserves to deal with the stresses of everyday life.
