What a Healthy Mom Looks Like

I know I've preached about body image for moms a few times now. I dislike the culture that being a new mom has created, the thought that once you've had a baby it's ok to gain weight and eat unhealthy because you are so busy.

I'm not saying that I don't understand where it comes from. Having a baby is extremely hard work. If you stay at home with them then you barely have enough time to do anything for yourself. If you work full time then you still barely have enough time for yourself. There is nothing easy about it. Therefore, us moms, fall back on this excuse. I can't cook a healthy meal every night, I can't work out, I know I'm heavy but I just had a baby! We have to stop with the excuses. The obesity epidemic in this country is overwhelming, and it's up to us moms to put a stop to the madness. We need to be role models not only for other mothers, but more importantly for our children.

So how do you do it? Where do you start?

Self Image

You start with your self image. People think that the way to fitness is purely physical, when I fact it is mostly mental. Who do you see yourself as? Do you wake up and tell yourself that you are a tired mother with too much to do? Or do you wake up and tell yourself you are strong and that you will knock out your to do list one by one. It sounds silly, but it starts with these little mental games. If you don't see yourself as something better, then it will never come to fruition. Have a power phrase. When you wake up, tell yourself something positive for the day. For example, I wake up on a work day and I tell myself that I am a hard worker, that my job is important, that I want to always make a good impression on our clients. I start my day out with a positive view, then I go into work and I do my best. It's the same thing with fitness. Wake up and tell yourself that you aren't a tired mom, you are a strong woman who can take on anything, especially that cute little baby you made.

Set Goals

If we aren't working toward something then we can't better ourselves. I've always struggled with fitness goals. The key is to not set something unrealistic. Make small, tangible goals. Things that you can meet and see the result yourself. If I set a goal that I want to lose 20 lbs, then I am working and working to do that and it may be a while before I see that result. It is a lot easier to get discouraged that way. So set smaller goals, meet those goals, then set a new goal. Whether its being able to run a mile in so many minutes or lose 5 lbs, smaller goals allow us to plan and see results on our way to our big goals.

Diet

The dreaded word. Diet. When you start messing with people's food they get antsy. They get defensive. They start to say thing like can't, won't, or if you take away my bread I will claw your face off. We get into the habit of saying things like "I can't live without Ice cream." What a silly thing to say. You really can't live without these certain food groups? Of course you can. This is where we go back to the mental part of this puzzle. Change your mindset. My example is the choice to live grain free. When my husband started this I thought he was crazy. I would say that I couldn't live without sandwiches, pasta, rice, and oh my goodness DONUTS! Then I would go put on my cute jeans and try to tuck my love handles into my pants. Do I want to go another summer where I am not quite comfortable in that dress, those shorts, that bikini. We are busy, remember? So how can we have time to worry about what we are wearing? So I changed my mindset. Don't focus on what you can't eat, focus on what you can. Find a blog that has easy, healthy cooking ideas and get motivated. For me it is nom nom paleo. I don't necessarily eat 'paleo', but she is a working mother who rocks out at cooking healthy food for her children. Her recipes are easy and her iPad app is extremely helpful.

Preparation

Time management is the name of the game as a mom. I get off at 6pm and have to nurse Will to sleep at 7:30, giving me about an hour to shower, wash bottles, and eat dinner. Cooking is not really an option for me on week nights. So I prepare on the weekends, I spend a few hours on Sunday cooking all of my lunches and prepping my dinners for the whole work week. This allows me to eat healthy all week with no excuses.

Exercise

I used to run. Now I have realized that for me running is not a great option. It's a huge time suck. While I might go for a short run here and there when its warm I can't count on that being my sole form of exercise anymore. Therefore I had to pick something that was easy to do at home and that I can do quickly. For the time being I have chosen doing workouts with kettle bells and my own body weight. I am lucky because Brent is a fitness guru and makes exercise plans for me to do. If your husband doesn't exercise for a living then once again, find a blog or forum that will give you workouts and keep you accountable. My main goal is to one day start crossfit, however our schedules don't allow it right now. Whatever you enjoy, do it, and do it consistently.

The Gist

Think positive and stick with your plan. I am doing the grain free challenge: grain free for 30 days. It's a tangible goal. I am 3 weeks in and I have lost 4 pounds. I am seeing results and feeling great in the process. Once my 30 days are up I will continue being grain free for the most part, but plan on eating wheat on occasion. That way every few months I can eat a pizza or have a donut, it's all about moderation. Grains will not be a part of my everyday diet. Once you pick your thing, own it. Stick with it. Show your kids that health is a priority, it starts with us.