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Let’s face it. Healthy habits aren’t a walk in the park. It takes time to kill old habits and create new ones. It’s especially hard to be healthy when you’re chasing around a toddler, multiple kids, and even a husband (LOL).
And while it’s natural to prioritize everyone else, we also need to remember to take care of ourselves.
“You are in a much better position to serve others when your basic needs are met and your “tank is full”.
(Michael Hyatt)
Healthy, Happy Mama = Healthy, Happy Family
While taking some “me time” seems impossible, it’s vital to surviving motherhood. Give yourself at least 30 minutes to an hour throughout the week, so you can soak up a bubble bath, read a book, get your nails done, and/or maybe even a nap.
I’ll be honest, I prefer to stay home and have some “me time” in my own personal space. So I usually spoil myself with a detox bath once or twice a week. Once Liam is asleep at night, I usually turn on my essential oil diffuser and read a book, listen to light music, or watch Friends.
Do what makes YOU happy and fit it into your schedule.
Working early mornings and late nights while having a hectic schedule during the day creates mayhem. I’m not kidding when I say I spent months forgetting to eat breakfast. I wasn’t feeling great and lacked energy.
Now, I have my favorite protein shake, Orgain, right on my counter for a quick and easy breakfast.
Snack options:
Swap your favorite soda or even your third cup of coffee for water instead.
Truth: I loved water. LOVED IT.
I drank around 75 ounces of water every single day before pregnancy. But once I became pregnant and battled Hyperemesis Gravidarum, I couldn’t, and sometimes still, can’t stand it.
Make it a priority to drink as much water as you can. I have a 30oz Yeti tumbler, so I refill it about three times a day.
If water isn’t your thing, try increasing your water intake slowly but surely. You can also add strawberries, cucumbers, lemon, and blueberries for taste.
Water will help your digestion, hydration, and overall health plus reduce acne breakouts, yay.
DON’T FOLLOW ONE.
And what I mean by that is that you shouldn’t obsess over specific dieting plans. I recently challenged myself to a more plant-based diet and love it but I am not OBSESSING over it. It’s okay to make mistakes like binge eating your favorite snacks.
Eating well-balanced, and portioned, meals /snacks will help curb your cravings. Incorporate more veggies and I promise you, cravings will barely exist.
So THIS is hard. It’s been two years since Liam was born and it feels like I’m farther away from the healthy me I used to be.
Taking short, light walks around the park or our community has helped me maintain the same weight.
I’m not a fitness guru but those post workout endorphins definitely create the good, happy feelings we need to keep going.
You can:
Point is to get moving, even if it’s for twenty minutes every day.
As a first time mom, I wanted to be perfect. You know, laundry done, food cooked, home cleaned but that perfect mentality caused me to have many physical and mental breakdowns.
Sometimes, the long list of things that need to get done can wait. Health and sanity come first.
IT’S OKAY if you have laundry piling up and dirty dishes taking over your kitchen counter. You’re still a great mama!
Plus, you can enjoy extra cuddles with your little ones. It's an instant happiness booster.
Hope this short list inspires you to prioritize yourself.
Keep rockin' it, mama :)
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Hey Mamas! I'm Amy, blogger and mom boss at Amy with a Twist. I'm a 30 year-old stay-at-home mom, to two-year old Liam, with an intense passion to empower women through motherhood and education. I graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education and a Master's in Reading Education plus an ESOL endorsement. After battling the entirety of my pregnancy with Hyperemesis Gravidarum and feeling isolated as a first-time mom, I'm on a mission to inspire and unify my readers to embrace their unique journey through motherhood and life.
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