Mother’s are without a doubt the most selfless clients I have ever worked with, almost to a fault. Honestly, I wish they would just be a little more selfish sometimes and give their personal, physical and mental health a bit more of a priority.
Many good mothers miss the boat when it comes to their fitness. In general, they tend to think that it’s okay to put all of their personal ambitions aside for the good of their friends and family. But in reality, mums are not as effective as they could be when deviating from a healthy lifestyle.
After all, a mum who doesn’t workout and doesn’t eat the right foods at the right times will not be running on all cylinders.
Challenge 1- Too Many Missed Meals...Especially Breakfast!
Many busy mums are simply on a roller coaster ride from dawn until dusk, dealing with the stresses of parenting and/or challenging careers. Mornings can be especially difficult since there is often the need to feverishly multi-task to get the kids fed and off to school. Not to mention the fact that many busy mums today have to deal with their own demanding, high-stress jobs.
So missing breakfast becomes a reality, often leading to a host of other missed meals and snacks throughout the day. This leads to cataclysmal series of events that deprive your physique of lean, toned body mass while simultaneously priming your body to overeat junk food later in the day and store unwanted fat. Furthermore, this starvation protocol creates low levels of blood sugar. This zaps your energy and leaves you feeling foggy, irritated, and lethargic all day long.
Look, there’s always room for breakfast, you just need to make the time! Better yet, plan and prepare a breakfast high in lean protein and fiber in advance the night before to best ensure you stay the course.
A very good starting point I recommend is trying a healthy super shake in the morning. It takes 2 seconds to prepare. Use this info graphic to show you what to use for s delicious morning treat!
Challenge 2- Failing To Make The Daily Workout Appointment
This one is simple, yet oh so powerful. Think about it. Mums never miss an appointment for their kids. Why? Well, yes, it’s because they love them, but more importantly, it’s because they love their kids enough to religiously schedule their appointments!
If you are a busy Mum who is serious about your fitness, then you deserve to take the same approach with your workouts.
In addition, you need to be sure that you schedule in your daily workouts when you are most likely to do them rather than when you prefer to do them. For example, you may prefer to workout in the evening, but with after school activities, dinner and homework that just may not be realistic. Getting your workout done first thing in the morning may be the best option…
In my experience, most busy Moms work best when doing their workouts either first thing in the morning while the kids are still sleeping, or right after they drop their kids off from school. It seems that too many unexpected obstacles come in the way of an afternoon or evening workout for the typical mother. But, regardless of when the best time may be, just schedule it in and stick to it like it’s a family commitment!
Challenge 3 - Eating “What the Kids Like”
I understand that kids can be picky and cooking what is easy keeps them quiet. The trouble is that you forget to look after yourselves sometimes. One spoon of porridge as that was what was left over will not keep you functioning at the level you need all day.
So, my advice is to learn to cook healthy alternatives and teach your children what real food is. Also, you’ll find even more success with your kids if you get them involved with the cooking; make cooking a fun activity you do together. Try some of the recipes here for starters.
Children emulate their parents. If they see you eating healthy foods they’ll want to eat them as well. And remember, you’re the one paying for the groceries!
Challenge 4- Too Much Cardio. Not Enough Weights.
Cardio is always the go to for most women. It's less intimidating than weights, there is less to think about and can be done anywhere. Cardio is a great way to clear the mind, get a nice endorphin rush and loss weight.
However, it is not as time efficient for weight loss as weight training. In fact the two combined are the perfect cocktail for weight loss success. Try to find a ratio of 3 weight training sessions and 2 cardio based sessions. If possible do 3-4 weight sessions a week and get 15 mins of cardio in at the end.
To learn more click here.
Challenge 5- Too Many Glasses Of Wine In The Evening
Nobody wants to hear that a glass or two of wine at night is going to stop your fitness goals in its tracks. But the reality of the matter is that alcohol has the double-edged sword of both paralyzing the fat-burning process while simultaneously creating fat within the body. Plus alcohol tends to lower inhibitions leading to the consumption of other junk food. Not good!
I totally appreciate wine as a wonderful way to unwind at the end of a busy day. If your goals are modest, the sure 1 glass each evening won't hurt. If you are more ambitious though, then you may want to look for an alternative.
Wine/ Alcohol will disrupt your sleeping patterns as well as halt all fat loss whilst your body detoxifies the alcohol from your body.
Try having a warm bath listening to relaxing music or reading. Maybe not as much fun, but its a start.
Being a mum is a full time job and really does require a lot of stress and effort to get it right. Remember to look after yourself as the healthier you are the better the mum you will be!
Your In Health
Patrick Fallis
Founder of Leaner
www.leaner-uk.com