With it being Mother's Day I thought it was the perfect time to write about us Mums :)
As Mums, we are pretty awesome.
We carry our children for 9 months then bring them into the world.
We endure sleepless nights. crying (us and the baby!). sore nipples. poo. wee. spew. back ache.
Our world is turned UPSIDE DOWN in a way that NO ONE cold have ever explained or prepared us for.
All of a sudden it's not about you anymore...although you wouldn't have it any other way, you've been introduced to love in a way you didn't understand before.
Life gets busy. From nappies to school lunches and everything in between it's easy to find "you" at the bottom of the list.
We convince ourselves that we are doing the right thing by our kids and or family. Time away from them often comes with a dreadful feeling of guilt.
My mothers day gift to you is to take away that guilt and spin it around to another way of thinking for you :)
I put it to you that you, your kids and partner will benefit GREATLY from you taking time for yourself to live a healthier life. You can be a BETTER Mum, a better PERSON by being healthy. You will be less likely to resent your kids for "stealing" your body and all your time if you free yourself from the preconceived idea that you don't deserve to be the very best version of yourself you can.
I am not just talking about the physical benefits. The mental benefits gained from exercising are HUGE!! I used to joke during combat classes that it was like cheap marriage counseling, but I wasn't really kidding! I know first hand the difference in my mood and my ability to cope with my kids and life in general when I am active. Going for a walk to "clear your head" does just that, or at least gives your thoughts space to sort themselves out.
How can setting the example of healthy living be anything but beneficial to your kids? I've said before that I want to be the kind of Mum that is able to join in with my kids and that I want a healthy lifestyle and healthy choices to be the "norm" to them. Just like good manners :)
It is not always easy and there will be hurdles. Here are some tips to deal with a some of those hurdles.
TIME
Time is a precious commodity and it can seem hard to fit it all in. When it comes to your kids activities, however, you MAKE it happen, you fit it in. Well you DESERVE to fit it in too! Make being active a regular, non negotiable part of your week. You do DESERVE it!
BEHAVIOUR REWARDS
How many of you reward good behaviour with a food treat or ? (I put my hand up here...) Instead I'm going to start rewarding my kids with a game of chasey, a bike ride together, a trip to rollerdrome/the beach. That way we are spending quality time together with a healthy outcome. Also having "treats" (like a multipack of mars bars) up the top of the cupboard can be deadly to you. Remove temptation, if it's not there you can't eat it. Instead if this is your reward of choice, next time you are at the shops buy ONE food treat for your child.
So that's the kids, but we do it too! Do you ever say to yourself "I worked out today so I deserve this chocolate"? STOP! Don't do it! Don't sabotage yourself. If you are going to the gym/exercising and wondering why you aren't losing weight maybe this is why. Remember weightloss it is 70% what you put in your mouth and only 30% physical activity.
LEFTOVERS
I can put my and up for this one too. Are you eating your kid's scraps, even in lieu of a meal of your own? Do you order a salad but end up eating half a bowl of your child's chips? STOP it! First of all you deserve to have your own plate of healthy delicious food not just your kids scraps or if you've already had your own plate and finish theirs off to it's extra calories you don't need and they become mindless, forgotten calories. Also keep in mind though, that if you make healthy food choices for your kids and you do snack on their scraps it not going to be so bad ;)
If you have other tips to share, please do! Or if there is something you would like help dealing with ask away and I will do what I can to help :) Comfort eating is a common thing for Mums too but I will be writing about that another day.
This mothers day give yourself the gift of a little bit of time to go for a walk/jog/swim/dance/etc and know that having a healthy Mum is the BEST gift you can give to your kids.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
Jen
xx
