Hi all! Welcome to my blog. It is my mission to improve women’s health through good nutrition. With 2 toddlers, I know how difficult it can be to find time for yourself let alone eat properly (“grazing” all day long perhaps?) and exercise (?does lifting baby count) but I also know it HAS to be a priority. I’ve noticed the positive changes in my parenting since taking charge of my diet and finding time in my day to exercise, and I know the same will happen to you. Here are 5 quick tips to get yourself “back at it” –
1) Set realistic expectations. Do not try to be an overachiever. I guarantee you will end up frustrated and back to square one. Don’t feel pressured to meet the ideal goal of 60 minutes of exercise a day or eat unlimited vegetables. That’s right. Just start somewhere and run with it.
2) Start small but be consistent. If you’re currently not exercising then start just twice a week but do twice a week every week. If you do less than twice a week, it will not be enough to reap the mental and physical benefits to keep you motivated to continue. With your diet, if you’re not currently eating breakfast then start with a prepared shake or piece of fruit every morning. It does not have to be fancy, but it has to be something!
3) You have to like it. With your food and the type of exercise you choose. You have to like the food you are eating in order to stick with it. It cannot be forced. Branch out and try one new fruit and veggie each week. Eat your favorites and make them part of your regular routine. If you prefer veggies cooked, then eat them that way. If you hate raw carrots and broccoli, then don’t eat them. With exercise, do something that makes you feel good. If you hate all exercise, add some music, watch your favorite show, or get outdoors to make it more enjoyable. Always think of how good you’ll feel AFTER. You will always feel better after exercise, I promise you – so keep reminding yourself of that to get you going and get through your workout. It is only a short period of time. You can do it! 🙂
4) Plan, plan, plan! Get organized. Prioritize your healthy meals and time to exercise. Calendar exercise in and meal prep in advance (stay tuned for my blog post on meal planning!) to be sure you’ll get it done.
5) Accept setbacks. You will have days (or weeks!) for whatever reason (you or your kids are sick, you are on vacation or a business trip, etc) that you fall off the “bandwagon” so to speak. It happens. Do not beat yourself up or let it consume you. Tomorrow is a new day to start fresh. Let’s get started!
