Easy Healthy Habits For Busy Moms

Nothing in the world is better than being a mom. Not even your pre baby body. But that doesn't mean you don’t want to look and feel your best. Being healthy is important both for you and your family. Below are some tips to help you feel confident and healthy, even in the midst of your crazy mommy schedule.

Quick Healthy Food

Eating healthy is paramount. Without good eating habits, none of your other efforts will be as successful. There are plenty of easy, delicious foods that you can prepare even when you are constantly on the go. Web MD gives a list of superfoods for new moms that includes salmon, legumes, blueberries, oranges, low fat dairy products, leafy greens, eggs, and others. Try using these and other healthy ingredients in your meals. For example, try them with quick stir frys; how many delicious dishes with vegetables, sauces and lean meat can you create? Or how about a breakfast of yogurt with blueberries, granola, and a little cinnamon and honey for your immune system? If you need a quick snack, grab your favorite raw nuts and a piece of fruit for quick energy and a little sweetness. If you are breastfeeding, there are a number of nutrients that your body needs to make nutritious milk including the B vitamins that you can get from nuts, seeds and fish, vitamin D from fish oil, and vitamin A from dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes and carrots. And of course, drink plenty of water!

There are also some foods that you might want to avoid. You might have to find out for yourself if there are any foods that make your baby fussy after breastfeeding, but in general don’t drink too much caffeine and if you drink alcohol wait a few hours before breastfeeding.

It might take a few months before you start to feel normal again. This is very typical. Be patient and with yourself.  

Exercise 

The benefits of exercise are extremely powerful and important to your health and well being. According to MedlinePlus, exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, helps your body control insulin and sugar levels, strengthen bones and muscles, helps you lose weight, improves your mood and mental health, improves sleep, and even helps you quit smoking by reducing withdrawal symptoms and cravings. It might be difficult for many mommies to make exercising a habit after having a baby, but even a little exercise is beneficial for your body and there are small things you can do that add up. 

Start with taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking further away from stores so you can walk longer. Get out the baby stroller and go for walks or do a few lunges while you watch your kids at the playground. If you can’t get away from your kids, find ways to involve them in your routine. Maybe you can exercise together with a living room dance party, backyard races, or homemade ninja warrior challenges. There are also plenty of internet videos of moms exercising with their babies. This one even has tips on how to hold your baby safely and how to make the exercise a learning opportunity for the baby.

There are plenty of other important things you could do to make your exercise routine more effective. For example, create a routine or schedule and stick with it. It can also be very helpful to tell a friend who can keep you accountable for your goals or even workout with you. If you need an extra boost of energy before your workouts, consider taking bcaa supplements that will give you the essential amino acids that your body needs to stay healthy.

Fashion

You might not think of fashion as a health choice, but it can also affect the way we look and feel. Try some tricks to flatter your body and choose clothes that are comfortable to give you more confidence. Black clothes are slimming on all body types. If black is not exciting enough for you, try spicing it up with some colorful shoes, necklaces, a hat, or maybe even a scarf. Vertical lines can also be slimming by creating long lines that make you look taller whereas horizontal stripes can make you appear wider. If you don’t have any clothes with lines, experiment with vertical rows of buttons or long necklaces to see what affects you can create. These kinds of challenges could even make finding new outfits a fun and creative activity. 

You can also draw attention away from some areas and accentuate others at the same time with ruffles, colors that pop, accessories, or other embellishments. For example, make a small chest look bigger with ruffles or off the shoulder tops that go across the arms. These will also make the waist look smaller because you have created a long line across the top of your body that is wider than your waist. Or try a peplum or other flared top to draw attention to the hips or waist instead. Whatever you do, find combinations that give your body balanced proportions.

It’s also better to wear clothes that fit you well even though you may be tempted to either hide under baggy sizes too big or squeeze into something to look smaller. The first generally comes off as frumpy and both of them can make you look bigger. Your body is amazing and no matter what your size or shape, there are clothes that will fit and flatter you.