Mums are awesome and ensuring we mamas can nourish ourselves will help us stay awesome and do our awesome work, but being a busy mama can make that challenging, so here are a few tips to help busy mamas stay healthy too.
Listen to this episode NOW below
Radio Show Transcript:
“After my first child, I used to think that mums that were healthy, energised and happy were stuff of myth and legend. I was struggling to have a drink before midday, I ate lunch at 4pm & dinner at 10pm (if I remembered and could be bothered).
Yet I heard of mothers with 2, 3 & 4 gorgeous children, knocking back green smoothies, throwing gorgeous salads together and drinking water like it was going out of fashion, all while sitting in lotus position on a yoga mat, so I knew it was possible.
I also knew how my eating habits were affecting my weight, energy, mood and mind, but I just couldn’t work it out, it all seemed so overwhelming.
Fast forward a few years, I’m now a homeschooling mum of 6 (3- 13yrs) and run a clinic 3 days a week, and a large part of my work is helping mums find harmony between being a busy mum and showing themselves self love through healthy eating and self care.
Here are just 3 tips to get you started:
- Water, Water, Water, Water, Water
Not only does your body use 2litres of water a day to digest foods, water is also a fuel source for your brain. So drinking enough daily can help your digestion (fully digested food gives you more energy), energy levels, mental wellness & more. Fill a 2litre bottle of water in the morning and aim to get through it before bed. Juices isn’t water, tea isn’t water, water is water!!!
Thirst less in winter and when older, get an app to remind you if needed
Peeing too much, pinch of salt, squeeze of lemon if needed, if it wakes you up, don’t drink after 7pm or 3hrs before bed
- Fatty breakfast = Full For Longer
There’s no ‘one size fits all’ diet that suits everyone (MT for energy), but no matter what body type you are, if you’re not feeling full, satisfied and energized after a high carb breakfast, adding some healthy fat could be the answer. having a breakfast with some healthy fat in tends to keeps us fuller for longer and if it’s from a whole foods source (i.e fat from avocados or eggs, not doughnuts or a burger,) it will also add a great dose of nutrients to your body to start the day. Choosing a boiled or scrambled egg , or avocado or a thick nut milk with coconut oil and milk and nut butter or Irish moss could be a better choice over cereal and toast or just fruit for longer energy. & again, this is where the maxim Know Thyself & to thyself be true comes into play, because some mamas have balanced energy on just water until midday or a freshly pressed juice, but it this doesn’t work for you, fatten up your breekie and see the difference
- “All together now…”
Most mums I work with say they will focus on getting their children a healthy meal, but then neglect themselves by either skipping meals or eating when everyone’s asleep. Sometimes its because they eat complete different foods than their children, but other times it’s just because they use the time their children are eating to do other things (mainly housework of some description)
It took me years to get over the guilt of sitting down to eat with the children when there was SO much to do, and as a homeschooling mama, just going to another room to be on my own for a minute during their meal time was a relief, but finding another time to take a quick break and sitting to eat with them changed my life. I still miss a meal occasionally, but making yourself as much of a priority at meal times as your children will ensure you get the refuel you need to serve your family without depleting yourself. If you don’t eat with your children because it would mean making two meals to suit both your tastes, consider finding meals that you can both eat, or batch cooking your favourite meals, so you can simply warm them up at meal times while making your children’s meals. If your children are older, get them to be involved in helping you prepare ingredients, making part of the meal of the whole meal.
Our 9, 11 & 13yrs olds can make simple meals completely independently like
Roast potatoes and steamed vegetables
Scrambled eggs and toast
And pasta dishes and of course putting frozen foods like veggie burgers or potato waffles in the oven and making a salad to accompany it.
This is good for both you and your children for, I’m sure, obvious reasons.
As strong black mamas, it can be difficult to ask for help and it can even feel like we’re being lazy by getting our children to fulfill duties, even in part, that are traditionally mother’s work, but teaching them responsibility, essential life skills, while giving you more time to ensure you’re fed well and get some rest is a prefect recipe for a co operative family life
It also reminds you and your family that your nutrition is just as important as there’s just in your actions, remember we have to begin to treat ourselves as well as we expect others to treat us, we are the best example for everyone else. Whilst this isn’t always possible, this action of self love can pay many dividends.
Be patient with yourself, implement one tip a week and you’ll soon find your groove and start feeling the benefits.
If you need more help advice feel free to get in or even book a free 15min with me to discuss your personal health goals at thenatuarllyyouclinic.com
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below and please share this podcast with other hard working busy mamas you know
Enjoy, take care & stay healthy
Leah Salmon
BSY. Dip Nutri. Herb. Irid, CMTA
Listen, enjoy and if you have any other advice natural sugar alternatives, please post them below
Take care and stay healthy
Leah
The Naturally You Coach
About the Author: Leah Salmon, The Naturally You Coach, is a bestselling author, speaker, nutritionist, live blood analyst and life coach, focused on womb & pregnancy health and premature birth prevention & on a mission to help 100,000 black women to eat for health, think for happiness and live in harmony by 2020 or what she calls Becoming Naturally You. She does this through her clinic, books, programs, coaching, events, workshops, videos, articles, a free weekly ezine and the free ebooks and trainings she has for you to download here.
