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We all know being a mom is the toughest job in the world. A mom—an honest-to-goodness one, that is—is a mom 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are no weekends or days off from taking care of your own children when you’re a mom. In fact, a mother’s life practically revolves around her children.
What every mother should never forget, however, is to take care of themselves. Far too often, you hear of mothers who take care of their children at the expense of their own needs. Remember, you have your own needs that you have to pay attention to, like your own health and happiness. Taking care of your kids is stressful enough, but neglecting your own needs can make you unhealthy and unhappy, and that is going to be apparent in the way you take care of your children. To be a great mom at all times, you need to take care of yourself, and here are some of the things you can do to stay that way.
1. Eat a balanced diet
Considering how constantly short on time a full-time mother is, it is not uncommon for a mom to rely on easy-to-prepare processed food or fast food for nourishment. This, needless to say, is very unhealthy. For a mom—or anyone else, for that matter—to be in tip-top shape, she must avoid highly processed and fast foods and excess sugar. A mom’s diet should be composed of lean meats, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
2. Never skip breakfast
While we’re still on the subject of eating, there is one meal that you should never miss, and that’s breakfast. If you’re preparing your kids a healthy breakfast, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t partake of it yourself. Breakfast, after all, is what sets the tone for your entire day. It gives you the energy you need, not to mention the fact that it’s important for liver health.
3. Never store junk food at home
So you say it’s for the kids. However, you’re not doing your kids—and yourself—any favours when you have readily accessible chips, ice cream, cookies and sodas at home. It can never be stated enough that they are unhealthy, especially for someone as stressed as you are.
4. Drink enough water
Staying hydrated is absolutely important for a mom on the go. If you don’t drink enough water throughout the day, you leave yourself prone to headaches, fatigue and lack of energy, all of which are signs of dehydration.
5. Relax and get adequate rest and sleep
Stressful as being a mom is, there is never a shortage of ways to de-stress and relax. You can start with something as simple as stopping whatever it is you’re doing and breathing slowly and deeply. If you want a more structured way to relax and de-stress, you can take up yoga or meditation.
Of course, there’s nothing better at relieving stress than getting enough sleep every single night. A good night’s sleep takes care of stress and improves your mood, and that should get your through any of the stresses of the day.
6. Exercise regularly
Never make your duties as a mother an excuse for not exercising. You owe it to yourself and to your loved ones to be healthy, and one could never really be healthy without regular exercise. You don’t even have to go to the gym. A 30-minute jog or walk every day is a good way to start. There are also a lot of floor exercises that you can do in the comfort of your own home. With all the things that you have to do throughout the day, we recommend that you schedule your workout early in the morning or early in the evening, when you have the most time.
7. Get some alone time
Just because you give yourself some “me” time doesn’t make you less of a good mom. Like everyone who works so hard, you deserve a break every now and then. No matter how busy you are, make sure that you allocate 3-4 hours every week for yourself, and you can do anything you want in that period of time. You can spend it at the spa, take a long and relaxing bath, walk around the mall or just read a book. You’ll be surprised at the good it can do for you.
Remember, healthy moms are better moms. If you want to give your children your best, following the tips above will keep you brimming with the energy and vitality that will help you do just that, day in and day out.
Tags: parenting