By Jon Reyes,
As a mother, especially a new one, I know it is very tough to find the time to exercise and eat healthy. Between going to work, cooking dinner, and tending to the needs of your child, it is rare to find a spare moment to relax, let alone visit the gym! Luckily, you do not need to have a membership at a fancy fitness center or many hours of spare time in your day in order to shed those post-holiday pounds. There are plenty of easy, inexpensive, and enjoyable methods to practice weight control without having to sacrifice time with your children, and this article will show you how.
Don’t Know Where to Start? Click “Play”!
Paying for a gym membership or a personal trainer can be costly and difficult to squeeze into your busy schedule. Many mothers do not have the time or the means to make it to a gym on a regular basis, or just simply do not live near one. Luckily, workout videos do a great job of bringing the fitness class to you for a fraction of the cost, or even for free! There are plenty of workout series videos on YouTube, which can be accessed through a simple search. There is even the option of purchasing a set of motivating workout DVDs if you do not want to spend the time searching for videos online.
This method is a great option for many reasons. It is much easier to find the time to squeeze in a workout video in the comfort of your own living room or home gym rather than having to drive or take transit to a fitness center. You could wake up an hour early before your child, or even squeeze it in between putting your child to bed and when you decide to go to sleep. If your child is older, you can give them the option of joining in on your workout to make it a fun family event!
This also eliminates the stress of having to leave your child at home or with a babysitter while you go to the gym. If they need something during your workout, you can easily press pause to tend to them and go back when things are settled.
Abs Are Made in the Kitchen
Exercise and a healthy diet come hand-in-hand when it comes to weight loss. Fortunately, this lifestyle change is not as hard as you may think! There are many methods you can use depending on what works for your schedule.
Portion control is key for seeing a difference in your figure. Take your favourite snacks around the house – such as crackers, pretzels, and popcorn – and portion them into 100-calorie bags. This way, you can grab your favourite snack and be satisfied without eating endless handfuls not knowing how many calories you are consuming. Drinks like pop or fruit juice should be limited for you and your children due to their high sugar content. If you must buy these, try to stick to purchasing 100-calorie cans or juice boxes.
If you are willing to put in a little more commitment and effort, try meal prepping. A couple of times per week, cook simple meals that you could freeze and then warm up each day. An example would be to cook a large batch of rice, grilled chicken, and vegetables to portion out into Tupperware for an easy office lunch. This can also work well for the whole family, as you would just cook a larger batch of each grain, protein, and vegetable, and portion them out for your significant other or child’s lunch. This method is ideal for a busy mother as it allows you to spend fewer days per week cooking, meaning more time to spend with your children.
If you do not think meal prepping will work for you, simple changes in diet for you and your family will make a huge difference! When getting take-out, try to choose healthier options such as salads and sandwiches rather than pizza or burgers. When cooking, buy lean meat or a vegetarian substitute such as tofu or chickpeas rather than full-fat beef or pork. Limit your purchases of snacks such as potato chips and chocolate – keep those for special occasions!
Weight Loss starts with a Healthy Mindset
Remember that this new lifestyle will take time to adapt to, and you won’t see results right away. That being said, it is possible for every busy mother to live a healthy lifestyle with some patience. The benefits will not only help you be your best self – they will help you raise your children to exercise and eat well. Good luck!
This article was written by Jon Reyes from Clearwells. He has over 10 years’ experience in writing health related topics and specializes in the health benefits of saunas and hydrotherapy.
