Good morning ladies & happy Monday! Today on the blog I wanted to talk about how I balance my health with being a busy new mom. Last week I received the sweetest email from a stay at home mom of a 2 yr old that asked me a simple yet complex question..."how do you do it?". This is a loaded question because there are a lot of factors to the answer. So below I want to share with you my thoughts & give you some tips as well, in case any of you mamas out there are interested in fitness or healthy food.
A quick update on life....
Last week I had an MRI on my lower back. After getting the results & talking with some different doctors, the verdict for now is physiotherapy. The future isn't too clear on what my back will or will not respond to but for now I am going to try this therapy for a few weeks. Initially with my herniation & bulging discs I was told that pain medication was needed & that eventually surgery would be in the plan. Right now, since I am breastfeeding, I cannot do any type of medication, surgery, or injection steroid. So for these weeks, I'll do the therapy. If the treatment starts healing the issues, I will be forever grateful. But, it's been almost a decade of back issues for me...so I'm not counting on it :( but I'll take any extra time I can get to delay any other kind of treatment.
So....what can you do at home to keep a healthy & fit lifestyle when you have a little one?
The best thing to do is make time. Now I know you are thinking "are you kidding me?" But, if you want it...you must make time for it. Take just a 20-30 minute gap in your day...maybe at nap time, tummy time, or when your spouse/significant other or family/friend is around to work on your fitness. You can even put ️baby in the stroller & incorporate him/her in your routine. Right now, it's snowing in Germany---we take our walks but not everyday (I'm not trying to have a sick child!) & I do all my other workouts at home right now. Make time to do a quick routine, raise your heart rate, & get moving. Below is one of my favorite quick routines (although it's been super modified because of my back issues).
1minute: mountain climbers
25 push ups
25 crunches
30 squat jumps
10 burpees
30 lunges (15 each leg)
20 sit-ups
30 jumping jacks
40 bicycle crunches
20 squats
30 crunches
30 jumping jacks
Repeat for a total of 3x through
**cool down with 10 minutes of a brisk walk***
Try this workout everyday for a week & see how you feel! You don't need any equipment so that's not an excuse! If it's too cold where you live you can jog in place or go up & down your stairs instead of a brisk walk outside.
What about nutrition? If you are exhausted all the time (most moms are) or if you feel like you are not getting proper nutrition, start off with incorporating an energy booster beverage in your day. Here are some of my favorite juices!
Green juice-always a morning pick me up
3/4 cups spinach
1/4 cucumber
2 tbls of celery
very small bunch mint
2 baby carrots
1/2 peeled apple
1/4 lemon
1/4 pineapple
Berry blast smoothie-yummy breakfast!
½ cup of unsweetened almond milk
4 tbsp of vanilla Greek yogurt
½ cup of arugula
1 tsp of green matcha powder
½ banana
½ cup of frozen mixed berries
1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds
Sweet smoothie-great meal replacer
one small peeled apple
8 raw organic almonds
1/2 cup of brewed raspberry green tea
1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1 Tablespoon of ground flax seeds
1 Tablespoon of squeezed lemon juice
2 cups of ice
Fruit & Veggie smoothie- great anytime!
2 small peeled apples
2 stalks organic celery
¼ cup organic baby carrots or ½ a large organic carrot
1 cup organic frozen mixed berries
½ a fresh organic lemon juice
1 cup cold, filtered water
By incorporating just one of these per day you are increasing your daily nutrients, getting energy & immune boosters, proteins, healthy carbs & sugars, & adding to your fruit/veggie intake.
Along with these juices, you can try adding healthy carbs, vegetables, proteins, & healthy fat to each meal. If you are breastfeeding, remember that your little one gets to enjoy those benefits too.
The best solution for eating is preparation. Ask your spouse/partner to help watch your little one/ones for just 1 hour on Sunday or Monday or find a friend or family member to help you for an hour. Spend this time preparing food for the week. Cut up fruits & veggies, cook different meats, put snacks in plastic bags for on the go days. Prepare for the week by making sure there is no excuse to fall off the wagon.
If you are a working mama, this is even more of a priority as we know how easy it is to take a lunch break & go eat crap! & then when the day is over--to still cook dinner? No thanks! Get it all done at the beginning of the week! :) and if you struggle to workout because you are exhausted from work, try getting up just 20 minutes early. On your lunch break, walk up & down the stairs--at each flight stop & do some other exercises listed (squats & lunges).
I know it isn't easy, & I know being a mom is tuff to find time to workout & especially to cook a weeks worth of food. But if you make the time to do so, you will feel better & will maintain a healthy diet & routine for life. Take 20-30 minutes a day & just 1 hour, 1 day a week to prep food. Make the time to be healthy, it's best for you & your little one/ones.
I do offer nutrition, fitness, & detox books on my website. I hope some of these suggestions can help you get on track, & if you need something specific, please shoot me an email.
Have a fab week mamas
Xo
-Morgan
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