10 Healthy Self Care Ideas For Busy Moms

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“Can you believe they are ours?”

“We made them.”

Over the past four months, Rob and I have regularly looked at each and said these refrains, a glint of excitement, love, and a touch of fear in our eyes.

“We have two kids. Plural.”

That one took a while to get used to.

Besides adapting to adding an “s” to the end of our “kid”, we have had to adapt to the new crazy that two children bring to a household. We thought we were busy before when we just had Zoey (I have no idea what we did with our time before she arrived), but now we basically do not stop moving.

Time we used to have for five days of meal prep, all day cooking sessions, hour long workouts, and luxuriously walking through all the aisles in the grocery store for fun have been replaced with throw some half eaten leftovers in a tupperware, lift a few weights with the kids underfoot, and order groceries online.

Regardless of our shift in priorities for our time, Rob and I are still both committed to our health. This means we try to do an intentional workout at least three days a week (hello weekend warriors) and we ensure that our house is filled with lots of fruits and vegetables for all of our meals and snacks.

The absolute number one struggle I hear from the majority of my clients when they are working towards improving their health apart from, “What should I eat?” is: “I do not have time,” or “I am too busy…”

While I completely understand, and feel, this statement deeply, it is also the easiest excuse to overcome. Yes, it takes a little extra mental energy and planning, but it is very possible regardless of how busy you are. The goal is to not put your health in the backseat, but to proactively be a part of it.

No matter what aspect of your health you struggling to find time for, food, fitness, or mentality, here are a few suggestions to get your health journey kickstarted in each.

If FOOD is where you struggle the most with time:

Batch Cook / Freezer Cook. If you are making one nutritious dinner, double (or triple) the recipe and store it in your freezer for those super busy nights. Write on the tinfoil with what is in the pan and the cooking directions so you can easily text your spouse with a “Please start dinner” message as you head home.

Try these 15 freezer meals that we absolutely love. You can also make ahead and freeze breakfast as well for those hectic mornings.

Desk Snacks. Keep a few healthy items in your desk for those times when you are too busy to stop for lunch. Things like almonds, apples, seeds, RX Bars, or hummus with whole grain chips are all great options.

Plan Your Lunch. While packing your own lunch is the best for knowing what ingredients you included and to save on your budget, if you cannot manage to pack it, peruse your lunch options before choosing. Opt for salads with a protein, broth based soups, whole wheat wraps, and the more vegetables you can include, the better.

Take Turns Cooking. All the cooking and prep work surrounding meal time should not be your sole responsibility. Even if you plan the meals, encourage your spouse to help you prep. That could mean one of you does bath while the other chops. Or one of you puts the kids to bed while the other finishes cooking.

Get the Meal Prep Planner here so you can maximize your time in the kitchen.

If FITNESS is where you struggle the most with time:

Start Small. A workout can be just 10 minutes in your home while your kids are eating dinner. They would be so entertained watching mom do a few push ups, squats, and core moves and they might even get up to join you. The goal is simply to get your heart rate up and do a bit of load bearing exercises.

Involve the Family. This could be a family walk, bike ride, playground time, obstacle course, etc. Workouts and kid time does not need to be mutually exclusive. You are setting an incredible example for your little ones when you show them what it means to move their bodies in healthy ways.

Give Up Some TV Time. If you buy into the fact that you have no time, I want you to do a time audit on yourself. If part of your schedule shows you sitting in the front of the TV or scrolling your phone, then you just earned yourself time to get up and move! Do an at home workout in front of the TV and you will not feel like you are missing anything.

If MENTALITY is where you struggle the most with time:

Your health is not just about your diet and workouts. It is also your mentality surrounding love your body, emotions towards certain foods, and how you approach your day. Creating a positive mental space for all of your day is vital to a health relationship with your body and with food.

Set a Timer. Start with just 5 minutes to either journal, meditate, do a devotional, or just sit in peace. You have the 5 minutes within your day to make this happen. (Remember that time audit?)

Talk About It. Wherever your mental struggles lie, talking with a friend, a Health Coach, or your spouse can be very freeing. Plus, you will probably learn that you are not alone in your areas of need.

Use Your In Between Times. This could mean you listen to a positive and inspirational podcast during your commute, when you get ready in the morning, while you are cooking dinner, or during a workout. Even if you can only listen to a few minutes at a time, the words can be so up lifting and provide you with the mental and emotional strength you need to take on your day.

While these little health hacks may not be enough to lose all the weight, you are still taking steps towards your health goals, which is what is key. You are eating well for your body as you can, you are moving as you can, and you are working on the mentality of it all when you can. Starting somewhere is better than going no where.

Thinking about hiring a Health Coach to finally reach those health goals? Take the 13 question quiz to find out if having a Health Coach is right for you.

Essential items to make these self care ideas possible:

• Strider Bike
• Bob Double Jogging Stroller
• RX Bars
• Bowflex Adjustable Dumbbells
• Briannas Home Style New American Dressing Creamy Balsamic
• Disposable Aluminum Pans
• Moleskin Notebook
• Rubbermaid Brillance Storage Containers