Health After Kids - A Wellness Blueprint for Busy Moms!

As a busy mom myself I understand the importance of creating a system or ‘blueprint’ to follow on a daily basis to keep myself on track. I find that many moms are putting themselves on the bottom of the list when it comes to their own health – skipping meals while preparing healthy foods for their kids, driving the kids to their sporting events while not exercising themselves, and not taking the time to organize their own days while scheduling the rest of the family! This is an easy trap, but with a few small changes we can make a significant difference to our own health – amazing energy, weight-loss and improved mood (the things that most of my female patients are looking for!).

1.       Think Protein!

From my experience, protein is one of the most overlooked macronutrients in women. Chances are that if you are experiencing cravings (especially for sweets), feeling an energy dip mid-morning or mid-afternoon, feeling hungry soon after meals and are generally not feeling ‘satisfied’ then you are most likely not getting enough protein! Protein is not only a building block for tissue (especially muscle), but provides you with essential amino acids that your body cannot make on its own. Protein repairs damaged tissue and also improves the health of skin, hair and nails. But probably what you’ll appreciate most is that protein will give you the energy that you need to keep up with the kids! When you add protein to your meals it allows for a steady release of energy (or glucose) into the blood stream, helping you maintain consistent energy the entire day. When putting a meal together, ask yourself ‘what is my protein’ as a place to start. When selecting protein look to healthy options such as lean cuts of meat or poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, nut or seed butters, hemp hearts, organic greek yogurt, tempeh or tofu. A simple tip is to use a protein smoothie for breakfast or as a mini-meal. Your requirement for protein depends on your activity level, but as general rule of thumb aim for at least 25g of protein at each of your 3 meals.

2.       Don’t skip the FATS!

Another area that I often see lacking when reviewing a patients diet diary is the healthy fats. Over the last few years we have increased our awareness of the many important roles that fats have in our bodies, but we often are still not getting enough! The reason healthy fats are so important for all the moms out there is that they are the building block of healthy hormones, a good mood, and once again – stable, consistent energy! If you are experiencing hormonal fluctuations, irritability, joint pain or stiffness, anxiety or low moods, be sure to add this important macronutrient into your diet as a place to start the healing process. Add healthy fats to at least three of your meals. You can choose to get your fats from cold pressed Olive oil, organic coconut oil, avocado, cold-water fish (like salmon or sardines), raw nuts and seeds (or nut butters), flax seeds, hemp hearts or chia seeds. I love to add 1-2 TBSP of a mixture of ground flax, chia and hemp hearts to my morning oatmeal (adding not only healthy fats but also fiber!).

3.       Cut the Sugars

I know this sounds really obvious and most of know that eating sugars leads to a rise in blood glucose followed shortly by a CRASH…which leads to low energy, more cravings, irritability and over-eating at the next meal. However what I want to briefly share with you is how the ‘hidden’ sugars in your diet are not only impacting your energy levels but also how they are sabotaging your weight-loss efforts (because most of the moms I see are either working hard at maintain a healthy weight, or are still trying to lose those last few pounds). All carbohydrates eventually convert to glucose in our blood stream, the question is how long it takes. Simple sugars like candy and cookies can do so rapidly, while more complex carbohydrates like sweet potato, brown rice or steel cut oats can do it more gradually (thus having less impact on blood sugar levels). My approach to recommending carbohydrates really depends on a person’s goal (weight-loss vs. fitness vs. energy), but I always recommend at least consuming your carbohydrate with a protein source. Keep in mind that even fruit when consumed in excess may be sabotaging your efforts at keeping your sugars in check – I recommend focusing on increasing vegetable intake and minimizing fruit to what’s in your smoothie!

4.       Try HIIT

Most moms are strapped for time, but we all know the importance of exercise! This is why I love recommending high intensity interval training (HIIT) for those that can only dedicate 10-20 minutes on those busy days. Try adding 3 sessions of HIIT weekly to your routine for amazing cardiovascular and metabolic-boosting results. Start with 4-6 sets of 30 seconds of ‘all-out’ exercise (running, skipping, jumping jacks etc.) with a 60 second rest between sets. You’ll work up to an increase in sets, with a decrease in rest time over a few weeks. You’ll be energized (and burning fat) the rest of the day!

This article was written for Nourish Magazine for their Winter 2014 Edition, available at Goodness Me! locations.