By Ira Rasmadin | Fitness Mom | www.themanyplanners.com
You were determined to follow a workout and nutrition plan after finding out that you’re baking in the oven. Then 15 months later, your new sport shoes are still in the box, and the price tag on your sportswear is still intact. Worst of all, people are still asking when you are due. Ouch! Then when it’s becoming pretty embarrassing to explain to people that that bump is no longer a baby bump, you started asking around on ways to get rid of it. Popular answer? Eat right and exercise. I do too, but most of the time I really want to shout at the people who have been telling me this as if it’s easy as opening a bottle jar.
It’s not!It’s not easy for a working mom, its not easy for stay at home mom, it’s not easy with one kid, let alone two or more kids. Time, money and well, time again has always been the issue here. Believe me, whatever excuses you have, despite being told that they’re not, are valid.
However, I’m here to tell you despite having obstacles, it shouldn’t stop you. The only way you can get through it is to embrace these changes. Just like how you used to worry so much about your baby being exposed to germs then three kids later, you just stop giving a damn about those little rascals being covered in dirt.
You adapt to these changes and get better with time. Here are 5 tips to help you kick-start your routine.
#1 Adapting to change is a family business.
It might be tricky to start a new routine when your husband expects you to be in the kitchen by the evening. Or when your kids expect you to read them bedtime stories every night. Quality time with your family is important, but it’s not wrong to make some little changes. You could push dinnertime to an hour later, or maybe do meal preps earlier.
You could make arrangement with your husband about reading bedtime stories. Sure, even a slight change will obviously upset your whole family. However, having your whole family adapt to your change is a basic fundamental of your weight loss plan. You’ll have to reason with your family on why you’re doing this.
Just remember that at the end, you will not only be a happy and healthy mom, but also a positive person. Imagine what that could contribute to your family.
#2 Manage your expectations
We all know that the key to successfully hitting your weight loss goal is to stick to a solid fitness and nutrition plan. It requires great discipline and motivation to get things going. However, these plans, despite being the sole purpose of your goal, are not set in stone. You’re a mom. There will be times when one of your kids will fall sick, leaving you with a completely sleepless night.
You maybe demotivated to work out that day, and one day of missing out can make you feel like you have strsyed from your goal, which further demotivates you. But here’s the thing, it is okay to miss out a whole week of workout plans. Don’t punish yourself for being a tired mom. You’ll find that it’ll be easier for you to jump back on your wagon with this mindset. Remember, positivity is key.
#3 Ditch calorie counting.
Have you ever been in such pressure where the very first rule applied on your weightloss plan is to limit your daily calorie intake? In order to lose a pound in a week, you must cut down 500kcal a day. It’s great if you have calorie counting skill, but if you don’t, why add up the trouble? Despite being a very popularized topic for weight loss, calorie counting is not significant to your weight loss plan.
Instead you should focus on eating quality food and asses your body weekly. Did you gain or lose weight? If it is a gain, then adjust your portion size. Or lose 1 or 2 sugary drinks and see if it makes a difference. Of course, the easiest way to do this is by keeping a food log. You can get one from www.themanyplanners.com.
#4 Carbs are not your enemy, sugar is!
Once before, there was a time where eliminating carbs from your diet was a popular trend, which died off pretty soon afterwards, but you can still hear this advice from time to time.‘Don’t eat carbs’. It is not wise to eliminate carbohydrates from your diet as they are your body’s preferred energy source. Your body needs them to keep its functions at its most optimum level.
What you can do is to eliminate carbs with high Glycemic Index (GI) or in other words, high sugar contents. This type of carbs comes in a form of refined grains such as white rice or white bread. Have brown rice and whole meal bread instead.
#5 Choose the harder option.
You don’t need to enroll a gym membership, or commit to a weekend run. We all get the idea that not all mothers have the luxury of time. However, you can always choose to do the extra work, which could burn hundreds of calories spaced throughout the day.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Wipe the floor with washcloth instead of your fancy mops. Walk to the restaurant instead of having it delivered to your office. Even better, prepare your own meals. Always choose the harder option.
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