Having a busy schedule, balancing work and kids, and watching your weight can be challenging. Waking up early, preparing breakfast, getting kids ready for school, and then getting ready for work can usurp precious morning time.
Often, we don’t have time to prepare a healthful meal. Takeout or a quick slice of pizza seems like our best friend. By evening, energy is lagging as you head to pick up the kids from school and maybe take them to dance, music lessons, or sports. Once home, you’re overseeing homework.
But wait! There’s still laundry, dishes, house cleaning, and -- here's the toddler crying for attention. You were up last night at 2:00 a.m. to change your young one’s potty training sheets, and you’re exhausted.
What can you do to stay healthy, build strength, and increase energy?
1, Have a good breakfast
Though there's no direct link, scientifically, between breakfast and weight loss, eating a good meal at the start of the day is a great way to maintain your weight. Some studies show that morning meals might help in weight reduction. One thing that can’t be questioned is you’ll be less hungry at lunchtime if you had a satisfying breakfast.
Morning meal ideas:
- Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats with fruit
- Multi-Grain (or Flourless) Banana Pancakes
- Egg White Breakfast Sandwich with Mozzarella
- Mexican Tofu Scramble with Peppers
Eating well in the morning will help you make healthy food decisions as the day progresses. Your body will have enough time to burn calories. A heavy lunch or dinner to compensate for morning hunger is no way to manage fitness goals.
2. Get some sleep
You need some rest and enough sleep (7-9 hours) to be able to work and care for a family. Adequate sleep will help you function better and lower stress levels. Sleep can also help burn fat.
Sleep when your kids sleep; exercise when they are awake. How is that possible? Hit that treadmill while they are watching television, or take a family walk after dinner. Children might join you for a fun bonding time, and you will be modelling healthful behaviour for them. You can play together as a family, go for hikes, attend yoga classes with the kids, kick and throw a ball; the possibilities are endless.
3. Join a weight loss group
It is easy to lose momentum and motivation to exercise when faced with parenting tasks. You'll forget all about weight loss when reading at bedtimes and trying to keep the household under control. Joining or forming a weight-loss tribe will help you stay on track and be more accountable, which will help you achieve healthful goals.
4. Use meal planning
When you are tired, it is tough to prepare and cook dinner. By planning meals, a lot of last-minute thinking is reduced, and all you do is cook! By figuring out the week’s meals (and leftovers) and doing shopping with advanced preparation (chopping, bagging) on the weekend, you can make mornings and evenings less hectic.
Our caring therapists at Brampton Physiocare & Wellness Clinic understand how it is hard to stay on track with health. Parents need self-care, perhaps more than most anyone. We provide services to help make you feel energetic and ready for each day. Give us a call at (905) 497-1311.
