Sharing my 7 tips to living healthy as a busy mom! Have you ever felt like living healthy in the 21st century is challenging? We all have our reasons right? It might be you don’t have time to cook, you can’t find time to exercise or take some time in the morning to pray, meditate or just be still. Whatever it may be, we all know when we are feeling our best and taking control of our health and when we aren’t.
Over the past month I’ve even felt like I don’t measure up! Being pregnant with my third baby has definitely thrown it’s curve balls when it comes to healthy living. I’ve had weeks in the first trimester where I barley cooked because I was vomiting and so nauseous that the thought of cooking anything repulsed me. I’ve had moments where I just wanted pizza and not a salad. Days where I’m so tired the idea of going for a walk sounded like a half marathon. Trust me, I’ve been there!
Having kids can definitely change things up. Your plans don’t always go as “planned” and you’re often feeling like how does everyone do “ALL” the things. I mean I even I think that and I’m a natural lifestyle blogger? I know as a mom it’s really made me prioritize what’s most important and what can wait when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. Because at the end of the day, there’s only 24 hours in a day and I can’t do it all!
When your single or even just married life can often look a little different. I know it did for me. I didn’t have to plan as much, could do things when I wanted and things didn’t pop up as much as they do now with kids. Any other mom remember those days?
I know as a mom it’s really made me prioritize what’s most important and what can wait when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.
I realized if I feel like I’m running the rat race when it comes to healthy living at times, how much more are other moms?!
As much as I want to sauna, fix the perfect instagram worthy meal everyday, have my house in immaculate condition, exercise, practice prayer or meditation, do red light therapy, fix my kids the perfect healthy meals…sometimes it just doesn’t all happen. I’m human, and I’m reminded daily by 2 little girls and a growing babe in my belly.
Does that mean I throw in the towel and think this healthy lifestyle isn’t for me?
Not at all! I’ve learned flexibility is key and planning when it comes to life with kids now. There’s also lots of seasons as kids grow and you just have to learn how to pivot.
I wanted to share 7 tips to living a healthy life as a busy mom that have really made such a difference in my own life. I want to fully embrace the season I am in and these babies I’ve been blessed with! I love knowing I can teach them healthy habits and have them grow up living them out for themselves, their family and the environment.
I also realized if healthy living is going to happen in the homes, it’s usually up to the mamas! We hold so much power and can shape how our family operates and lives everyday. For example, I know if I cook healthy food that’s what my hubs will eat! I’m sure it goes for most of your husbands too. We women often set the tone.
I want to arm you with some tips that helped me so much and have shifted my mindset when it comes to creating a healthy lifestyle as a busy mom. These tips have saved me time, money, and stress.
I hope they help you as much as they’ve helped me!
Living healthy as a busy mom doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. With these tips I’ve learned it can be fun and enjoyable!
1. Plan ahead-
I feel like you’re all looking at me going, “Yeah, I’ve heard that a thousand times!” Ok, well my question then is are you practicing it? It’s so easy to hear something but not actually put it into action. PLANNING, will literally change your life! Imagine what it would look like if you didn’t plan out your meals for the week. When it’s time to eat breakfast lunch or dinner, instead of feeling prepared and able to pull something out of the fridge you scramble last minute to throw something together. The end result is it’s not that healthy, maybe it ends up being takeout, a trip to the grocery store where you spend more money, or eating cereal for dinner. The point is you end up frazzled, not well fed and having spent more money than you wanted. Not cool, right?! So what if you took 30 minutes each week and planned your meals. 30 minutes! That’s it. You plan out breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks if you need them. You take your list to the grocery store and you get everything you need. You then take an hour or two and prep one day. Wouldn’t that make life SO much easier? I know it does for me. We all know what happens to kids when 5 O’Clock rolls around…they turn into hungry hippos and the last thing any mom wants to do is try to come up with some healthy meal amidst whining and crying.
Planning also comes into play for exercise. If you don’t plan it into your schedule the likelihood of it happening is slim to none. Penciling in when you’re going to get some activity into your day is crucial for actually seeing it happen. Right down what your going to do, and tell someone. You’re so much more likely to actually do it if someone else knows.
Planning your life as a family in general. Do you ever feel like your kids are in too many activities, and you’re just running around with your head cut off? A lot of times it might seem necessary to have your kids in every activity but really it might not be. Both my hubs and I have realized we don’t want to live a taxi service lifestyle. I definitely want my kids involved in sports but I also don’t want to feel stressed out all the time, overwhelmed and not having any family time. For each family it will look different, but I challenge you to take an inventory of all your extracurricular activities. Maybe one activity per season is doable but is three? Think about what seems manageable and enjoyable for your family. Every situation is different so do what feels best for you and your family.
One of my secret weapons to living out a holistic lifestyle? Green Smoothies!
2. Drink a smoothie a day-
This one might seem odd but it literally has changed my life. You might be thinking why a smoothie? Well, for one it’s easy. I can prep all my smoothie ingredients, have them in the freezer or fridge and then just pop them in the blender in the morning. Easy peasy! Then I can take it with me on the go to work, dropping off the kids etc. I love knowing that I’m getting a nutrient dense breakfast but on the go. It’s one less meal to have to think about making beforehand too. I make a smoothie for my hubs and I every morning and then in the summer months I make them for my girls for lunch.
I wrote and entire smoothie blog post all about what I put in my smoothies and why. I even have recipes to my favorite smoothies. This isn’t just a sugar smoothie, it’s full of healthy fats, fiber, protein and veggies. You’ll be full until lunch and satisfied. Check out the blog post here! Also, if you want to make it even easier for yourself, you can subscribe to Smoothie Box! It’s an all organic smoothie box that takes the guesswork out of making health smoothies. The smoothies come in prepackaged bags and all you have to do is add it to a blender with liquid and blend away. Check out Smoothie Box here!
3. Wake up before your kids-
Another serious game changer. I used to not wake up before my kids and really made my days so much harder. Instead of feeling prepped and ready for the day, I felt like I was thrown into the fire without any protection. Ok, a little extreme but you get what I’m saying. When I give myself time have a slow morning and do something for me right away my whole day goes better. I have more patience for my kids, I’m able to think a little more clearly, and make better decisions In the end, it always leads to a healthier life.
For me it’s getting up and having some quiet time reading, listening to a podcast or working out. Then I’m able to get breakfast on the table for my kids, make my smoothies and even throw in a load of laundry. Things just flow so much smoother when I allow myself a little “me” time before the kiddos come on the scene. Even if it’s only 30 minutes I challenge you to get up just a little earlier. I promise it will make such a difference in your day!
Vitacost saves me every month! Love this natural online shopping center!
4. Shop online-
I know this might sound counterintuitive to going green but hear me out. A lot of the companies I support are small companies trying to make it in this big world. Not only does shopping online save me a lot of time as a busy mom but it also gives me a chance to support smaller companies I might not. For instance I love shopping on Etsy! It’s one of my favorites for finding thoughtful and unique gifts for friends and family. I also buy online from a lot of local Seattle companies. I live an hour south of Seattle so being able to still support some of my favorite jewelers is awesome. I also get my pastured meat from a small company in California. I love knowing the quality is amazing but that they ship directly to me! Saves this mama so much time.
A few other stores I love shopping at are Vitacost for healthy organic dry goods- I have a whole blog post on my favorites here. I also love Amazon for convenience- and all the moms said AMEN! I have a whole Amazon blog post on all my favorites I get from them here. Just having things delivered when living out a healthy lifestyle helps me a ton. I’m able to spend more time making a decent meal for my family, spending time outdoors and just not stressing about driving here and there. They even have so many grocery delivery services now where you can order online and then have it delivered to your house! Take a little off your plate and start living out your healthy life, instead of feeling like you’re running around with your head cut off to 10 different stores.
Involving your family in activities makes living healthy so much more doable!
5. Make it a family activity-
It’s easy to want to compartmentalize everything but unfortunately that just isn’t reality once you have kids. An example of this is when I want to exercise. I’ve realized sometimes it means including my girls. Whether that’s playing with them outside, going for a walk as a family or even a bike ride. It might not look like an hour at the gym.
My brother and sister in law are a perfect example of this. They have 5 kids- yes I said 5! They had twin girls last year. But guess what? It didn’t stop them from getting working out. They were creative in making it a family activity. They would put the twins in a double bob stroller, walk and run with them, while the other girls would ride their bikes or scooter. They also set up a garage gym, so they didn’t have to go anywhere to get in a workout. They saved time by doing this and were able to show their kids the importance of staying active.
Same thing when it comes to being in the kitchen. I got my 5 year old a kid safe knife set so she can help me when I’m in the kitchen. Instead of having me make meals by myself she can now get involved. The more involved she is in preparing the food the more she learns about how real food is made. When you make things a family affair you may have to get a little creative but I promise it will be worth it!
6. Don’t compare-
Sounds easier said then done. Trust me I get it but it’s so worth it. How many times are you scrolling through Instagram and you see a photo of a someone with a picture perfect life and you start thinking I can’t live that way. Looks impossible. They’re so healthy, look at the meals they make, wow they’re house is always clean and they have the perfect body. Come on, we’ve all been there. But what you might not have seen is that the person you’re comparing yourself too actually is a work in progress too, like us all. Remember no life is perfect, even if it looks that way.
If you need to stop unfollowing people in order to get a right mindset, do it! Your life is amazing and awesome and if you truly don’t feel like it is, then do something about it. Start implementing one of these tips today and I know you’ll see a difference within the month. Small changes add up over time. I have learned to embrace my life, flaws and all. I love my kids and hubs and the messy life we’ve created. It’s not perfect but that’s ok, we’re human. Stop comparing and start loving your own life! Healthy living doesn’t look the same for everyone.
7. Say NO-
This one is so good and needed more than ever in our society! Have you ever felt like you literally are a taxi service for your kids? Or that you are constantly stressed out? Maybe you have to stay up so late every night just to get all the things done. It could be that every weekend you have some sort of family function, birthday party, or sporting event to go to. Sound familiar? I know I’ve been there. I’ve said yes to so many things that I literally end up running myself into the ground and getting sick. Do you know it’s ok to say no? Yes, you can say no and your friends won’t hate you(I mean if they do, are they even your friends), you’ll still have a life and you’ll still have fun. When you say no to things it puts you in control of your life instead of someone else.
I find when we say no, we aren’t rushing around but enjoying one another’s company, playing outside more and just being together as a family. When your gone all the time it doesn’t lend itself to a healthy lifestyle. You won’t have time to prep food, cook, or even have a normal routine. They say that adults thrive off of routine as much as children do. When you can get in a rhythm of life your body thanks you. When I know I’m home for the week I can get my workout in, make healthy meals, eat together as a family- all things that breath health into my life. Sometimes it might be hard saying no to all the invitations but at the end of the day you’re really saying yes to your health!
Do you implement any of these tips into your life? What tips have helped you as a busy mom live a healthier life?
Sharing my 7 tips to living healthy as a busy mom of two!
Sharing my 7 tips to living healthy as a busy mom! Have you ever felt like living healthy in the 21st century is challenging? We all have our reasons right? It might be you don’t have time to cook, you can’t find time to exercise or take some time in the morning to pray, meditate or just be still. Whatever it may be, we all know when we are feeling our best and taking control of our health and when we aren’t.
Over the past month I’ve even felt like I don’t measure up! Being pregnant with my third baby has definitely thrown it’s curve balls when it comes to healthy living. I’ve had weeks in the first trimester where I barley cooked because I was vomiting and so nauseous that the thought of cooking anything repulsed me. I’ve had moments where I just wanted to pizza and not a salad. Days where I’m so tired the idea of going for a walk sounds like a half marathon. Trust me, I’ve been there!
Having kids can definitely change things up. Your plans don’t always go as “planned” and you’re often feeling like how does everyone do “ALL” the things. Can I admit that even I think that and I’m a natural lifestyle blogger? I know as a mom it’s really made me prioritize what’s most important and what can wait when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. Because at the end of the day, there’s only 24 hours in a day and I can’t do it all!
When your single or even just married life can often look a little different. I know it did for me. I didn’t have to plan as much, could do things when I wanted and things didn’t pop up as much as they do now with kids. Any other mom remember those days?
I realized if I feel like I’m running the rat race when it comes to healthy living at times, how much more are other moms?!
As much as I want to sauna, fix the perfect instagram worthy meal everyday, have my house in immaculate condition, exercise, practice prayer or meditation, do red light therapy, fix my kids the perfect healthy meals…sometimes it just doesn’t all happen. I’m human, and I’m reminded daily by 2 little girls and a growing babe in my belly.
Does that mean I throw in the towel and think this healthy lifestyle isn’t for me?
Not at all! I’ve learned flexibility is key and planning when it comes to life with kids now. There’s also lots of seasons as kids grow and you just have to learn how to pivot.
I wanted to share 7 tips to living life as a healthy mom that have really made such a difference in my own life. I want to fully embrace the season I am in and these babies I’ve been blessed with! I love knowing I can teach them healthy habits and have them grow up living them out for themselves, their family and the environment.
I also realized if healthy living is going to happen in the homes, it’s usually up to the mamas! We hold so much power and can shape how our family operates and lives everyday. For example, I know if I cook healthy food that’s what my hubs will eat! I’m sure it goes for most of your husbands too. We women often set the tone.
I want to arm you with some tips that helped me so much and have shifted my mindset when it comes to creating a healthy living as a busy mom. These tips have saved me time, money, stress and have helped me live out a healthy lifestyle.
I hope they help you as much as they’ve helped me!
1. Plan ahead-
I feel like you’re all looking at me going, “Yeah, I’ve heard that a thousand times!” Ok, well my question then is are you practicing it? It’s so easy to hear something but not actually put it into action. PLANNING, will literally change your life! Imagine what it would look like if you didn’t plan out your meals for the week. When it’s time to eat breakfast lunch or dinner, instead of feeling prepared and able to pull something out of the fridge you scramble last minute to throw something together. It’s not that healthy, maybe it ends up being takeout, a trip to the grocery store where you spend more money, or eating cereal for dinner. The point is you end up frazzled, not well fed and having spent more money than you wanted. Not cool, right?! So what if you took 30 minutes each week and planned your meals. 30 minutes! That’s it. You plan out breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks if you need them. You take your list to the grocery store and you get everything you need. You then take an hour or two and prep one day. Wouldn’t that make life SO much easier? I know it does for me. We all know what happens to kids when 5 O’Clock rolls around…they turn into hungry hippos and the last thing any mom wants to do is try to come up with some healthy meal amidst whining and crying.
Planning also comes into play for exercise. If you don’t plan it into your schedule the likelihood of it happening is slim to none. Penciling in when you’re going to get some activity into your day is crucial for actually seeing it happen. Right down what your going to do, and tell someone. You’re so much more likely to actually do it if someone else knows.
Planning your life as a family in general. Do you ever feel like your kids are in too many activities, and you’re just running around with your head cut off? A lot of times it might seem necessary to have your kids in every activity but really it might not be. Both my hubs and I have realized we don’t want to live a taxi service lifestyle. I definitely want my kids involved in sports but I also don’t want to feel stressed out all the time, overwhelmed and not having any family time. For each family it will look different, but I challenge you to take an inventory of all your extracurricular activities. Maybe one activity per season is doable but is three? Think about what seems manageable and enjoyable for your family. Every situation is different so do what feels best for you and your family
2. Drink a smoothie a day-
This one might seem odd but it literally has changed my life. You might be thinking why a smoothie? Well, for one it’s easy. I can prep all my smoothie ingredients, have them in the freezer or fridge and then just pop them in the blender in the morning. Easy peasy! Then I can take it with me on the go to work, dropping off the kids etc. I love knowing that I’m getting a nutrient dense breakfast but on the go. It’s one less meal to have to think about making beforehand too. I make a smoothie for my hubs and I every morning and then in the summer months I make them for my girls for lunch. I wrote and entire smoothie blog post all about what I put in my smoothies and why. I even have recipes to my favorite smoothies. This isn’t just a sugar smoothie, it’s full of healthy fats, fiber, protein and veggies. You’ll be full until lunch and satisfied. Check out the blog post here! Also, if you want to make it even easier for yourself, you can subscribe to Smoothie Box! It’s an all organic smoothie box that takes the guesswork out of making health smoothies. The smoothies come in prepackaged bags and all you have to do is add it to a blender with liquid and blend away. Check out Smoothie Box here!
3. Wake up before your kids-
Another serious game changer. I used to not wake up before my kids and really made my days so much harder. Instead of feeling prepped and ready for the day, I felt like I was thrown into the fire without any protection. Ok, a little extreme but you get what I’m saying. When I give myself to have a slow morning and do something for me right away my whole day goes better. I have more patience for my kids, I’m able to think a little more clearly and just make better decisions which in the end always leads to a healthier life. For me it’s getting up and having some quiet time reading, listening to a podcast or working out. Then I’m able to get breakfast on the table for my kids, make my smoothies and even throw in a load of laundry. Things just flow so much smoother when I allow myself a little “me” time before the kiddos come on the scene. Even if it’s only 30 minutes I challenge you to get up just a little earlier. I promise it will make such a difference in your day!
4. Shop online-
I know this might sound counterintuitive to going green but hear me out. A lot of the companies I support are small companies trying to make it in this big world. Not only does shopping online save me a lot of time as a busy mom but it also gives me a chance to support smaller companies I might not. For instance I love shopping on Etsy! It’s one of my favorites for finding thoughtful and unique gifts for friends and family. I also buy online from a lot of local Seattle companies. I live an hour south of Seattle so being able to still support some of my favorite jewelers is awesome. I also get my pastured meat from a small company in California. I love knowing the quality is amazing but that they ship directly to me! Saves this mama so much time. A few other stores I love shopping at are Vitacost for healthy organic dry goods- I have a whole blog post on my favorites here. I also love Amazon for convenience- and all the moms said AMEN! I have a whole Amazon blog post on all my favorites I get from them here. Just having things delivered when living out a healthy lifestyle helps me a ton. I’m able to spend more time making a decent meal for my family, spending time outdoors and just not stressing about driving here and there. They even have so many grocery delivery services now where you can order online and then have it delivered to your house! Take a little off your plate and start living out your healthy life, instead of feeling like you’re running around with your head cut off to 10 different stores.
5. Make it a family activity-
It’s easy to want to compartmentalize everything but unfortunately that just isn’t reality once you have kids. An example of this is when I want to exercise. I’ve realized sometimes it means including my girls. Whether that’s playing with them outside, going for a walk as a family or even a bike ride. It might not look like an hour at the gym. My brother and sister in law are a perfect example of this. They have 5 kids- yes I said 5! They had twin girls last year. But guess what? It didn’t stop them from getting working out. They were creative in making it a family activity. They would put the twins in a double bob stroller, walk and run with them, while the other girls would ride their bikes or scooter. They also set up a garage gym, so they didn’t have to go anywhere to get in a workout. They saved time by doing this and were able to show their kids the importance in staying active. Same thing when it comes to being in the kitchen. I got my 5 year old a kid safe knife set so she can help me when I’m in the kitchen. Instead of having me make meals by myself she can now get involved. The more involved she is in preparing the food the more she learns about how real food is made. When you make things a family affair you may have to get a little creative but I promise it will be worth it!
6. Don’t compare-
Sounds easier said then done. Trust me I get it but it’s so worth it. How many times are you scrolling through Instagram and you see a photo of a someone with a picture perfect life and you start thinking I can’t live that way. Looks impossible. They’re so healthy, look at the meals they make, wow they’re house is always clean and they have the perfect body. Come on, we’ve all been there. But what you might not have seen is that the person you’re comparing yourself actually is single, not married and has no children. Completely opposite of your life. If you need to stop unfollowing people in order to get a right mindset, do it! Your life is amazing and awesome and if you truly don’t feel like it is, then do something about it. Start implementing one of these tips today and I know you’ll see a difference within the month. Small changes add up over time. I have learned to embrace my life, flaws and all. I love my kids and hubs and the messy life we’ve created. It’s not perfect but that’s ok, we’re human. No one has the picture perfect life we think they do. Stop comparing and start loving your own life! Healthy living doesn’t look the same for everyone.
7. Say NO-
This one is so good and needed more than ever in our society! Have you ever felt like you literally are a taxi service for your kids? Or that you are constantly stressed out? Maybe you have to stay up so late every night just to get all the things done. It could be that every weekend you have some sort of family function, birthday party, or sporting event to go to. Sound familiar? I know I’ve been there. I’ve said yes to so many things that I literally end up running myself into the ground and getting sick. Do you know it’s ok to say no? Yes, you can say no and your friends won’t hate you(I mean if they do, are they even your friends), you’ll still have a life and you’ll still have fun. When you say no to things it puts you in control of your life instead of someone else. I find when we say no, we aren’t rushing around but enjoying one another’s company, playing outside more and just being together as a family. When your gone all the time it doesn’t lend itself to a healthy lifestyle. You won’t have time to prep food, cook, or even have a normal routine. They say that adults thrive off of routine as much as children do. When you can get in a rhythm of life your body thanks you. When I know I’m home for the week I can get my workout in, make healthy meals, eat together as a family- all things that breath health into my life. Sometimes it might be hard saying no to all the invitations but at the end of the day you’re really saying yes to your health!
Do you implement any of these tips into your life? What tips have helped you as a busy mom live a healthier life?
Absolutely God-sent! THANK YOU!!!!!
I love your tips. I especially liked the part where you mentioned that you meditate. This has really helped me a lot in my everyday life. This is why creating a meditation space was so important to me when I moved into my new home. I feel that it’s a great tool to help elevate my awareness of self – to be more calm and have a clearer perspective in life. 🙂