Being a parent is tough even if it’s a rewarding 24 hours a day, 7 days a week job. Moms and Dads don’t always have the time to focus on themselves. Between work, parent-teacher conferences and swimming lessons, it’s easy to skip the gym and head to the drive-thru and order a large number 1 with a Diet Coke instead of a healthy fresh green salad. Children learn by observing their parents and other adults. Remember, your children admire you as you are their role model and wish one day to be just like you! As a result, they will often follow your example more than your advice.
We understand it can be difficult to stay fit and healthy when all you want to do after a long day of chasing little ones around the house is relax on the couch and catch up on your favorite TV show with a bag of your favorite chips. That’s why I have put together a few tips to help you make better choices and set an excellent example for your kids:
- Plan your meals. Investing some time to plan and prep your meals will end up saving you time and money in the long run. Pick a day to go grocery shopping and prep the meals. Doing it all in one day will prevent you from procrastinating! Prepping breakfast, lunch, dinners, and even snacks for the whole family will save you time later in the week. You can also freeze certain meals that you can simply pop in the microwave or throw in the slow cooker. Check out Passion for Savings for some great budget-friendly freezer meal ideas and if you have no idea on how to begin meal prepping, check out this very helpful Kayla Itsines blog.
- Make (and follow!) a daily checklist. Having a list of what needs to be done in a day will help you stay focused and organized. Making workouts and meal prep a priority on the list will help you stay motivated.
- Keep healthy snacks on hand. We are most vulnerable to unhealthy food when we are hungry. (That’s why no one should go grocery shopping while hungry!) Having pre-portioned fruits, vegetables, and nuts on hand makes snacking a whole lot healthier.
- Throw away the junk food. I know. We hate throwing away food but if we keep the bad stuff at home it will eventually get eaten. Just throw it out and get rid of the temptation.
- Stay hydrated. Carry a reusable water bottle and drink from it. Don’t just carry it and hope that does the trick. Water is essential for our health and will help you stay energized and feeling full.
- Make fitness fun. Some of us don’t enjoy working out but making it a game and involving the kids can make it more enjoyable. The little ones will have fun and will learn to stay active and you will get a good work out. Try jumping jacks on every commercial break if you are watching TV or head outside for a round or two of hopscotch. Regardless of you do, as long as you are moving around and having fun, you are setting an example.
- Every bit counts. The little things can add up. Parking at the back of the parking lot and walking a few more steps, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking every chance possible can help you feel energized and even relieve some stress.
While there are many steps to leading a healthy lifestyle, the key is to take them one at a time. It can be quite overwhelming to take on multiple changes. Once you have a particular change down, pick another one and so forth. Your well-being should be a priority and when Mom and Dad are happy and healthy, there’s a better chance everyone else will too.
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