In today's fast-paced world, especially with the demands of motherhood, prioritizing self-care and healthy eating habits can feel like a daunting task. However, taking care of yourself is not selfish; it's essential for your well-being and your family's. Let's explore the benefits of "Fit Mama Real Food" and how it can transform your life.
The Importance of Self-Care for Moms
Motherhood is a rewarding but demanding journey. It's easy to get caught up in caring for your family and neglect your own needs. Self-care is crucial for both your physical and mental health. It helps you recharge, reduce stress, and maintain a positive outlook.
Heather Englund, a self-care guru and host of the Fit Mama Real Food Radio podcast, emphasizes the importance of carving out time for yourself. She suggests incorporating simple strategies into your daily routine, such as:
- Nourishing food: Fuel your body with wholesome, nutritious foods to feel energized and healthy.
- Moments of quiet: Take time to pause, breathe, and be present. A solo walk or a few minutes of meditation can make a big difference.
- Hydration: Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and maintain your energy levels. Add fruits and herbs for a refreshing twist.
- Laughter and fun: Inject humor and playfulness into your day. Tell jokes, play games, and don't take life too seriously.
- Gratitude: Focus on the positive aspects of your life, both big and small. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude to retrain your brain.
- Outside time: Soak up vitamin D from the sunshine and breathe in fresh air. Even a few minutes outdoors can improve your mood and well-being.
- Mindful movement: Engage in physical activity that you enjoy, whether it's walking, dancing, or yoga. Exercise offers physical and emotional benefits.
The Power of Real Food
Navigating the world of nutrition can be overwhelming with countless diets and conflicting information. However, the core principle of "Fit Mama Real Food" is simple: focus on eating real, unprocessed foods.
What is Real Food?
Real food is food that is as close to its natural state as possible. It includes:
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- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Lean proteins
- Whole grains
- Healthy fats
Benefits of Eating Real Food:
- Improved energy levels: Real food provides sustained energy without the crashes associated with processed foods.
- Better overall health: A diet rich in real food supports your immune system, reduces inflammation, and lowers your risk of chronic diseases.
- Weight management: Real food is naturally lower in calories and higher in nutrients, making it easier to maintain a healthy weight.
- Enhanced mood: Nutritious foods can boost your mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Simplifying Healthy Eating
Eating healthy doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. Here are some strategies to simplify your approach to nutrition:
- Meal planning: Plan your meals in advance to reduce stress and food waste.
- Rotate meals: Choose 4-5 easy, healthy meals that you can rotate each week.
- Focus on the basics: Build your meals around protein, vegetables, and fiber-rich starches.
- Keep it simple: A complicated diet adds more decisions: Can I eat this food? How many grams of carbs do I have left? Is this snack “clean” enough? But when your diet is simple-protein + vegetables + carbs, repeated in different ways-you don’t have to think so hard. Fewer choices = fewer chances to quit.
- Embrace the Perfect Plate approach: The Perfect Plate approach makes things super simple and is the template I have been using for my meals over the last few years. One of my absolute favorite easy meals is 6-8 oz. Another favorite is a 6-8 oz. chicken breast marinated in an oil based dressing, asparagus with olive oil and parmesan cheese in the air fryer, and half of a sweet potato.
- Use intermittent fasting: Control your calorie intake by establishing an eating window that fits your lifestyle.
- Spice it up: Keep a pantry full of spices and seasonings to add variety to your meals without extra calories.
- Always have healthy snacks on hand: Buy in bulk and freeze for later.
Cooking with Kids: A Family Affair
Involving your children in meal planning and preparation can be a fun and educational experience for the whole family. Heather Englund shares valuable insights on how to get kids involved in the kitchen:
Start young: The youngest that you can the best now, like my 10 month old, she really can’t do anything.But I like to have her in there maybe in a carrier or in her highchair, just to have her there, start seeingdifferent foods, you know, tasting things as I’m prepping them. But again, like she can’t really help withmuch, but I would say after the age of one and a half, or pretty much when they can like, sit more safelyon the counter, if you want to have them there. And they can stir things that that’s the youngest age thatyou could start your kids in the kitchen.
Age-appropriate tasks: Assign tasks based on your child's age and abilities. Young children can help with stirring, pouring, and scooping. Older children can chop vegetables (with supervision), crack eggs, and measure ingredients.
Make it fun: Turn cooking into a game. Let your kids choose recipes, decorate cookies, or create their own dishes.
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Teach valuable skills: Cooking with kids teaches them essential life skills, such as meal planning, food preparation, and kitchen safety.
Encourage trying new foods: When kids are involved in preparing meals, they are more likely to try new foods.
Fit Mama Real Food in Action: Success Stories
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Here are some examples of how people have benefited from the Fit Mama program:
- Laura: She is back to training for a big bucket list race this year (okay, spoiler, it’s BOSTON!) and killing it in her speedwork and training runs post partum.
- Marci: "I love the meal plan and work outs because they are so doable. I love this new lifestyle and I already feel great!"
- Bryn: "This was my first full month of Fit Mama In 30 and I didn’t miss a single workout!!!!! I LOVE this program!!!! You guys are amazing. My clothes fit better, I have so much more energy, and my husband the other day said “Look at your abs!!!” But more importantly I’m happier and healthier and a better mom for it.”
- Helina: "I have lost over 20 pounds and I don't even know how many inches. I started at a size 14 and am now in a size 6!!!! I am amazed every time I think about it. I have also learned that exercise can be FUN, that's right FUN!!!"
- Emili: "Fit Mama in 30 works for me! It is realistic, it’s supportive, and it’s absolutely FUN! It is a lifestyle, not some fad diet plan that sets you up for failure. The Fit Mama in 30 nutrition guide has opened my eyes to a whole new world of healthy eating. I could go on and on about this program, but I think the bottom line is that this program really works, I have seen and felt the results personally!"
- Jamie: "With the FM30 Program I know exactly what to do to achieve my goals. I follow the plan and it works! Not only have I lost plus and 17.5 inches in less than 2 months, but the biggest benefits have been less depression and anxiety and an increase in overall happiness."
Plant-Based Living
Wellness-leaning mamas run rampant from coast to coast these days, Sabrina Rudin, owner of Aspen-based Spring Cafe and New York native, living plant-based is in her DNA. I was lucky enough to be raised by parents who care deeply about health and nutrition and the benefits of eating whole, real foods, so that was instilled in my from an early age,” says Rudin. “As I got older I took ownership of that and really focused on what foods and practices made me feel vibrant and healthy.”
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Rudin focuses on raising one-year-old son Lukas as holistic as possible while hopscotching between New York and Aspen to run her organic cafe and juice bar, which has drawn the likes of high-brow clients from Elle MacPherson to Tracy Anderson.
She describes her approach to diet as wellness-centered but also creative and driven by what I am feeling and craving in the moment. I will happily taste a really delicious dessert that I know is made with whole ingredients but I have a list of foods that I won’t touch: food coloring and processed snacks and candy. It’s more about being discerning and knowledgeable than cutting out whole food groups. While I eat a diet that is very light in dairy, I will often snack on raw goat or sheep cheese from farms that I trust and I enjoy pasture raised eggs. This is what I mean by striking a balance and finding what works for you.