Health Tips to Get You Fed – The Joys of Parenthood and Forgetting to Feed Yourself

Before parenthood, the concept of ‘forgetting to eat’ is inconceivable to most. Insert children and soon the days of waking up and thinking about what you are going to have for breakfast, sitting down to enjoy that HOT breakfast and shortly after thinking about what, when and where your next meal is going to come from turn into a distant memory. This blog was designed to provide you with some of the health tips and tools I use to ensure I remain nourished and on top of my game when it comes to caring for my son and being a working mum, with a business to run.

Once your children arrive, sacrifice and selflessness quickly become part of the parental territory. Busy days feeding the baby or taking kids to school and sport, all while trying to maintain the household and your career interrupt your appetite and you soon say goodbye to HOT and seated meals. Your days are now a whirlwind fog.

You are certainly not alone in the neglect of your own needs. Parents and caregivers, mums and dads all over the world experience the same struggles, whether you are a stay-at-home parent or full-time working parent.

To your kids, you are a Superhero. A superhero can only be the kind of super they need if YOU are healthy and happy.

Your health should be your priority and because everyone else relies on you to keep them healthy, it is also your responsibility to keep yourself healthy.

Why?

Because..

• you deserve it!
• your kids need it.
• children need role models to show them HOW to be healthy, not simply be told.

Some health tips

• Start and end your day early.
• Plan out healthy meals and snack wisely.
• Keep a good supply of healthy grab-and-go one handed snacks in the pantry/fridge (see tops and ideas below).
• Even if you cannot get a complete meal in, eat several small meals across the day to keep your energy up and prevent crashes.
• Ensure snacks and meals are high in fibre to sustain you for longer and prevent cravings for sugary/carb rich junk foods.
• Ask your Nutritionist to help you with a simple meal plan that is achievable.
• Nurture friendships and extended family who support you and your own need to be healthy.
• Be a team
  • • Get your kids involved in helping to cook meals.
  • • Ask your partner to help with meal preparation or other chores, so you can meal prep.
  • Ask a family member or friend to take the kids for a few hours while you prepare meals in advance.
• Stay active, not only chasing children but walk, run, dance, swim, gym, do whatever you enjoy to stay active, keep your mind clear and maintain energy for planning and preparing healthy meal options and supporting a healthy appetite.
• Reduce the stress and clutter in your mind, to allow your body to remember to eat (with the above)
• Set alarms for yourself as reminders to eat regularly.
• Use healthy ready-meal services (speak with your nutritionist on healthy options available).
• Have a health plan in place (e.g. a mummy/daddy pamper day, a meal prep day, massage once per month etc.)

Quick Snack Ideas

• Boiled Eggs (done the night before while the kids are sleeping)
• Nuts and seeds – almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts are all great choices, pepitas, sunflower seeds.
• Fresh fruit – berries, bananas, apples are all quick and easy.
• Smoothies
• Chia pots – (done the night before while the kids are sleeping)
• Yoghurt pouches
• 70% or more Dark Chocolate (limit to 2 squares)