It’s a new year and people are making resolutions for themselves that inspire and motivate positive changes. Many times, these resolutions include physical health goals, including exercise and eating habits. If you have ever been to any gym or fitness facility in January you have seen the evidence of these “New Year’s Resolutions”. The problem is that by mid-February, the intense excitement over our newfound motivation for healthy behaviors decreases and we tend to fall back into our old patterns, telling ourselves that it’s okay because it was just a “resolution” and we will try again later. Sometimes people are able to turn New Year’s Resolutions into new ways of life but unfortunately for many, their ambitions are not sustainable. So, what do we need to do instead???
Physical health and fitness is something that most people struggle with at some point in their lives. A VERY difficult life stage for self-care is after becoming a mom. When a woman has a baby, her main role in life changes and the demands of caring for a baby create a very difficult situation for taking care of all of her own needs. So, the questions become WHY work hard to include self-care as a priority and HOW in the world do I do that?!
WHY? In order to be the best mom, wife, friend, human being that you can be you have to take care of yourself. If you are completely depleted and running on empty, you will not be able to effectively and fully care for anyone else. That is a simple fact that many of us overlook. It is a difficult thing to take time away from family for self-care because that feels ‘selfish’. It is hard to ask others for help and support so that you can work on your health goals, but the end result is worth this difficulty.
HOW? Even if a mom knows that self-care is important and has goals and intentions for herself, she sometimes cannot figure out how to incorporate fitness and healthy eating into her everyday life. The good news is that it’s easier than you may think! You do not have to go to the gym for an hour every day to work on your physical fitness. You do not have to change every single thing about your dietary intake to start feeling better! It starts with small, simple changes and additions to your life. If you have stairs in your house, start by walking up and down them for 5-10 minutes while holding your baby and listening to music. Lay on your back with your baby on your stomach and do abdominal contractions, bringing your lower back toward the floor. Hold your child and do 10 squats to strengthen your legs and wake you up in the afternoon. Sign up for one class of interest per week and devote that time to yourself. Make a goal to carry a water bottle with you everywhere to increase your daily intake of water. Eat one more vegetable and one more fruit serving every day. It is easier to add healthy habits then to focus on the negative ones you have already established.
When the New Year comes around it is easy to become invested in making positive changes, so instead of making extreme resolutions that will be likely to fizzle out, set simple, healthy intentions that are achievable. You are worth the effort! Here is to your 2018!
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