Being a parent asks so much of us – it can strip away our mind and our health, simply because we aren't the focus anymore.
While it's so, so true that we need to let our kids and family become the focus of our life, that doesn't mean we need to take a back step – no. It means we need to simply add more to our daily task list. Now, with health – there's a reason why the term ‘dad bod' and ‘mom bod' exist – but hey, everyone could do with being a bit better in health terms. Nobody is perfect
Now, getting healthy is a huge task. It can require a total and utter lifestyle change which can take its toll before you see some benefits. Going to the gym can hurt, no lies here. What's more, not having your favourite comfort foods to eat can get you down. Not one soul said that this would be the easy path.
But it is the right path! Take it from this mom, for instance:
‘As the mom of a four-year-old and a six-year-old, I sometimes feel overwhelmed. My kids are the most important things in my life, but I sometimes get so caught up in trying to be the best mom possible that I forget to take care of myself in the process. That self-neglect can make me feel worn out, stressed and unhealthy. It took me years to realize that ignoring my needs wasn’t actually helping me take care of my kids’ needs. In fact, the less I focused on my needs, the less vibrant and healthy I felt, and the more difficult it became to deliver on my kids' wants and needs. When I did finally take the time to take care of myself, I not only had more energy, which translated into better interaction with my kids, but I felt so much happier.'
Firstly, start by changing the way you eat. Food is the foundation of getting you back to fighting shape and what you put into your body is of huge importance. The keto diet is a great way to eat good food and stay in shape as it relies on us burning the fat we eat and can ensure our bodies turn into fat burning machines – sounds good, right? There are plenty of good foods high in fat – olives, avocados – so you don't need to sacrifice everything, just be mindful of what you eat!
Then, get exercising – find the time to commit to basic routines. This blend of exercising and a healthy diet can lead to some amazing results quickly. It's all about building habits and our list of quick and simple habits is a great way to add to this so you can find yourself back in great shape as soon as possible.
No-one said this would be easy, and it's not – but it's the best path. If you build these habits, you'll be back on top in no time.
