Being a mom doesn't mean your fittest days are over. Set a new bar for yourself and put it in writing. Dr. Gail Matthews from the Dominican University in California shares that goals are 42 percent more likely to happen if they are written down.
If you want to lose 10 pounds, create an action plan that looks like this: I'm going to cook on Sundays and freeze my food for the week. I'm going to work out before my family wakes up. I'm going to track my measurements, and I'm going to sign up for the 5K race I've always wanted to do.
2. Choose to view health as a marathon — not o sprint.
Rather than working furiously to look good for a one-time event, like a high school reunion or vacation, choose to look and feel your best — all the time.
Think about this: How many fad diets have you been on? Did the results last? What you need is a permanent answer, not a temporary fix. This is why consistent health beats the quick fix every time.
3. Cultivate a winning, fit mindset.
Lasting change happens from the inside out. Ask yourself a new question, "Why not me?" Why can't you get in the best shape of your life?
One summer evening, I was pushing my 18-month-old daughter on the swing, and I was so nervous to tell my husband that I wanted to compete in fitness again. You see, I had turned 40, and as a new mom, it felt almost laughable. But I asked myself a different question: Why not? Wherever you are in your life, you can reinvent yourself. Believe that!
4. Make your training excuseproof.
Carve out a dedicated time for your workouts, and treat this time as an appointmem—but also make sure to
have a go-to routine for emergencies. Being a mom means there will he days when your best intentions are stopped dead in their tracks. So always be armed with a backup plan. For example, if you're stuck at home, you could use intervals to torch calories.
5. Shift your focus on food.
In regard to food choices, make healthy eating a part of your daily life. Cook on Sundays for the week, pack meals and snacks the night before, or find restaurants in your area that specialize in organic produce and clean options.
View food from a healthy perspective and think about what you can eat rather than what you can't. Every day I try to get in a large salad, nuts, fruit, Greek yogurt, steamed veggies and whole grains, and I also enjoy lean protein with every meal. I'm always thinking about what I need to eat versus what I can't eat. Creatie this shift and collect recipes that you'll enjoy eating.
6. Ditch-junk-food weekends.
Are you gaining and losing the same 3 pounds every week... and not making progress toward your fitness goals? Weekends may be the culprit. If you eat clean all week a nd then take the weekends off, your weight-loss efforts have probably stagnated. Enjoy a meal or two, but focus on family activities and bal¬ anced living.
7. Lose the guilt!
You are worth the investment! Moms often struggle with feelings of guilt about taking care of themselves, but remember, a healthy and happy mom makes a healthy and happy family. Moms are often the core of the home and determine the food that is brought into the kitchen. You set the standard, so invest in you and your family's health with the right choices.
There will be setbacks, times when you feel like you just don't have it in you, and you'll want to quit. But this is the time when you'll revisit your goals (and your why) as you stay the course.
Perfection is known as the root cause of procrastination. Refrain from procrastinating because there will never be a perfect time to start getting healthy and fit — that time is today.
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