3 Easy Steps to Boost Nutrition for Moms
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Let’s face it…whether you are about to be a mom, are already a mom, a mom with teenage kids, or a grandma – your nutrition centers around hormonal balance. It’s high, it’s low, or somewhere in between; if your hormones aren’t balanced, then the whole world knows, especially you.
On a day-to-day basis, I educate women on the importance of having optimal hormones…you see, when they aren’t in balance, I like to say we end up feeling…
- Like no matter what we do, the scale won’t budge
- As if we are living in a fog
- Tired…and you know the saying “tired as a mother…”
- Older than we really are
- Depressed and anxious
- Like we gain weight just by looking at food
- Every year we need new clothes to “hide” something
The truth is, the silver lining is in our nutrition and what we feed ourselves. Before you begin to worry, what you feed yourself doesn’t have to be different from what you are giving your kids! You see, kids are always watching what we do. When you load your plate with all the good stuff, your kids will see you doing it and want some too. Who’s ever had a toddler reach out and try and grab your protein shake or cup of coffee from you?
3 Simple Steps to Boost Nutrition
These are the 3 tried and true tips I share with every woman to help her feel alive and more balanced in her day-to-day life, which, try as we may, will probably never be perfect, and that is ok.
Step 1 – Drink…
No, not your wine – your water! Being dehydrated can lead to many side effects that we don’t want. For starters, being dehydrated will make your skin appear older than it is. Additionally, all processes in the body require water. Trying to lose weight – you need water! Did you know that your body will hold onto every ounce you put into it when you don’t drink enough water? That’s right. So, if you want to lose water weight – drink up. How much – divide your weight in half and then drink that many ounces of water. Weight 150 pounds – aim for 75 ounces of water daily.
Step 2 – Sugar…
Drop the sugar…it isn’t your hormones’ friend. Too much sugar in our diet can lead to insulin resistance, which means we aren’t going to be able to stay lean. Too much sugar can also cause – gut issues, headaches, achy joints, brain fog, and sometimes lead to diabetes.
So how can you let go of sugar?
First – notice where all your added sugar is coming from. Simplest swap – don’t buy products with added sugar. Look at these few items: your pasta sauce, salad dressing, and nut butter. Don’t go low fat on these, as fat is usually replaced with sugar.
Second – elevate your coffee or tea. Slowly reduce the amount of milk (dairy) you use and replace it with a non-dairy, unsweetened alternative. Swap your added sugar for stevia (be sure it’s just stevia and maybe xylitol) or monk fruit.
Third – reduce your consumption of fruit to only one serving per day. When you have your fruit, don’t have it alone…add a protein or fat to it (example – have cheese or nut butter with an apple) so your insulin doesn’t spike.
As for that super sweet treat you need – choose 60% or higher cacao chocolate. Enjoy an ounce to satisfy your cravings.
Step 3 – Grains…
Gluten-free has been such a hot topic for so long. Now we have keto, paleo, and more. There is science behind all of these nutrition trends – the type of carbohydrates consumed and how it affects our insulin and thyroid levels. Watch your daily consumption of bread, pasta, rice, and baked goods. Opt as often as possible for beans, legumes, quinoa, and potatoes. These swaps become easier the more you do them. And all of these swaps are healthy for your unborn baby, your kids, and grandkids. For the mom trying to shed a few pounds – enjoy the carbs at 1-2 meals daily. Otherwise, keep it to good fats, healthy proteins, and many veggies.
Moms are always thinking about what we are feeding our kids. Apply those same principles to your nutrition and give yourself the little extra pep you need to make it through jam-packed days and nights!
What are some healthy habits you’re working on? Share your experiences with boosting your nutrition in our Local Anchor Facebook group.
