Everyone wants to stay healthy. Unfortunately, sometimes life seems to get in the way of our ambitions. The following 7 tips will help you stay healthy while balancing business and family.
It’s not easy to stay healthy while running a full time business, parenting, and keeping up with all the household chores. Trust me… I know!
For years, I felt like I was running around serving everyone else- my kids, my husband, my job… but never actually doing any “running” for myself.
At the end of the day, I was exhausted and never really had any real exercise or a change to eat healthy. Something had to change… I had to figure this out.
If momma ain’t healthy, she can’t really do her jobs. Yes, I said jobs….you have many jobs!
Here are 7 tried and true tips I have used to stay healthy during the chaos of parenting and entrepreneurship.
1.Eating Properly…Can it be done?
It matters what you eat. I’m pretty sure you know that…but how easily is this forgotten in the busy day of a Mom Entrepreneur.
There have been days when I would get to about 5-6 PM and realize that all I had to eat was some extra cheddar goldfish and Hershey’s kisses. Are you with me?
A major part of staying healthy while balancing business and a family is eating properly. I recommend this to be a baseline for a stay at home mom’s daily diet:
- 2,000 Calories
- 50 Grams of Protein
- Nutrient & Vitamin Rich Foods
- 3 Liters of Water
- Less than 6 Teaspoons of Sugar
- No Artificial Ingredients such as High Fructose Corn Syrup, Aspartame, or Sucralose
Undoubtably, it is challenging to meet these nutritional demands, so I have compiled a list of ways to make it happen!
- Actually eat what you fix the kids. If the kids eat healthy, shouldn’t you?
- Pre-made salad bags from the grocery store…yum!
- Establish very hearty breakfast meals that you enjoy.
- Subscribe to a meal service like Daily Harvest, Sun Basket, or Nature Box.
2. An Active Mommy is a Healthy Mommy
Being active does more than just help you keep you figure. It helps you regulate body functions, balance hormones, and keep a clear head. After all, you need all these things to be a a successful Mom Entrepreneur.
Many stay at home moms will agree that saying active is one of the hardest things to do…
Like many others, I have been caught in the guilty trap of believing that being active is an impossible feat… at least while the kids are young.
I highly recommend taking whatever action necessary to give yourself the time and place for action each day. Maybe its before the kids wake up or your spouse leaves for work, maybe its after bedtime or during the kids naps.
Find the time, your health depends on it.
3. Stay Healthy by Turning Daily Tasks into Opportunities
Sometimes I wear my tennis shoes around the house. Embarrassing…maybe so. But If I know if today is a “shipping out” day or a day at the park, I’m going to be prepared to use “them shoes.”
making opportunities to stay healthy
- Make clean up the yard a weekly family chore or take some of the yard work away from your spouse. Get out there and sweat with the kids.
- Get outside to the park/walk the neighborhood at least once a day. When my kids were too young to talk long distances, I used a wagon. They loved this! I always felt better afterwards.
- Stretch when you get up from your desk or when cleaning up toys. Learn these 15 Stretches You Should Do Everyday.
4. Allow Time for Yourself
You are the backbone of your family and you deserve some time to stay healthy! Call in the calvary (grandparents, spouse, siblings, best friends) and do something you love for your health.
It looks me years of struggling to stay active before I realized how much I needed to set aside a time and a space to accomplish this.
After much debate and almost guilting myself out of it 1,000 times, I joined a gym with a personal trainer.
Did this cramp the style of my family? Yep… Is it worth it? You betcha!
Now, two nights a week my family eats dinner super late and I have “time for me” at the gym. I am ever so thankful and appreciative of them. But you know what? They are showing their thankfulness of me by allowing me to go. I deserve it!
Hiring a personal trainer and attending the gym may not be your thing. The moral of the story is this…
Find your “thing” and do it. You deserve to stay healthy!
5. Stay Healthy by Using Digital Tools
Living in a digital world has it health benefits too. With a click of a button, you can access unlimited posibilites online such as work out classes, personal fitness training, yoga, pilates, and so much more.
Top Rated online fitness organizations
- Gymondo – Offers personalized training options and a huge variety of classes. Gymondo also has a free trial option and many success stories.
- TruCoach – TruCoach is a good option if you like to be personally motivated and like tracking data.
- Beach Body on Demand – Beach Body is perfect if your looking for an all inclusive workout regiment with weight tracking and even meals.
- Daily Burn – This streaming workout program is an easy way to stream fun and very active workout videos. Daily Burn offers a free 30 – day trial.
6. Know How to Say “NO”
If you’re like me, saying “no” is one of the hardest things to do. I naturally like to please people and hate when I’ve offended someone. I have had to learn this…
The word “no” is often necessary to keep me healthy. This week, If I had agreed every time someone asked me for something, I would have never had the time to take care of myself.
Here’s how I manage to work my way around over obligating myself…
- Offer a soft “no” such as “I’m unable to at the moment, but maybe later.”
- Place the blame on my spouse or kids. I may say “I have already obligated myself to do something with them today.”
- Use my well thought-out daily list as a rule. If there isn’t time, the answer is “no.”
7. Stay Healthy by Following your Natural Instincts
When it comes down to staying healthy, listen to your instincts and act upon what you know is right for your health.
Too many times, I have pushed my own instincts aside in service to others only to fall flat on my face because I wasn’t taking care of myself.
Give yourself the time you deserve, eat and exercise properly, take the leap you’e been wanting to, and use whatever tools you need- to stay healthy.
Being a mom & running a small business can be challenging... 