For the first few months of parenthood, Justin and I were literally in straight SURVIVAL MODE. We relied heavily on convenient meals like frozen pizza, boxes of pasta, and takeout, and parked our butts on the couch and binged Netflix. To be frank, most of America was at home doing the same thing, but I digress... All of our focus was on the new baby in the house (as it should be!) and we, and our overall health, took a back seat.
Now that baby girl is ONE, my body has fully recovered from my c-section and my breasts are done nursing – it’s time that I put MY OWN health as a top priority again.
To do this, I’m sharing my plan with you in hopes that this will hold me accountable.
Re-join the gym (Check!)
Like many of you probably did, I canceled my gym membership at the start of Covid. Most gyms were either closed or had limited hours, and with a newborn at home I wasn’t getting out of the house anyway. Recently, I’ve realized how much I missed going to the gym. I missed moving my body and breaking a sweat, and honestly- I missed having that one hour of time to myself, too!
Now that things have slowed down a bit, I re-joined my gym, Planet Fitness. While I have only visited a couple of times so far, it definitely feels good to be back. My plan is to go on Wednesdays & Sundays, and sprinkle in some at-home workouts on the other days. I want to lose the last couple pounds of baby weight (or should I call it, “quarantine weight”? LOL) and fit comfortably in my pre-pregnancy clothes.
Eat Healthier
It’s time for me to commit to cleaner eating. Gone are the days of living on frozen foods and things that come in a box. I know I need to amp up my fruit & veggie intake, and pair them with lean proteins. The trouble is, keeping things easy enough to whip up on a weeknight, and keeping my husband interested! Haha! All your tips & favorite recipes are welcome! 😉
After finding out recently that Morgan has an iron-deficiency, I want to mke a conscious effort to incorporate more iron-rich foods into our diet. I also want to do some research specifically on post-partum nutrition, and replenish any other nutrients my body might be lacking after birthing & breastfeeding a tiny human for a year.
Family Walks
Now that the weather is nice I want to make it a habit to go on a walk as a family every night. Not only is it additional exercise, but it’s a good way to “unplug” after work, and talk about our day. It’s also a great way to just spend time together, and Morgan and Rudy both love it too!
A couple of other ideas, that I haven’t given a ton of thought to, but wanted to share anyway:
- Meet with a nutritionist – With the retained knowledge of my college nutrition courses paired with years of research, I consider myself pretty knowledgeable when it comes to nutrition. However, I know that realm is ever-evolving. Meeting with a nutritionist would probably teach me what’s better for my personal body type, as well as hold me accountable.
- Get a new mattress – Our mattress is about 6 years old I think, and for a while now, I have been waking up with shoulder pain (I’m a side sleeper) and stiffness in my back. We have a pillow top, non-flippable mattress now and I’m wondering if something a little firmer would be more comfortable and alleviate the pain I’m experiencing. I’m pretty intrigued by those bed-in-a-box mattresses (Purple, Casper, etc.) that allow you to try risk-free for 100 nights. If you have one that you like, send the recommendation my way!
- Practice Self-Care – If you’re a mom you already know, we come last. I plan to do as much self-care as I can fit, whether that is a trip to the gym, treating myself to a mani-pedi, or just taking a long, interrupted bath. I think taking the time to do these little things again will help me to feel more like ME, and less like MOM-ME, if that makes sense.
All in all,
I have realized that when I take care of myself, my mental health is better, I sleep better, and I have more energy throughout the day. I think the ultimate goal here is to make my health a priority, so that I’m also a better mom and wife. You can’t fill from an empty cup!
So, cheers to a fresh start and making positive changes!
Shop my favorite workout clothes HERE!
Check out some old favorite recipes I plan to bring back HERE.
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