5 Nutrition Tips for Australian Mums
Mums! Your nutrition is important. As any mother will know – whether she means to or not – the kids, the husband, the work, the friends and everything else tends to come before her own needs and as a result before her own health.
While easier said than done – as a mother, partner or carer – prioritising your own health and fitness is imperative to maintaining the energy you need on a daily basis to optimally care for your loved ones. If you are struggling to be at your best each day, below are some simple steps to take towards self-care.
Commit to eating your meals
For many mums their food day starts off on the wrong foot. This happens when they choose to feed their children before themselves, skip lunch in favour of coffee and find themselves binging at 3pm once the day draws to a close. While days with children, errands and activities are busy and much time tends to be spent in the car, it is important you begin each day with a protein-rich breakfast and allocate time for lunch to prevent overeating in the afternoon.
Eat breakfast before you feed the kids
A traditional approach from any mother is to feed her children before she feeds herself – especially at breakfast. However, mums who eat their breakfast as soon as they get up in the morning, rather than feeding the children first, will find themselves in a much better position both physically and hormonally. Eating breakfast as early as possible is crucial for weight control and actively shows children that mum and her needs are as important as theirs – which is important for kids to learn.
No kid’s scraps
Picking at leftovers and snacking during food preparation tends to be a dietary issue for all of us. This is even more so for mothers who have not eaten well and find themselves nibbling on kids food all day. Half a sandwich here, a few pieces of apple there and before you know it you have eaten an entire extra meals worth of calories without even realising it. Be mindful and aware of where extras may slip into your day and make a concerted effort to eat only at meal or snack times rather than grazing constantly on extras that you may not even be all that hungry for.
Only one dinner
Long working days’ mean families operate with two dinners times – dinner one for the children and dinner two later in the evening once the kids are in bed. Mums tend to be hungry before their second 8pm or 9pm dinner and eat a little at 5pm or 6pm before eating again with their partner later in the evening. Be aware of this being an issue from both a calorie and digestion perspective, as it really is better to eat your main meal before 8pm at night.
Watch the coffee dates
Women love to meet over coffee which is no problem unless one coffee regularly becomes multiple coffees and cakes to match. It only takes one member of the coffee club who enjoys a sweet treat to encourage all members to go off track with their diets. For this reason, be mindful of not only how often you have coffee with friends, but what you may also be eating as part of that experience.