How Moms Can Keep Themselves Healthy and Why It Matters
Being a mother is a full-time job. However, a lot of moms also have careers. This is a combination that tends to lead to physical inactivity since working mothers have to balance the competing interests of work and family life. Of the working mothers in a previous sample, only 45.5% met the recommended guidelines of at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise in the past week.
It’s important for mothers to strive for a healthier balance that will benefit their families. Below, we take a closer look at the why and how.
Physical and mental changes
Pregnancy tends to leave the immune systems of mothers vulnerable. Simultaneously, however, the hormones slow down the digestive tract muscles, making it harder to process nutrients. After women survive a difficult birth, they are often left weak and anemic.
Research also found that depression and anxiety affect one in seven women during the perinatal period, and the numbers continue for experienced mothers. That’s because, while pregnant, the levels of reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone are very high. This dramatically drops after childbirth, and when paired with the stress of caring for a newborn, could easily lead to symptoms of persistent sadness.
Healthier habits
When mothers take care of their physical health, it becomes easier to mediate psychological factors as well. While difficult, it isn’t impossible for mothers to insert healthier habits into their lives.
Diet
Busy moms tend to grab whatever is quick and easy. This does nothing to help the body receive its required nutritional intake. Additionally, because parents heavily influence children’s eating habits, these convenient foods will likely develop picky eating behaviors in your child.
If researching healthy meals, buying groceries, and cooking takes up too much time, a mother can take advice from experts readily available on online platforms. The weight loss app WeightWatchers has a range of science-backed tips for finding the right motivation for weight loss and healthy eating. This makes it possible to create a sustainable approach with realistic weight loss goals for the entire family, considering every individual’s taste preferences and parents’ capacity or budget.
Exercise
Even small amounts of exercise can help reduce stress and improve a mother’s mood. If it’s difficult to find the time to exercise without your children, then why not make exercising a family affair? Make sure to find activities that everyone can enjoy regardless of age, such as swimming or yoga, and devise a schedule that will be solely dedicated to this activity. To keep family members motivated, try to reward everyone for their efforts — this can be as simple as going out for a healthy meal afterwards!
If you’re unsure where to start, you can also enlist the services of an expert like a family fitness coach. Coaches can craft a group personal training regimen to maximize a mother’s free time and the fitness benefits.
Support network
Many moms refrain from asking for help, fearing that this reflects their competency. However, there’s nothing wrong with asking a trusted friend or relative to watch over your child for a couple of hours. This gives a mother some much-needed mental space for self-care and develops a child’s communication and social skills. Your child can also learn how to create meaningful relationships outside their immediate family members.
A mother’s health is directly linked to their family’s well-being. Research already confirmed a connection between a mom’s physical inactivity, lower quality of life and work performance, and a child’s unhealthy health behaviors. When moms strengthen their health knowledge and competencies, they can live happier and longer lives with their children.
