Advice for super mums
As you lay there, you turn over and see it’s 3am. The little one is having trouble sleeping yet again, your eyes feel small and you know in a few hours you will be getting up for the day ahead and in all honesty, you can’t actually remember the last time you slept properly…
Everything feels like a whirlwind at the moment going from one thing to the next to then getting the next task squeezed in before your attention is taken again.
This is the definition and reality of a super mum!
Yet you often find yourself reminiscing and daydreaming about the days pre children, the freedom of time you used to have, to be able to come and go as you please, sleep undisturbed all night or to be able to get to the gym as many times as you wanted. All this without having an endless list of ‘open tabs’ in your head daily to the point where your own self care doesn’t even get a look in.
Believe me, I know it’s tiring!
It’s hard… but we also know it is 100% worth it to see the little one develop into their own happy little person.
However, it certainly doesn’t mean all hope is lost for reconnecting with yourself again whilst achieving the transformation you still desire, to also feel more confident and less ‘tired mum’ whilst feeling fabulous out in your clothes again.
I speak about these quick tips often with clients through the experience of my own little boy in the last 12 months alongside my experience from working with mum’s of all categories over the last 8 years.
So, I’d like to share with you today two simple tips to adapt into your lifestyle to ensure you achieve your goals without feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and feel more confident, energised whilst feeling fabulous mentally as well physically.
Because Mamma’s, you really all are superheroes and deserve to feel like one.
Let’s start with the dreaded one most people tend to trip over…
Nutrition For Mums
My BIGGEST tip without a doubt is preparation.
We already know how busy our days can be from 3am to 8pm including looking after little ones big or small, mum taxiing, household tasks, etc. so finding time to pick a healthy meal can sometimes turn into a grab and go meal leaving you stressed, bloated, unhappy and no where near your goals.
Time to break this habit Mammas!
Easiest tip with this is to start with ensuring you have prepared food in the house.
This can easily be done through batch cooking your evening meal – if you make that little bit extra you can portion yourself a small amount of it into a tupperware for your lunches the next day. Or prioritising 15-30 minutes a night to make some simple, quick easy filling meals or just lunches for the next day or two depending on the amount of time you want to prioritise.
Another preparation tip for nutrition is if you are out about, make sure you take prepared lunches with you or grab cooked meats/fish with some already cooked veg (hello microwave) or salad depending on preference. By ensuring you take food sources filled with protein & fibre you are less likely to want to snack immediately after due to both digesting a lot slower keeping you fuller for longer in between darting about the place!
Next & final tip following on from preparation is…
Scheduling for Mums
Now before you roll your eyes Mamma’s hear me out…
I understand every week can look slightly different so this is where we need to sit down on a weekend and look at what’s coming up the week ahead to see where we can prioritise some form of movement.
This could look like a gym session, a class or even daily walks.
Either way we need to help you prioritise some time away from the house/work or your manic routine to ensure you get an opportunity to put yourself first for 30 minutes to an hour a few times a week.
Yep, you read that right.
You need time to move your body to release those endorphins as well as take a break from running around after everyone and take some time for yourself.
By prioritising time to move you will be helping yourself progress towards your goals as well as genuinely feeling better for achieving a small task towards your goals consistently.
Some weeks may genuinely involve getting up before the kids (which may suck) to take action towards your goals, realigning your self-worth back into a priority.
Once a week I have to get up at 4am (if Leo hasn’t woken me up already or after some nights where he’s been up hourly from 10pm) to get to the gym at 5am to complete one of my workouts before my partner goes to work at 6.30am.
Do I question my choice every Thursday when I do this?
Absolutely! However I know future Shawnie will thank past Shawnie for taking action when she really didn’t feel like it.
As I remind my clients, my biggest advice to remember with these tips is not every week will be perfect, not every planned activity will happen as kids can genuinely be unpredictable however even following these tips above 80% consistently over time will still help you achieve long lasting results.
Remember Mamma’s, you’ve completed the hardest task, you grew a whole other human inside of you, and now raising the very being you grew!
But at the end of the day you still deserve to put yourself first sometimes to feel more grounded, confident and happier in general because how can you expect to look after everyone else if you aren’t being taken care off?
Let me know if this helped or have any further questions on this by finding me on instagram at @coachedby_sb
Shawnie x
