Motherhood is incredibly busy, and it can be hard for mom to find the time to care for herself. She doesn’t seem to indulge in the same activities that she once did, she seems to go longer without a shower than she ever has, and getting a healthy meal can be challenging.
It is often that we hear stories from mothers about how they end up eating their child’s leftovers instead of making their own nutritious meal, and that they wash it all down with a glass of wine to help them relax. While a lot of moms can understand this, it is not exactly ideal.
Moms deserve to have a healthy meal, and something to drink other than wine (even if she loves it). Mom deserves to be healthy, and to take care of her body and mind, and only by doing that can she make sure she is in her best form to care for her children, which is likely her main priority.
It may be difficult to put down the leftovers and make her own plate, but it can be done. We are going to look at how moms fall into this trap, and what they can do to escape it.
Why Leftovers?
If you find yourself not understanding why you eat your child’s leftovers only, or why other moms do, it may be helpful to understand what is happening that forces moms to make this decision. According to Momspresso, the simplest answer is that it doesn’t take as long. It is quicker for mom to get food by eating what her children have left. As we mentioned, it is exhausting being a mom, and sometimes, moms just take the easiest route instead of what is best for them.
Moms also may not like food to go to waste. They don’t like seeing their children leave food, and they really don’t like throwing it all in the garbage. This means she eats it, so it doesn’t have to be wasted money. A quick way around this is to serve her children smaller meals, and only give them more when they have finished.
Meal Prep
A lot of moms try meal prep, but that is something else that takes a lot of time. Luckily there is a certain way to prep your food that may not take as much work and may help you make healthier choices. According to MSU, planning is the best way to make healthy food choices and find the time to eat them. It may be a bit of work for an hour, or two, every week, but it will save you time on a daily basis.
When you go grocery shopping, give yourself a few hours when you get back. Purchase some airtight containers, and wash, cut and prep all the produce you buy right away. Slice your cucumbers, your strawberries, and your melons and place them in these containers. You can do this for all your ingredients, and that way, snacking or making a meal later in the week just got a lot easier.
Keep It Funky
When it comes to drinking, water can seem so boring to a lot of people, and that is why they don’t drink enough. If mom needs more hydration in her life (which she probably does), she should consider treating herself to a cool water bottle. It may sound silly, but having a water bottle that you love and that works for you can help you drink more water. Keep it going all day, and make a water goal. When you reach it at the end of the day, treat yourself to that one glass of wine, or other treats of your choice.
Remember “The Rule”
What can often happen when mom tries to eat super healthy is that she can do this for a while, and then she falls off the wagon. The goal is to change a lifestyle, not just a fad, and moms can do this by remembering a rule that a lot of nutritionists go by. According to A Mother Far From Home, the rule is 80/20, and mom should remember that.
It means that 80% of what mom eats every day should be nutritious, but the 20% can be whatever else she ends up eating. This is a good, and realistic, balance to have when you are trying to eat healthily, and it is sustainable. You may end up snacking on your child’s leftovers from time to time, but keep in mind that you deserve a full, healthy meal too.
Sources: Momspresso, MSU, A Mother Far From Home