Nine Stay at Home Mom Diet Mistakes
Have you gained weight as a stay at home mom? If you are looking to lose the extra weight, be sure to avoid these nine stay at home mom diet mistakes. You can also find other useful tips for stay at home moms here.
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Nine Stay at Home Mom Diet Mistakes
When I became a stay at home mom, I thought it would be so much easier to stick to a healthy diet, be consistent at the gym and lose my extra baby weight. I was wrong. In fact, it was just the opposite! I realized I was making some mistakes pretty often.
As a stay at home mom, you may be trying to watch your diet and keep your figure, but there are some common mistakes that can easily trip you up. Here are nine of the most common Stay at Home Mom Diet Mistakes. I made them all!
Not Getting Enough Sleep
I know its difficult to sleep through the night with a newborn, but not getting enough rest can have a negative impact on your health overall, especially your waistline. The time you are sleeping is the time your body repairs itself. Honestly, I never knew how important sleep was until I read this book. Then my whole outlook changed. I now understand that sleep is a major factor in weight loss.
Getting adequate sleep is essential for maintaining your health and energy levels. Most people need around eight hours of sleep per night. I would argue that a mom needs even more, but try to get at least seven.
How much sleep does a new mom need?
Sleep recommendations for new moms are no different than those for other adults. The problem with mom is not that they need more sleep that other adults, but that they tend to get less than is needed for any adult. The recommendation from the National Sleep Foundation is no less than six hours of sleep per night. The NSF also found in a study that new moms usually get only four to five hours of sleep per night. This severely decreases the amount of time your body has to repair and refresh itself.
Not Moving Enough
When I first left my job to stay at home, I spent the first few months in the NICU with our daughter becoming a medical mom. There is not much to do in there but sit, read research, and watch your baby. I will be forever grateful for that time, but it took its toll on me both physically and emotionally.
When I finally got home with a two toddlers and a baby, it was not as easy as I thought to make it to the gym. It wasn’t even easy to work out with video programs at home.
Exercise is an essential part of any healthy diet. As a stay at home mom, make sure to include plenty of physical activity in your day. Whether it’s taking a walk with your baby, going for a bike ride, or working out at the gym, find something that you enjoy and stick with it.
If you are worried about finding enough time to workout, read here for Seven Ways to Work Fitness into a Busy Schedule.
Not eating enough protein
Protein is essential for maintaining muscle mass, and as a stay at home mom, you need all the muscle you can get! Make sure to include plenty of high-protein foods in your diet, such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, and nuts.
Not Drinking Enough Water
Staying hydrated is essential for staying healthy and keeping your energy levels up. Drink at least eight glasses of water per day, and more if you are active. Drinking enough water is also essential if you are nursing or pumping for a baby. Y
Not planning your meals.
It can be easy to fall into the trap of eating whatever is convenient, but this is not a healthy way to eat. Plan your meals ahead of time, and include plenty of healthy options that you enjoy. Not having a meal plan to stick to can lead to extra weight from:
- Eating the “BLTs” (Bites, licks and tastes) when cooking or preparing food
- Finishing a child’s plate
- Absently snacking
- Stress Eating
Eating when you are not hungry
Oftentimes, we eat out of boredom or habit rather than because we are actually hungry. Sometimes we eat when we are stressed to avoid feeling our emotions. When you find yourself wanting to eat, ask yourself if you are really hungry or if there is another reason why you want to eat. If you want to learn more about mindset, thought work and feeling your emotions, join my free coaching group here.
Eating Junk
It can be all too easy to indulge in unhealthy foods when you are stressed or tired. Avoid eating processed foods, sugary snacks, and fried foods. Not eating enough fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are important for providing essential nutrients and antioxidants that protect against disease. Make sure to include at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. If fast food is an issue for you, read this post about How to Stop Eating Fast Food.
Skipping Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it is especially important for stay at home moms who are trying to watch their weight. Make sure to eat a healthy breakfast every morning, including plenty of protein and fiber. Try these easy breakfast recipes that you can make ahead:
Drinking too much Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant, and too much of it can lead to anxiety and sleeplessness. Limit your caffeine intake to no more than 300 mg per day. Though you may feel that you need to jolt of energy from that extra cup of coffee, it may be sabotaging your diet efforts. If you do need to drink coffee, try drinking a bullet proof coffee like this one to increase you fasting window.
These are nine of the most common Stay at Home Mom Diet Mistakes. Avoiding these mistakes will help you stay on track with your diet and maintain your figure. Good luck!
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