May 16, 2021: Moms and Weight Loss

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Mothers are, without a doubt the most selfless clients I have ever worked with, almost to a fault. I wish they would just be a little more selfish sometimes and give their personal, physical and mental health a bit more of a priority. This week, we’re going to talk about the 5 anchors that tend to hold most moms back from getting the better body they so desperately are seeking.

Many good mothers miss the boat when it comes to their fitness. In general, they tend to put all of their personal ambitions aside for the good of their friends and family. But, a mom who doesn’t workout or eat the right food at the right times will not be running on all cylinders.

Here are some of the biggest obstacles moms tend to experience when losing or maintaining weight.

Obstacle #1: Too Many Missed Meals - Especially Breakfast!

Many busy moms are simply on a roller coaster ride from dawn until dusk, dealing with the stresses of parenting and challenging careers. Mornings can be especially difficult, since there is often the need to feverishly multi-task to get the kids fed and off to school. Not to mention the fact that many busy moms today have to deal with their own demanding, high-stress jobs.

So missing breakfast becomes a reality, often leading to a host of other missed meals and snacks throughout the day. While this leads to a lack of nutrition to maintain a lean, toned body, it more significantly primes you to overeat junk food later in the day to recover low blood sugar. This zaps your energy and leaves you feeling foggy, irritated, and lethargic all day long.

Obstacle #2: Failing to Make the Daily Workout Appointment

Moms never miss an appointment for their kids. Why? Well, yes, it’s because they love them, but more importantly, it’s because they love their kids enough to religiously schedule their appointments!

If you are a busy Mom who is serious about your fitness, then you absolutely need to take the same approach with your workouts. In addition, you need to be sure that you schedule in your daily workouts when you are most likely to do them rather than when you prefer to do them. For example, you may prefer to workout in the evening, but with after school activities, dinner and homework that just may not be realistic. Getting your workout done first thing in the morning may be the best option.

Obstacle #3 - Eating “What the Kids Like”

If you have picky eaters, or even just kids with normal kid palates, you might end up cooking two dinners to cover children and adults. That is impractical, so many moms just give in and eat the dinosaur nuggets too.

So, my advice is to learn to cook healthy alternatives and teach your children what real food is. How can you make healthy food fun? Maybe cut fruit with cookie cutters, make a build-your-own healthy taco assembly line, or even make cooking a fun activity you do together.

Obstacle #4 - Too Much Cardio and Not Enough Weights

Cardio training burns some calories and is good for your health (to a point), but it simply doesn’t increase your metabolism or tighten your body like weight training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) do. So, depending on your goals, you’ll want to add in 2-3 strength workouts per week. Bonus - it makes hefting around strollers, children, and Costco-sized groceries easier.

Obstacle #5 - Too Many Glasses of Wine In The Evening

Mommy memes would be nothing without wine moms. I know that nobody wants to hear that a glass or two of wine at night is going to stop your fitness goals in its tracks. Especially if it’s your relaxation ritual. But the reality of the matter is that alcohol has the double-edged sword of both paralyzing the fat-burning process while simultaneously creating fat within the body. Plus alcohol tends to lower inhibitions leading to the consumption of other junk food. Not good!

Now, I want to be sensitive to those busy, hard-working moms who have a glass of wine at the end of the day to unwind and take some of the load off of their shoulders because I hear you. But, I also know there are other healthier ways to de-stress that don’t have such a negative effect on your body composition. Try stretching, foam rolling, taking a bath, reading a book, etc.

Next Sunday, we’ll talk about the reasons why you should enjoy more fruit.

Want some expert help with reaching your health goals painlessly? Check out my programs! We’ll get everything taken care of in a way that fits into your current lifestyle so you never have to think about your health again.

Do you have a friend who could stand to G(her)ST? Feel free to forward this!

I hope you have a wonderful week,

Kelly

Kelly Morgan, Ph.D.

Tsirona - www.tsirona.com

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