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When we are mothers, wives, and partners, our focus is on caring for those around us. So much time during our lives is spent caring for others that we neglect our own health and well being in the process.
Through personal experience, I have learned that if I am not physically fit and healthy, it will someday negatively impact those who love me. It is never too late to change our lifestyle.
How can we take good care of ourselves? Here are some things that I have incorporated into my life to stay healthy.
*This information is not meant to be used as a substitute for your own decision making or as a replacement for the recommendations of your doctor or health care provider*
Get a physical exam from a doctor annually- this is so important because it gives you an idea of your overall health. Two years ago, I got the news that my cholesterol was on the verge of being high. My blood pressure was higher than it had been the previous year. Having this information gave me a health goal to work towards.
I also make sure to visit my gynecologist for a check up every year as well. It isn’t as much fun to go as when I was pregnant, (hearing the heart beat of the baby, measuring my growing tummy), but I know that it is important to track any changes in my health status.
This link has some excellent information about what types of exams women should have yearly.
http://www.womensheart.org/index.htm
Follow a healthy diet- learn what you should and should not include in your diet to keep your body healthy. This has been the biggest change for me this year. I have lost 60 lbs and it really has changed my life. I look better, feel more energized, and I found out at my recent check up that my blood work showed all my important numbers to be below what is recommended.
I am working on reaching my healthy BMI!
There are tons of diet plans out there for weight loss and healthy eating. Do your research before choosing one to start.
This link gives you some important information about nutrition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthy_diet
Exercise- not only will doing daily exercise keep you physically fit, but it is also good for relieving stress! There are so many ways to include exercise into your daily life, do some research and see what fits your lifestyle best!
I have been riding bikes with my kids, walking the dog, using our treadmill, and I even attempted a little jogging.
I am planning on joining the gym again this winter. It is hard to stay motivated on any plan, but the rewards are so worth it!
Find some time for yourself! Every one of us needs a little time to do something that brings us joy. It isn’t always easy to find the time to do something for ourselves. I have learned, however, that if I neglect having time for myself, I burn out and run thin on patience. Here are some little things that help me “escape” :
*a cup of coffee and time on my computer (yes, I’ll admit it Face Book) AND working on fulltime-mom.com is now my favorite thing to do, even if I only have 5 minutes to work on it!
*taking the dog for a walk
*reading a book or magazine in a quiet spot of the house for 15 minutes, (however long the kids let me have)
*baking something for my family
*taking an afternoon nap while my little one naps
*calling an old friend and laughing about old times
*going through old picture albums, watching home movies
*going shoe shopping (even just looking)
*being outside in nature
*getting a pedicure- I don’t do this as often as I would like..actually now that I think of it, I haven’t had one in 4 years (is that really possible???)...but it is so relaxing and you feel wonderful, something about a pretty color on my toes that makes me feel good...
What do you do to take care of yourself? Use 5 minutes of your free time and come post on our discussion boards, the other moms want to hear from you!
To be a good caregiver to our families, we first have to take care of ourselves.
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