February brings Valentine’s Day and thoughts of love to everyone, young and old. As a mom, it can seem that we’re giving love to our spouses, our children, our community, and our loved ones while seldom giving love to ourselves. How many times have you stood in the mirror and chided yourself because you didn’t like what you saw? Or if you make a mistake that you’d easily forgive another for yet beat yourself up over it? How about those frazzled mommy-moments when you’re feeling less than motherly?
The good news is that each moment presents an opportunity to practice self-love. Being kind to yourself in moments of weakness is one of the most important things you can do for yourself, as a woman and especially as a mom. The truth is that the idealized self you have been dreaming about is just that: a figment of your imagination. Getting up each morning and simply doing your best (which varies moment to moment, circumstance to circumstance) can help you to bring forth your best self. And in doing so, you are providing an example to your children (especially your daughters!) of the importance of being good to yourself in light of taking care of others.
As moms, life can quickly become very busy. How often do you find yourself with very long “to do” lists? As a result of this epic list, you move from one appointment, task, or chore to another often at the expense of your own physical and emotional health.
When you’re wrapped up in your to-do list, healthy eating often takes a back-burner. You may skip breakfast or decide to pick up some unhealthy food from a fast food restaurant on the way to work. You may forgo your workout to drive the kids to practice.
In the midst of completeing the never ending to-do list, your sleep habits often begin to suffer. And as any parent knows, sleep becomes secondary to taking care of the kids. Although you may not think much about it, exercise, our diet, and the amount of sleep you get are all very important aspects of self-love, and self-love is incredibly important to your physical and emotional health.
A major effect of poor self-love is that it can “muddy” or “cloud” our emotions. When you are tired, hungry, overly stressed out or in bad physical shape, chances are you may be more reactive or have stronger emotions. For example, think about a time when you were feeling overwhelmed because of work, finances, or family. Did you find that it was harder for you to manage your emotions? Did you snap at people who may not have really deserved it? Did you find that you started crying for no apparent reason? Were you overly anxious and not sure why?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you likely were experiencing an emotional response that was fueled by poor self-love. These cloudy emotions can interfere with us responding to a situation in an appropriate manner. Such emotions highlight that important body-mind connection: when your body is suffering (through poor eating, lack of exercise) your mind follows suit.
Improving Self-Love
There are a number of ways to improve self-care and reduce the occurrence of cloudy emotions:
- Make sure you get enough sleep: This can be tough, especially if you’ve got young children. Find time to nap during the day. As little as 20 minutes of snooze time can rejuvenate you!
- Eat well: Choose going to a natural food store for some ready-to-eat items as opposed to fast food drive-thru’s. Remember, in order to get good on the outside, you gotta put good on the inside!
- Exercise: The good news is that as a kettlebell mom you can do your kettlebell workouts in your PJ’s – No excuses, Ladies!
- Practice meditation: Meditation has been shown to increase the density of your
brain’s grey matter (that’s the stuff that makes you smarter!). As little as 10 minutes a day can help you to focus and return to a more balanced state. Find a quiet spot and focus on your inhale and exhale. Notice where there is any resistance or pain in your body, just notice it. Refrain from judging it – and then breath into that area and let go. - Avoid or limit your intake of alcohol: Alcohol first works as a stimulant, then as a depressant. What’s worse, is that it’s full of empty calories, impairs your judgement, and new research is suggesting that even the few glasses of wine can put you at a health risk. There are a number of healthier things you can do for yourself instead of reaching for a glass.
- Regularly go to a doctor for a check-up: You may think it’s just one more thing on your to-do list, but keeping yourself healthy is essential to keeping other members of your family healthy.
These are just a few things you can do to start improving self-love. See if you can add any more things to this list, and try to figure out ways in which you can incorporate some of these aspects of self-love into your daily life. Even making one positive change in your life can make a huge difference. Taking time out for your own self-love restores you, physically and emotionally; enabling you to go out each day and do your best.
races, you blush at the thought of your special someone, your palms get sweaty. Researchers say this is due to the dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin we’re releasing. Scientific research over the last several decades has led to the revolutionary discovery of these opiate-like chemicals in the body that associate with opiate specific receptors in the brain and spinal cord. There are three neurotransmitters responsible for the euphoria:
Getting adequate exposure to sunlight on a daily basis. Studies have proven that being exposed to light helps with depression and stimulates serotonin production by counteracting the production of melatonin—a hormone created by darkness that induces sleep.
Ensuring enough vitamin B6 in your diet. B6 helps to convert the amino acid tryptophan into serotonin. Try to eat a diet that is full of fish, fruit, vegetables, legumes, and nuts as well as has low amounts of sugar and alcohol. An example would be a Mediterranean diet which is high in folates and B6. Both are helpful nutrients that stimulate serotonin conversion in the body.
These foods hike insulin levels, thereby disturbing body’s hormonal balance. Also, such foods are high in macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates, and protein) but low on micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (FOUND IN YOUR VEGGIES!), which signal the brain to send messages. Foods rich in fiber and micronutrients (create feelings of satiety, thereby decreasing hunger and appetite. The state of optimum nourishment also removes the desire to overeat. You end up being trim, healthy, and happy.
total carbohydrate intake per day is often limited. For example, during the initial two to three weeks on the diet, the carbohydrate intake may be restricted to less than 60 grams per day, depending on age, health, activity level, and the extent of food sensitivities. Low-carbohydrate foods such as meat, chicken, turkey, shellfish, non-starchy vegetables, and certain nuts are emphasized instead.
headed in the wrong direction. Daily stress can result from an unhealthy lifestyle that isn’t in line with your values as well as an overall feeling of underlying tension when part of you feels you’re not leading the healthy life you’d hoped for. These are some goal setting techniques can help you to get more in touch with your goals and get the healthy lifestyle you’ve been dreaming of.
a magical health fairy and when you wake up tomorrow you have magically transformed into that healthy person you’ve always wanted to be. What is the first thing you do when you wake up? Do you go for a run? Do you do some kettlebell snatches in your PJ’s? What is your breakfast like? Do you have the energy to play outside with your kids? Do you look in the mirror and love what you see? Do you wake up without all the usual aches and pains?
and as a form of continued motivation. Journaling about your goals (even if it’s just for 5 minutes before you go to bed!) includes processing feelings and brainstorming solutions. This can not only relieve stress, but also help you attain your healthy goals by providing an opportunity to work through problems, find solutions, and keep from getting ‘stuck’ in unhealthy patterns (such as choosing fast or processed foods over organic, whole foods!)
celebrate and enjoy this festive time of year just know that the holiday mindset can often lead to overindulging in unhealthy foods and quickly getting you off track of your healthy food choices and your kettlebell routine. The good news is that your will power is strong and you’ve been equipped by Jill and Renee on how to resist holiday treat temptation and keep yourself on track. Here are a few holiday pointers to keep you going in the right direction even when attending holiday parties.
mouthfuls of each item. Then add a few new things and take one to two mouthfuls of those. By eating just a little of a lot you will feel like you have had everything (after all, you have) but haven’t held yourself back from the enjoyment, all while not overeating. This works with desserts as well. Take a very tiny slice of pie, a small scoop of ice cream, or a very small corner of cake. These will still have calories and loads of sugar, but if you only eat a little then you will be far better off than if you consumed large portions (like most people at holiday parties do).
often more than you think! It is easy to consume a huge number of unhealthy calories at a party just by having a couple of cocktails. Alcohol is full of calories that offer no nutrition. Mixed drinks are mixed with juices, syrups, sodas, and other items of little to no value. Whether grabbing a beer, a glass of champagne, a glass of wine, or your favorite cocktail you are adding wasted calories to your diet. Drinking alcohol will also make it easier to overeat and to choose the wrong items as well as dehydrating you. Even low calorie options can slow digestion and make it easier for you to eat more foods. Just skip it or stick with half for a toast. Better yet, get ginger ale for your toast and only have part of it (most will think it is champagne).
can help prevent heart disease and cancer, bolster the immune system and even slow aging by promoting good vision and healthy skin. One medium sweet potato is an excellent source of beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, copper, folate (one of the B vitamins), and fiber.
Glow sticks: Glow sticks are a source of fun for kids and adults alike – and perfect for Halloween evening so the boys and ghouls can light their way! And best of all there are many different styles to choose from. There are glow sticks, glow bracelets and even glow necklaces that can provide children with fun options. And they are most likely going to be added to whatever the kids’ costumes which adds a little fun and can be used for safety as well.
s / Temporary Tatoos: What kid doesn’t love stickers? And today there are so many to choose from that you could offer a number of different options. You could have Halloween themed stickers, cartoons, sports or any other theme that kids can love. You could also offer temporary tattoos, always a hit with kids! Sheets of stickers are available at the dollar tree and other discount stores.
Sugar Free Chewing Gum: If you really like the candy tradition at Halloween but do not want to give dentists in the area a lot of work, you can always offer children sugar free chewing gum. Just make sure the gum is approved by the American Dental Association. There are many different flavors available and you can buy sugar free chewing gum in bulk at places like Costco or Target.
with it and mold it into ghost, goblins and all sorts of creatures. Just be aware when giving it out to smaller children; Play-doh may look delicious but it’s not a treat to be eaten!
from the lighting of your favorite city building, to your garden tools, to your yogurt! It’s October once again and in celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we wanted to start talking to our Moms about what they can do to help prevent the disease in their lives as well as the lives of their daughters and nieces. Benjamin Franklin once said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; taking steps now to actively prevent breast cancer in yourself and the young women you love is greater than any gift you could ever give.
What’s more is that exercising four or more hours a week can decrease hormone levels and help lower breast cancer risk. The effect of exercise on breast cancer risk may be greatest in premenopausal women of normal or low weight. That means we need to be getting those young ladies we love so much off the couch and having them help us to do a couple kettlebell snatches instead! Current research indicates that the hormone levels the body produces can be modified through physical activity. Dr. Leslie Bernstein, professor of cancer etiology at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and her team of investigators discovered that the risk of invasive breast cancer was inversely connected to long-term vigorous physical activity. Dr. Bernstein’s study revealed that women who engaged in 5+ hours per week of vigorous physical activity between their teens to their current age (or age 54 if 55 or older) had a significantly reduced risk of breast cancer in comparison to women who30 minutes of such activity per week during the same life period. The active women were 55% less likely to contract breast cancer through estrogen means, and even women who had been moderately active during the same life period had a 47% risk!