Wellbeing: Nutrition, Exercise, and Sleep Tips for Busy Moms

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge for anyone, but for busy moms, it can feel nearly impossible. Between taking care of children, managing a household, and possibly working outside of the home, self-care often takes a backseat. However, prioritizing health and wellness is crucial not only for moms but for the whole family. By making small changes to improve nutrition, exercise, and sleep habits, moms can have more energy and feel better equipped to handle the demands of their daily lives.

That's where the "Healthy Habits for Busy Moms" webinar comes in. Moderated by Kalyani Sirisha, Senior Marketing Manager from ekincare, and featuring Kowshik, CEO of Wholesome Eten, the webinar provides practical tips and insights to help busy moms improve their overall well-being. From simple nutrition hacks to effective exercise routines and sleep hygiene, the webinar offers actionable steps that moms can implement into their busy schedules. Post the webinar, moms can gain valuable knowledge and support to help them prioritize their health and feel their best.

What are some of the biggest challenges that you see moms facing when it comes to maintaining healthy habits? And what advice and strategies would you recommend to help them overcome these challenges?

Hello everyone, and thank you for having me here today. As a health expert, I see several challenges that moms face regularly. The biggest challenge is finding time for healthy habits. With work, family commitments, and other obligations, healthy eating and exercise can often be pushed to the backburner. To tackle this, it's essential to start small by setting achievable goals. Cultivating healthy habits is also key, as it makes healthy behaviors automatic. For example, we brush our teeth every day because it's a habit that requires little effort. Similarly, we can cultivate healthy habits over time and make them stick.

Making healthy choices easy is also important. If cooking meals from scratch every day isn't feasible, it's okay to keep healthy snacks and meals in the fridge for convenience. Mindful eating is also crucial for moms to develop a positive relationship with food and prioritize their well-being. Finding like-minded individuals and building a supportive community can also help with staying on track.

Lastly, it's essential not to be afraid to ask for help. Engaging family members in healthy activities and delegating tasks can help ease the burden. Moms do so much for their families, and it's okay to take help and prioritize self-care.

What are some dietary guidelines to ensure a healthy and balanced diet for oneself and family? How do you balance practicality of storing food with maintaining its nutritional quality?

When it comes to maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, there are a few key dietary guidelines that you should keep in mind. One common myth about nutrition is that refrigeration is bad for food. However, this is not true. In fact, refrigeration is one of the best things humankind has achieved. When you refrigerate food, the water inside is frozen, and the temperature drops to around zero degrees Celsius, which inhibits the growth of microbes and delays spoilage.

Of course, there are some give and take when it comes to refrigerating food. While it delays spoilage, it can also lead to a loss of some benefits. For instance, reheating food to a normal temperature can lead to a loss of nutrition. However, overall, refrigeration is a good thing, and you just need to know the right and wrong ways to do it.

Moving on to the key dietary guidelines, one of the most important things you can do is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. These foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and they act as a metabolism shot to help you stay energized throughout the day. Other dietary guidelines include choosing whole grains over refined grains, including lean protein in your diet, limiting unhealthy fats and fried foods, and choosing healthy fats like nuts and seeds. It's also important to limit added sugars, which are empty calories that provide no nutritional value, and to drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.

What are some practical ways that moms can incorporate exercise into their daily routines while also keeping their toddlers engaged and entertained?

Exercise and physical activity are crucial components of overall health and well-being. While many people may associate exercise with intense workouts or gym sessions, it's important to remember that physical activity can come in many forms and can be incorporated into your daily routine in practical ways.

In fact, the term "exercise" has only been used for the past few decades. For centuries, physical activity was simply a part of daily life, from walking to work to completing household chores. Even simple activities like walking to the grocery store or playing with your toddler can be considered physical activity.

Incorporating physical activity into your daily routine can be challenging, especially for busy moms with toddlers. However, there are practical ways to make it happen. For example, you could take a brisk walk with your toddler in a stroller, or involve them in outdoor activities like playing tag or kicking a ball around.

Even small changes to your routine, like parking further away from the store or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, can add up to significant health benefits over time. Additionally, incorporating short bursts of physical activity throughout the day, such as taking a quick walk during a work break or doing a few stretching exercises at your desk, can also be beneficial.

Staying active can improve circulation, boost metabolism, and promote better sleep. It can also have positive effects on mental health and can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

While joining a gym or participating in structured exercise programs can be great options for some people, it's important to remember that physical activity doesn't have to be complicated or intimidating. By making small, practical changes to your daily routine, you can easily incorporate physical activity into your life and reap the many health benefits that come along with it.

How can moms improve their sleep quality and quantity when they have limited time for rest?

Sleep is a hugely important subject, and there are a few hacks that can really help improve your sleep quality and quantity.

Firstly, maintaining a schedule is key. Try to go to bed at the same time every day and wake up around the same time every day. Even if you have night shifts, try to space out your sleep schedule as best as you can. Consistency is key, even on weekends.

One of the biggest things you can do for yourself is to get away from screens before bedtime. If that's not possible, at least dim the screen or use blue light filters. Try to have conversations with your family or catch up on daily events instead. Our eyes are sensitive to light and can be easily activated by screens, disrupting our sleep.

Keeping amber-colored lights around you during the night can also help you sleep better. This can help keep you away from activating all the phones, cell phones, and other electronics that detect color.

Your bedroom environment is also crucial for good sleep. Keep your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark. One hack that has proven successful is to paint one of your bedroom walls a dark, chocolate color. This helps keep the room naturally dark, and when you turn off the lights, it's pitch dark, which promotes better sleep.

Avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bedtime is important. Try to stay away from them for at least a few hours before sleeping. The general recommendation is not to have any coffee after 2 p.m. in the afternoon. If you have a habit of drinking a lot of caffeine, try to consume less or tone it down.

Finally, having a balanced diet and regular exercise can also impact your sleep. Take care of these factors, and your sleep will likely improve as well. Remember to prioritize your sleep, and don't hesitate to experiment with different techniques to see what works best for you.

What are some actionable steps that can be listed for building healthier habits and making positive changes, and how can one stay motivated along the way?

Maintaining good health and wellness requires consistent effort and commitment. While each person's journey towards wellness may be unique, there are some actionable steps that can be taken to start building healthier habits and making positive changes.

The first step is to reflect on your lifestyle and identify any gaps in your self-care routine. This reflection should be done periodically since wellness is a long-term journey. Once you have identified the gaps, you can start taking action by setting small and achievable goals.

It's essential to focus on habit formation when setting goals for yourself. Make sure that the goals you set become habits, so you can reap the benefits for life. It takes about 21 days to ingrain a new habit, so start small and keep it consistent. This could be as simple as adding an extra half hour of sleep to your schedule or eating one portion of fruit a day.

The second step is to make it easy for yourself to follow through with your goals. This means finding a way to make the habit sustainable. For example, if you struggle with meal prep, consider doing it in batches, maybe once a day in the evening, or three times a week. Alternatively, there are many healthy meal delivery options available that can help simplify the process.