10 Healthy Habits Healthy Moms Have

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10 Healthy Habits Healthy Moms Have

10 Healthy Habits For Stay At Home Moms

Are you thinking about starting a new habit to better your health, but have no idea where to start? Maybe your kids have worn you down so much that you know you need a change, but unsure what that change should be.

Well, whether you’re a health obsessed stay at home mom, or not, I have some healthy habit ideas for you. Some of these habits concern food, whereas others are about fitness and mental health (aka- keeping your sanity in tack while raising little humans)!

You may think some of the habits below are obvious, but if they are so obvious then why do we not do them?

Turn them into a habit, and you’ll be set; becoming healthier yourself, and in turn helping your children create their own healthy habits. Because our kids see what we do, they see everything we do, and they copy us, whether we want them to or not!

Other habits won’t be so obvious, and I’ll explain why those habits are needed and how they can help you be healthier, save time, and benefit your kids, as well.

As a stay at home, and work at home, mom myself, I know how hard it can be to create a habit just for me to do better. It’s much easier when it benefits my whole family.

Maybe it’s mom guilt.

Maybe you’re the same way.

So, I’ll explain why you need to start the habits below and how they will benefit your whole family!


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10 Healthy Habits Healthy Moms Have

10 Healthy Habits Healthy Moms Have

Start Eating Better

If you take a look around this website you’ll find a lot of articles having to do with food, along with healthy recipes. So, I may be a little biased when it comes to thinking that what we eat has the most to do with our health. But, in reality, it’s true. That is why there are these quotes about food:

  • You are what you eat
  • Health is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise

And, food is a common ground for everyone; everyone needs to eat, it brings families and friends together, and what we eat actually matters. I could go on and on about the sociology of food; but for your sake I won’t, and I’ll get to the habits you can start making, concerning food that will benefit you and your kids/family!

Eat more veggies (in front of your kids)

Eating more veggies is awesome for your health!!

It’s also great for your children’s health!

And, if you make a habit to start eating more veggies in a day, your children will see you doing that and may want to do the same. Or, they may do what most kids do, and try to eat your food.

Either way, it’s helping to get more nutrients (vitamins and minerals) into you and your kids. You may even start trying new veggies and experiment more with different veggies to try to eat a certain number of veggies a day!

Plus, many people, even some experts, can’t seem to agree on what healthy eating looks like; but one thing everyone agrees on is that we need more veggies in our diet!

So, start with one more than usual a day, then keep adding one a day until you’re eating several a day and are automatically adding them to all of your meals!

Meal prep

If you start taking meal prep seriously and turn into a weekly habit, make it apart of your weekend routine, like grocery shopping is; then you’ll be well on your way to eating better, your family may be, too!

This isn’t a daily habit, so it may take a bit longer to turn it into a habit, but it will absolutely be worth it.

Just think, you hear the sound of your family asking ‘what’s for dinner?’ and instead of responding that you don’t know, or getting irritated that the question is even being asked in the first place; you’ll know exactly what is for dinner, know that it’s healthy and balanced, and know that all you’ll have to do is warm it up!

No chopping, sauteing, or cooking; just warming up food! Except for on meal prep day, of course.

Meal prepping will also save you money by not having to buy food out when you have a kitchen full of food. And, it will help you prevent waste, by having you use up the food you buy, such as perishables, before they go bad.

Obsess over making freezer meals 

Obsessing over making freezer meals is another habit stay at home moms should have, but like meal prepping, it’s not a daily habit. This habit should be monthly and will have similar results as meal prepping.

Think of this monthly habit as long term meal prepping, and even longer term if you have a chest freezer!

Even if you just make 4 or 5 freezer meals a month, that’s 4 or 5 extra meals that you can use during the month, or save for the next month. It will ensure that you have a back up meal in case one of the meals you made didn’t turn out good, or if your grocery budget gets really tight by the end of the month.

Stocking up on freezer meals once a month will prevent you from having to eat an unhealthy boxed or processed meal, to ‘save on time’, or prevent us from getting a pizza delivered!

I personally try to keep up this habit, it’s tough to remember to do every month, which is why I use the monthly tracking sheet from my Simplify Your Life workbook. Before creating this workbook, I was literally writing the same tasks out everyday on post it notes and then crossing them out. This workbook just makes more sense! You can check it out here and have it sent to your email for free!

The last time I made freezer meals, I made about 40 burritos or green goddess wraps, and spring rolls.

Money is tighter this month than it was last month, so I’m glad that I know I can send the burritos with my husband for lunch, I can eat the goddess wraps (so good!) for lunch, and my girls just want (healthier versions of) pb&j’s anyways. That means all I have to worry about are meals on the weekend, breakfast (which is oatmeal), and dinner.

So, start the habit of making freezer meals to save you:

  • time
  • sanity
  • and money

And, of course, help you and your family eat healthy meals, even when you’re short on one or all of the above!

Stop ordering food and eating out

One of the best habits you can start to be healthy as a stay at home mom is to stop ordering food out, or stop going out to eat.

I understand that just because you’re a stay at home mom, doesn’t mean you have all the time in the world to make healthy meals for every meal of the day. (That’s why I suggest meal prepping and making meals to freeze!)

However, eating out, whether it’s fast food or at a fancy restaurant, isn’t as convenient as you may think it is.

If you are currently in the habit of going out to eat, start breaking it now, and instead, start eating at home, or at least eating food from home!

Pack everyone’s lunch for the day 

Yes, even though you’re eating at home!

Whether you’re in the stage of having little ones and are literally a stay at home mom, are dropping and picking kids up from school, or have older children who are super busy and need to be driven everywhere (what feels like all the time), you can benefit from packing lunches for everyone for the day.

For example, I started homeschooling my 6 year old this year (I also currently have a 3 year old and 2 month old); you would not believe how convenient it is to have everyone’s lunches packed before I even give my kids breakfast.

Packing my husbands lunch ensures he doesn’t eat out and spend money on unhealthy food.

Packing my 3 and 6 year olds lunches means that they can eat when they are hungry; even if I’m busy helping another child with something, or nursing the baby.

Packing my own lunch helps my healthy eating habits stay on track even when I get stressed out from everything in the day. Honestly, if I didn’t pack my lunch, I’d probably trying to eat sweets all day long because that is what I tend to resort to when stressed.

Thank goodness for being prepared and always having healthy food ready to eat when I need it!

Hopefully you can create this habit for yourself, too, so you can feel the relief of always having healthy meals on hand when you most need them. And, actually feel satisfied with the food you eat, so you’re not still hungry and craving unhealthy food!

Check out my lunch box method here: How to use the Lunch Box Meal Prep Method

Drink more water (water = energy)

A little nutrition lesson: our cells crave water (and other nutrients), they need water to work properly. If you deprive your cells of water, they get tired, which makes you tired and your energy is drained. So, forget the coffee and grab a cup of water instead!

I’m not saying you can never have coffee (with 3 kids, I love my coffee, too!). But, if you notice yourself reaching for your third or fourth cup of coffee for the day, that’s not what your body needs.

Try drinking a large glass of cold water instead to help you get moving. You may be amazed at the results!

To help you with this habit, be sure to have a water bottle, the bigger the better!

I’ve used many different kinds of water bottle over the last several years; I currently use a mason jar with a top and straw. Sometimes, simpler is better!

Exercise

When you are thinking about creating healthy habits for yourself, if you’re not thinking about what you eat, then you’re thinking about how fit you are, or exercising more.

For some moms, especially stay at home moms, getting to the gym everyday can seem like a far away dream. Unless the gym you’d go to has a child care center built in (some do), it would be almost impossible to get the free time to go everyday. Plus, it costs money to go to the gym and to have someone else watch your kids for you.

Luckily, there are some great habits you can start (with your kids) that are healthy and free!

Go outside everyday (as weather permits)

Make it a habit to go outside everyday with your kids! That is, if it’s not too cold or too hot.

I don’t know about your kids, but mine start to run around like crazy every time we go outside. Do what they do and play!

Some ideas of what to do with your kids outside:

  • race
  • play tag
  • jumping jacks
  • make an obstacle course
  • jump rope
  • hula hoop
  • play ball
  • frisbee
  • basketball
  • badmitten
  • basically anything you can do to move and be active!

This habit is mostly about increasing your exercise for the day. But, it will also show your kids how to be stay fit and active through out their life.

And, as a bonus, you’ll be getting your daily dose of vitamin D from the sun!

Work out with your kids

Do this everyday, whether it’s outside or indoors when the weather isn’t ideal!

If you workout everyday and turn it into a habit, then you’ll show your kids that staying active is important.

If you have young kids, they’ll probably join in with you! Especially if you make it fun.

I grew up with my mom having tons of work out videos. So, naturally when I say I’m going to workout, it means I’m going to follow one of my workout videos (I have this one, this one, and then this one for when I’m pregnant).

If you don’t like following workout videos then try dancing to upbeat and fun music with your kids for cardio. My girls favorite songs to dance to are by Jojo Siwa and from their favorite shows, like the PJ Masks. What kind of music do your kids like dancing to?

For strength training, you can do the basics, like lifting weights or doing body weight exercises like push ups and planks.

Or, use your kids as the weights!

See how many times you can lift them from straight in front of you to above your head.

Hold them, on your front or back, while doing squats.

I have a 12 pound, 35 pound, and 55 pound ‘weight’.

How about you?

Mental Health

Most people, when thinking about creating healthy habits, will only think about the first two types above; food and exercise. But, mental health plays a crucial role in staying healthy, as well, especially for stay at home moms!

You set the tone for your home. If you’re not happy, then no one is!

So, make sure you have some habits in place for yourself to help you stay sane. Staying sane and having good mental health is what will allow you to create the other healthy habits above. It’s also what will help you stay calm when you have kids waking you up at all hours of the night or when you’re trying to do something and get interrupted every two seconds. Needless to say, it’s crucial for your healthy and your family’s health!

Have time to yourself each day

Maybe, if you’re an extrovert, you won’t need time to yourself everyday. But, maybe you will, I don’t know, I’m personally an introvert.

If you’re an introvert, having time to yourself everyday is a non-negotiable!

If you don’t get this alone time, you’ll be prone to:

  • snapping at your kids for no reason
  • crying (because you’re overwhelmed)
  • feeling overwhelmed
  • trying to replace your alone time with caffeine (not good!)
  • trying to nap (and failing because of tiny humans poking you)
  • and more!

So, do yourself and family a favor and have some alone time during the day!

I’m not even saying you need an hour of alone time, sometimes all you’ll need (and have time for) is 5 minutes. But, that 5 minutes is yours, and yours to yourself; to sit in peace and quit, drink some warm coffee or tea, let your mind wonder, or anything else you would like!

Have a hobby, or something just for you 

Going along with the habit of taking some time for yourself; get yourself a hobby or find something you enjoy doing, and do it when you can!

I have a few hobbies, my favorite one is blogging and freelance writing. I just love writing and helping others with what I write, so this hobby is fulfilling for me.

If you’re interested in blogging check out: How to Start a Blog: Step by Step for Beginners

Other hobbies to consider may be:

  • writing for fun (or writing something else, like a book)
  • reading
  • a sport
  • hiking
  • gardening
  • cooking or baking
  • running
  • binge watching your favorite show on Netflix or Amazon Prime
  • and more!

What do you like to do? What hobbies do you have, or what hobby will you start enjoying?

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