4 Ways to Stay Fit as a Busy Mom

Making time to eat healthily, move your body, and invest in self care can be a challenge when you're single, let alone raising tiny humans! We've called on some inspiring mamas (including a dog mom) from the Natural Force family to give you their best tips for balancing motherhood with a healthy lifestyle to support you on your mission to be the healthiest version of you - for both you and your family!

Take it away, ladies!

Glowing mom, Stephanie Greunke (@rockyourhormones)

1. Taking Care of Yourself Is Taking Care of Your Family

• Sydney McGovern (@tinted_pink): Make YOUR HEALTH a priority. I find that sometimes I focus so much of my energy on making sure my son and my husband are always eating/feeling healthy that I forget about ME! My health is so important. If I’m not taking care of myself I can’t take care of my family. (@tinted_pink)
• Nicole Kopp (@butterandbabies): Please, please don’t forget to make time for yourself to take care of you! I’ve learned very quickly that if I’m always last in line with my needs never being met, I lack in my ability to be the best version of myself I can be for my family.
• Stephanie Greunke (@rockyourhormones): Don’t feel guilty about taking time away from your family to exercise. I promise your family will thank you for taking time away when you come back feeling refreshed and more resilient!

Dog mama, Alexis Matthews (@100ketodays) and her pup!

2. Prioritize Movement and Exercise

• Stephanie Greunke (@rockyourhormones): Consider exercise as an appointment with yourself. This could be once a week, daily, or multiple times per week. The amount of time you commit is less important than your ability to stay consistent. Keep your appointments realistic and flexible. As long as you move your body in some way during your "exercise appointment" you win!
• Michelle Gebbie (@summit_lady_food): Exercise releases endorphins in our brain making us feel good! It only takes 30 minutes a day! I know stepping away from mom life for a workout leaves me feeling happy & refreshed to come back to my kids. Happy mom = happy kids :)
• Alexis Matthews (@100ketodays): Find exercises that include the whole family, like hiking with the family and pets, too!
• Stephanie Greunke (@rockyourhormones):  Choose fun! Experiment with different kinds of workouts until you find one you love! Don't stress about how many calories you're burning or how hard you're pushing. Just enjoy the movement and time to yourself.

Spring 2018 Force of Nature, Michelle Gebbie (@summit_lady_food) and her kid!

3. Teach Healthy Habits By Example

• Michelle Gebbie (@summit_lady_food): When our kids see us eating well and living a healthy lifestyle they will follow along and see it’s important for our vitality. And kids love to be included in the cooking process! Swap out your normal lunch for a salad daily. It's a great way to get in your vegetables plus high-quality protein & healthy fats like nuts/seeds, avocado, or olive oil for the perfect balanced meal.
• Michelle Gebbie (@summit_lady_food): Get outside! Garden together as a family or go on a hike in the woods or beach. As moms, sometimes being cooped up in the house can be hard. Siblings fighting, too much screen time, "I'm bored," etc. Fresh air and nature is the perfect medicine to cheer up any mood!

Nicole Kopp (@butterandbabies) and her beautiful family!

4. Busy Mama Hacks

• Nicole Kopp (@butterandbabies): Do NOT skip meals! I keep a couple snack size baggies of my protein in my purse and diaper bag at all times. If I ever go more than 3 hours where getting myself fed isn’t an option, I grab a baggie and buy myself a water bottle and there you have it: nourishment for my body.
• Alexis Matthews (@100ketodays): Have go-to healthy, filling snacks in place. Mine include fat bombs or iced coffee with emulsified MCT oil, and carrots for Jackson, our dog. Always carry water with you, especially on hot or overly active days!
• Nicole Kopp (@butterandbabies): Sometimes days just get too busy, but I like to live by the 80/20 rule: As long as I am properly fueling my body and getting my heart rate up daily 80% of the time, then there’s plenty of fun to be had with the other 20%.
• Sydney McGovern (@tinted_pink): “I am my problems BUT I am also my SOLUTION!” When life gets hard it can be easy for me to blame my husband, the weather, the car in front of me or even sometimes my son... But I always remind myself that only I have the power to create what I want in my life. If I didn’t eat well that day, or I didn’t get to the gym... It’s no one else’s fault but my own. If I’m feeling just downright awful I have full control over changing that if I want! It’s really that simple.

We hope these tips help all those amazing moms out there! Love on those babies as much as you can, but don’t forget to take care of yourself too!

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