New Year, New You?
Nah, we like you just the way you are. Inevitably with any new year, or decade, we reflect on the past and look towards the future. We gear ourselves up for all the exciting things we want to accomplish and all the things we want to improve on. Those resolution lists can become long and daunting. Often, they get so long we don’t know where to start and end up ditching it until the next year rolls around. As a brand-new mom I am finding it particularly important, both for my sanity and health—to keep it simple. My 2020 list isn’t necessarily loaded with new goals, it is essentially sticking to what I know works and re-focusing. Here is an inside look at my nutrition related “list” as we jump into 2020:
1. Plan/pack ahead
Currently my morning routine looks a little different with a baby in the house. The morning run, lunch packing, and tidying up have been pushed aside (for now). My goal now is to get out of the house as quickly as a can without baby waking up. This means that planning and packing ahead is a necessity, not just a priority as it always has been. See, no new resolution, just some fine-tuning. My lunch bag needs to be ready to grab and go. How do I make this happen while not taking away from cuddle time in the evenings? Well, leftovers are my go-to. Rounding up what we had for dinner the night before. It might be a home-cooked meal, left-overs from eating out or even taking a doggie bag from my parents’ house. What if there are no leftovers? A PB&J will always work alongside a string cheese, apple and carrots. I also make sure I have some canned soup or frozen meals on hand as back up (some of the Well Yes! Soups are decent, and I just picked up some Green Giant Harvest Protein Bowls to try). If and when I have time on the weekend, I do still enjoy doing some meal prep. This could be anything from bagging up veggies to making a soup to throwing together my own grain bowls or boiling eggs. This week I did an egg bake, cooked some frozen veggie burgers and baked oatmeal “cups” so that I would not have to think twice about breakfast. I swear this only took about 20 min of active prep time. What might this look like for you? Is it a weekly dinner menu? Is it a grocery list? Is it a day spent in the kitchen?
2. Drink enough water
I know, you know, we all know--we need to drink more water. I preach this all. day. long. So, one might think that me, of all people, would have this down. Well, the key for me is making sure that I have water everywhere I go. In the car, on the bedside table, at my desk, next to me while nursing/pumping etc. I can’t tell you how many times I found myself stranded in the rocking chair with a sleeping baby in my arms with NO water. Next thing I know it’s almost lunch time and I am feeling dry (lips chapped, barely have used the bathroom and a bit lightheaded on standing). I can tell you that on days that I get up and make a glass of water my priority, I feel a million times better. Do what works for you. That might be drinking a glass of water before you have coffee, it might be drinking a glass of water at/between each meal. It might mean setting an alarm. It might mean buying one of those nifty bottles that tells you how much you need to drink by a certain time of day. It might simply mean adding some lemon or a drop of essential oil to make it more appealing. Whatever it takes, make it happen!
3. Aim for a fruit or veggie at each time of eating
Again, nothing earth shattering or new. We know how beneficial fruits and vegetables are for us and yet why do we eat so few? For me, it works best to plan on including a fruit or veggie with each meal/snack. If I miss one, no big deal; I will make sure I have one the next time I eat. Nothing fancy here, it might be raspberries in the morning, left over roasted broccoli with lunch, an apple on the ride home and a side salad with dinner. I find what works best for me is to have some on hand all the time. Dried apricots, apples, carrots, and cauliflower are some staples that I know will last at least a week if I don’t get to them sooner. How might you add a fruit or veggie to your day?
Again, let’s keep it simple as we take on this new year. You got this!