Many parents mistakenly take themselves out of the equation when caring for their children. It’s natural to want to focus only on them to provide them the best environment possible. However, if you stop focusing on yourself and neglect yourself, this can detract from being the parent you really want to be.  Parents are teachers to their children. In order for teachers to be truly effective, teachers must have some sort of expertise. Moreover, your own personal habits might eventually rub off on them, and this includes the bad ones as well as the good ones. Choosing to take care of yourself a few minutes a day is all it takes not only to raise your own self-esteem, but also to serve as a great example for your kids. If you don’t have kids, taking care of yourself will help you feel better and is worth the effort. Eating healthy food alternatives might take some initial planning at first if you plan to do an entire lifestyle makeover. However, this can be daunting for already busy, stressed out people.  Instead of keeping complicated lists of things you eat or things you should be eating, make a choice to choose healthy at every single meal and snack. Avoid foods such as candy bars, soda, cake, doughnuts, and pastries, which lead to massive energy crashes, possible headaches, and offer no nutrition, possible illness, and added calories. Think of them as all-day energy and abundant nutrition for your body, that will enable you to keep up with your job and kids, protect your body against illnesses, and extend your life so you can enjoy more time with your family. A balanced diet will provide the nutritional needs to keep you healthier and happier.  Here is a general guideline for what you should strive to eat:  1 serving of fruit or veggie at every meal. Veggies and fruits also offer a bit of protein, carbohydrates, and plant-source fiber. 1 serving of lean protein at every meal (legumes, lean meats, low fat dairy). Legumes and low fat dairy offer some carbohydrates. 2 servings of carbohydrates per day (sweet potatoes and whole oats are less processed and better than whole wheat) A bit of healthy fats, such as olive and canola oils, avocados, nuts. Nuts provide some carbohydrates as well as healthy fats. At every meal, stop yourself, and ask why you want to put unhealthy foods in your body.  Most commonly, some reasons for straying from a healthy diet are:  Healthy food choices are not available at gas stops. I’m hungry now and I don’t have time to run out/make a healthy meal. Because I just want it.   A little planning at the grocery store could help prevent this from occurring:  Buy chopped veggies, such as chopped lettuce and baby carrots for a quick salad. Buy nuts or sunflower seeds for a quick fiber/protein/healthy fats boost. You can add them to your salad for extra crunch. Many fruits are portable, such as bananas and apples. This can seem like an insurmountable task to some people. Not only do we become attached to foods because it gives us comfort (like mom’s chocolate chip cookies), but once your body is in an unhealthy cycle, processed foods like white sugar play hormonal havoc on your body and the craving for sweets cycle becomes self-sustaining. When you’re fighting your body to end the sweet cravings, this can make us feel like we’re not in control of what we eat, which can lower self-esteem. If you have frequent cravings for something sugar-laden, here are some tips to wean yourself off of that white sugar:  Crave something sweet in the morning? Replace your pastry, sugar-laden cereal, and coffee cake with oatmeal topped with stevia, cinnamon, fruit, and milk. If you don’t like oats (some people don’t like the mush factor), try brown rice instead. Need an afternoon shot of sugar? Try some dates and nuts. Want an after dinner dessert? Try a couple of squares of dark chocolate (choose the brand with the least amount of sugar) and peanut butter. Need to add a little more sweetness? Melt your chocolate, stir in the peanut butter, and add some agave nectar or stevia. Not sweet enough? You can also mix in some raisins. To increase the yum factor even more, put in a pinch of unsweetened shredded coconut. Taking time to go to the gym might seem infeasible for busy working moms and dads. That’s okay. You don’t have to go to the gym to be in decent shape. It’s not necessary to look like Atlas to have more energy, feel good, fight illness, and to be able to keep up with the demands of your busy life. There are even routines available that are ten minutes or less.  You can do these routines every day because they will not overtax the body.  Here are a few examples of quick yet effective workout programs:  Daily Workout Free: This is a downloadable app available on iTunes. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/daily-workouts-free-personal/id469068059?mt=8  Chatelaine Ten Minute Fitness: This downloadable app from iTunes is an international bestseller. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chatelaine-10-minute-fitness/id643853756?mt=8  The 7 Min Workout: This site tells you which simple exercises to do and times your entire seven-minute session for you. It’s so fast, you don’t even have time to spell out the word minute. Also, it offers the 7 Min diet if you offer your first name and email address. http://www.7-min.com/   Warning: These workouts are short, but they can still be rigorous. Therefore, it’s best to check with your doctor if you have a condition you are being treated for, or if you are over forty. It might sound strange, but brushing your teeth, taking a shower, styling your hair, wearing clothing that is comfortable, giving yourself a manicure, and taking care of your body in general boosts your self-esteem. If you physically feel good and make efforts to maintain your appearance, knowing you smell great in your favorite perfume or cologne, or that your hair is soft and touchable, or your eyes look extra green because you’re wearing your favorite green shirt can give you a boost for the day.
خصص وقتًا لنفسك حتى إذا كان لديك أطفال. اختر أطعمة صحية. تناول مزيدًا من الفواكه والخضروات واللحوم قليلة الدهون والبقوليات. اسعَ دائمًا لاتباع حمية غذائية متوازنة. فكّر في الأطعمة التي تختارها. امتنع عن اشتهاء الحلويات. نشّط جسمك بالحركة. حافظ على نظافتك.