Longevity logo

A Busy Mom's Guide to Healthy Food

Don't starve yourself! Mindful eating is the key.

By Jennifer EagerPublished 3 years ago 6 min read
Like
A Busy Mom's Guide to Healthy Food
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

I remember the days of eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Those were great days! I could chalk it up to being a kid, having a better metabolism, or simply the fact that way back then, nutrition and fitness weren't at the forefront of everyone's consciousness.

However, it's more likely that spending every day in nearly constant motion kept me lean. Riding bikes, jumping rope, playing hopscotch, tag, hide and seek, sports, and having a pool in the backyard meant that I was active in a way adults usually lose time for.

Fast forward a few decades, and I became a mom. I am not using pregnancy as an excuse because my youngest child is starting her senior year of high school...but let's face it, pregnancy and juggling family, home, work, friends, and hobbies make it easy to ignore your health and fitness goals. Those crazy busy years, combined with getting older, make weight gain inevitable for most of us.

I have been unhappy with my body for various reasons, tried different diets, and have made exercise a big part of my daily life. I have never lost any considerable amount of weight, and the number on the scale is ugly to my eyes, but in the past few years, I have made peace with the fact that I'm never going to be skinny, and I focus on being healthy and mindful instead.

What does this mean for my daily life? I absolutely love to cook and bake, and food has been a love language for my family my entire life. Giving up delicious meals and desserts is unthinkable. My husband and kids are also great cooks, so tempting morsels are always around even if I stopped my own creative kitchen endeavors.

So what do I do? Mindfulness around food has been life-changing for me. I never realized how many little tastes I was taking through the day: as I cooked, off my kids' plates, scarfing a quick processed snack between activities. It didn't seem like much, but then I'd wonder why I gained weight. I have had to work to adjust my habits around food, but the good news is, you can do it, too.

Log your food. Seriously, write down every single thing that goes into your mouth. Do it. Use a notebook, your phone or computer notes function, or an app like Noom or My Fitness Pal. You'll soon notice how much you eat that you don't really need, or you won't eat something just because you don't want to bother logging it--really, it works!

Focus on whole foods. You don't need to go crazy counting calories. If you snack on an apple and a piece of cheese (whole foods) instead of a bag of chips, a doughnut in the break room, or super-processed crackers with your cheese, you'll be eating healthier right away.

Give yourself a treat. Enjoy your life. It's okay to enjoy a brownie with your kids, a drink with your bestie, or to fuel yourself with a caramel macchiato from Starbucks when you're running errands. My advice is to be aware of that treat and really enjoy it. Knowing that treats aren't off-limits makes it easier to make them occasional.

Add at least one veggie or fruit to every meal. Fruits and vegetables are great for your body, and they fill you up with fewer calories. Find ways to incorporate them into every meal and snack you have and you'll get more vitamins, minerals, and fiber while feeling full faster.

Remember that food is fuel. This one can be hard. Most of us equate food with happiness. If family parties always included lasagna, if your dad always took you out for ice cream, if you love watching movies or sports with an array of snacks, if summer meant barbecues or picnics at the beach...you get the point. We need to remember that, in reality, food is what keeps our brains and bodies running. Try to choose foods you love that also give you energy and nutrients, eat them mindfully, and remember that you are not a predator who might not eat again for a week. Your next meal or snack is only a few hours away, so don't stuff yourself!

Learn about portions. This one is a bummer, as anyone that has ever measured what one serving of potato chips supposedly looks like knows. Experiment and use measuring cups and spoons for a week, or better yet, a digital kitchen scale. Get to know what a serving of your favorite food actually looks like. Do the math for the number of calories you actually used to consume when you ate that food. Be mindful of what you actually eat, and you'll probably eat less.

Drink water. This is a mantra of health and fitness gurus for a reason. Often we think we're hungry when we're actually thirsty. Keeping a water bottle on hand, setting goals for how much to drink, or drinking a glass of water before every meal are all ways to stay hydrated and ensure that hunger pangs mean hunger rather than thirst.

Healthy snacks to keep on hand

One thing that keeps me on track is having my kitchen stocked with easy, healthful choices. Nothing can derail me faster than seeing a packet of Oreos when hunger strikes! I browse Pinterest for quick snack ideas, so I always have something different to try. I like to have several small meals during the day and a regular dinner; try these for meals or snacks:

  • Hardboiled eggs
  • Low-fat cheese or Laughing Cow wedges
  • Fruit of any kind
  • Hummus or strained plain Greek yogurt mixed with salsa for veggies or whole-grain pretzels
  • Plain Greek yogurt mixed with homemade fruit compote: combine 1/2 cup water, 2 tbs. sugar or honey, and a bag of frozen fruit and cook on low till thickened. No more junk food yogurt! Store leftover fruit in a jar; this is about enough to go with a 32 oz. tub of yogurt.
  • Low sodium deli turkey or ham to make a sandwich or lettuce wrap
  • Low-calorie, multigrain bread for quick, healthy sandwiches: I love tomato, mustard, pickles, onions, and lettuce on toast.
  • Peanut or other nut butter for bananas, toast, or apple slices
  • Nuts and dried fruit (served in a small bowl to snack on at my desk)
  • Whole-grain crackers: I am addicted to cheese and crackers, so I buy healthy crackers, low-fat cheese, and pay attention to portions.
  • Tuna, chicken, or egg salad: I make it healthy by using strained Greek yogurt instead of mayo, plenty of chopped veggies like onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, pickles, and sometimes toss apple, grapes, or lentils in, too. Serve in half a bell pepper.
  • Homemade soup: in cold weather, I always make my own stock, so it's easy to whip up soups with different veggies, beans, lentils, lean meat, or barley. Soup is filling and hearty any time and keeps me from constant coffee infusions.
  • Air fryer anything: if I crave chips or french fries, I make them with just a spritz of oil. It's great for heating things or adjusting any recipe to use way less fat. If I want something sweet, I can air fry an apple, peach, or pear with a bit of butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
  • Air-popped popcorn, or use a whirly pot on the stove with minimal oil.

Eating well is all about choices. When you become mindful about your food intake, you can see a difference in how you feel, when you are truly hungry, and how boredom or different emotions play into your eating habits. By controlling your portions and mindfully incorporating fresh produce and plenty of water into your diet, you may lose pounds. More importantly, you'll feel better and improve your overall health, whatever the number on the scale is.

self care
Like

About the Creator

Jennifer Eager

I'm a freelance writer who loves reading, theater, animals, and getting outside. Married to my college sweetheart, mom to 4 kids who aren't very kiddish anymore. Politically the furthest left you can imagine, I have zero patience for fools.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.