What does it mean to be a Healthy Mama? Or Papa?

I highly encourage all of you to check out this article by the people at Whole 9/Whole 30: http://whole30.com/2014/06/good-inside/

That article really speaks to what this page is about. For me, a Healthy Mama or Papa understands self-care. Self-nurture. She usually chooses to go to bed rather than watch one more episode of The Good Wife. She builds quiet moments into her day to nourish her spirit. This can seem impossible with small children, but it is imperative. I know a number of families that have trained their children to have quiet time in the afternoon and I think that is a lovely idea. It does take some time and work though!

A Healthy Mama moves her body each day, and fuels that amazing creation with lots of fruits and veggies and quality protein. Building healthy relationships is a must for Healthy Mamas, you need time with other women for ultimate well-being. And cultivating your relationship with your spouse can not be stressed enough. Reducing stress, taking care of your emotional and mental health, are all imperative for health.

Finally, spiritual health. This is really number one. Using those quiet moments to meditate on the things of God, building relationship with your savior. Without Him, all else is pointless and void. Love him, and love yourself enough to take care of you so that you can take care of your family. 

What makes you a healthy you?

Rest.

Rest shouldn't be a four letter word. For some reason, we have made 'busy' an idol and rest has become a dirty word. I call bull on this! Rest is vital. The Whole 9 has rest as their second factor of health and wellness, right after good nourishment and before healthy movement. I know that as an introvert, quiet and rest time is vital for my mental well-being as well as my physical health.

In church this morning, our pastor spoke on rest. He told us that rest is vital not only for our physical, but also for our spiritual health. He spoke of Sabbath rest, and about creating moments of Sabbath rest in our every day. Spaces where we leave room for God in our lives. I can not express how that resonated with me. Quiet moments where I can just be. Be still with Him. And be still with myself. Room for God to speak to me. And for me to hear.

How do you find Rest?

Whole 30: Day 3

I am back on the Whole 30 bandwagon! I need to slay the sugar dragon once and for all. This is day 3 and I feel fine. None of the fogginess I experienced the first time. I did have a killer migraine yesterday, but that is normal for me when I am not eating clean, not sleeping well, or hormonal.

Since our first Whole 30, in March/April, we have continued to fill our cart with lots of veg and fruit, good protein, 120 eggs at a time and read labels like fiends. We buy seeds and nuts, though we are eating far less of those. I still don't eat much grain or rice, though I have had some bread, pasta and baking, just not every day. Or even every week. We had added white potatoes back in on a fairly regular rotation, but I don't really miss them when we don't.

I think this transition into Whole 30 has been much easier, though the first week is really the easiest. You just make choices, a big choice that then guides all the small choices each day. No, I won't eat that ice cream that my husband bought the day before I started. No I won't eat the potato chips that he over-bought for the birthday party on the weekend. No, I won't have sweets with my girlfriends at our bible study today. Yes, I will cook myself a chicken breast for supper, instead of the easy hot dogs that my husband bought for the kids because we had a crazy evening...

Making those choices makes me feel proud and powerful.  I need that. It helps me make good choices in all areas of my life.

You can follow my journey into a healthier life over at https://www.facebook.com/healthymamaandfamily

Healthy Mama, Healthy Family

I have been a mother for 20 years. As a mother, my first priority has been the health and well-being of my children. When my oldest was a baby, I decreed that we would only eat whole grain bread, I would be an example by eating my veggies and that my precious boy would not eat any sugar. Ever.

I had great intentions. I did some sugar-free baking. I bought whole grain bread. I choked down my veggies. It didn't take very long for the no-sugar rule to be broken. Grandparents love to buy treats. Mommy and Daddy loved fast food and baking. My husband and I each put on 20-40 pounds in our first year of marriage.

My son did love his veggies though. And to this day, his favourite treat is a crunchy apple. And I did learn to love many vegetables. And whole grain bread. And pasta. And baking. Maybe a bit too much.

I also knew that we needed to model a healthy lifestyle. In the early years, with 2 kids, and little access to a car, we stayed pretty active. Not active enough to counteract the Quarter Pounders, but enough to stay strong. For a year or 2, we flirted with body-building. I loved it. Loved watching muscles grow and my waist shrink. Loved being so strong! But our schedules got busier. We moved to a new neighbourhood. Had another baby or 2 and it was easy to forget about the gym.

The last 5 years have been a blur. We had a very intense baby, who still doesn't sleep well. And he has a little brother. I have been so tired that I don't want to move. So I haven't. Being exhausted and out of shape have made me super-susceptible to comfort food cravings. And junk food in the evenings. My previously clean(er) eating habits, were eroded with nightly popcorn and sugar-laden lattes. That caffeine/sugar high, when you are running on little to no sleep, is a very seductive mistress.

So, my weight has crept up. My waist has grown. and grown. Which puts me at higher risk for diabetes and heart issues. And my inactivity, combined with aging is messing with my body. When I do try to resume exercise, I get hurt. I keep pulling ligaments and tendons. Which don't heal quickly. I live with almost daily headaches as well as back and neck pain.

This seems ridiculous. I know how to fix this. I need to move my body each day. It was created to move! I need to feed it nourishing and satisfying food. I need to love myself and take care of myself. Because the old adage is true. You have to take care of yourself to take care of others.

Children don't grow into healthy adults because we tell them to eat their veggies and put them in soccer. They grow into healthy adults when we show them what that looks like. When we lead by our example. I can't do that from the couch with my hand in a chip bag.

Join the Conversation: What does health look like in your house?