A Mother’s Day Resolution

On this Mother’s Day, I’m giving myself and my 3 year old daughter a very special gift: the gift of good health. Since the number one reason I want to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle is to be a good role model for my daughter, Mother’s Day is the most appropriate day to start making healthy changes in our lives.

To kick it all off, I’m making a Mother’s Day resolution:

Starting today, I am going to make healthy choices and lose weight, and I’m going to do it one step at a time.

This week I will make one healthy change to my life. Something I can fit into my hectic working mom’s schedule. I will replace soft drinks with water. And next week, I will add another small change.

Do you have a Mother’s Day resolution?

25 Weight Loss Tricks for Working Moms on the Go

1. Brown bag a healthy lunch to work instead of eating out
2. Eat breakfast (not the hotcakes with sausage kind)
3. Replace high calorie drinks with water
4. Keep a healthy snack in your handbag for emergencies. I like mixed nuts, granola bars, or dried fruit.
5. Wear flats to work. They’re in style and you’re more likely to walk around if your feet don’t hurt. If you must wear heels for meetings, keep a spare pare in your desk drawer.
6. While your kids play, find creative ways to convert the playground into your own personal gym.
7. Use a smaller plate for instant portion control (no seconds unless they’re veggies)
8. Clean your house from top to bottom. You’ll get a good workout in and will be able to enjoy the results.
9. Take your kids on an adventure. Pick a route to walk and make up a story to act out along the way.
10. Take advantage of your company’s in-house fitness program. Many organizations are offering paid time off to exercise or have fitness equipment available to employees.
11. Choose whole-grain breads and pastas when you have the option.
12. Hang a mirror next to the refrigerator as a reminder of how far you’ve come (or how far you’ve got to go).
13. Vow to exercise just 10 more minutes a day.
14. Plant a garden. It’s a good workout, and your kids will enjoy it. Don’t forget to plant some fresh herbs, tomatoes, or strawberries.
15. Instead of emailing your coworkers down the hall, walk over and have a real conversation.
16. Squeeze in a short walk during your lunch hour.
17. Play some upbeat music and dance with your kids.
18. Cut vegetables ahead of time for a quick, healthy snack or salad.
19. Buy a pedometer. Try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day.
20. Get a mini makeover. When you feel good about yourself, you are more likely to take care of yourself.
21. Don’t celebrate successes with food. Instead, Get a massage, take time to read, or go shopping.
22. Don’t eat on the run. Eat, sitting down, at a table. Put your food on a plate. Use a knife and fork. Take your time, and don’t forget to chew.
23. Make it easy to choose the right foods by keeping them within reach. Move healthier foods to the front of the refrigerator, or keep a fruit basket on the kitchen counter.
24. Eat when you are hungry. Stop eating before you’re full.
25. Hula hoops are great exercise and offer a chance to be silly with your kids.

My Top 10 Reasons to Lose Weight

1. To be a good role model for my daughter
2. To have the energy to keep up with her
3. To improve my health
4. To live long enough to see my grandchildren grow up (if I ever have any)
5. To feel comfortable in my own skin
6. To be sexy again
7. To look more polished and professional at work
8. To have more energy and focus at work
9. To lower my risk of disease
10. And, of course, to look good in a swim suit

The working mom goes on a diet (again)

Ever since my daughter, now 3, was born, I’ve been trying to get rid of that excess “baby fat.” Problem is, I never get past the first few weeks of a diet before life takes over and I revert back to my old ways. The result? My weight shoots back up the second I let my guard down. I buy yet another diet book, get motivated again, and the cycle continues. Many of the diets I’ve tried are too labor intensive and time consuming. As a working mother, I just don’t have the time to calculate calories, remember complicated rules, or go to the gym. I need a weight loss program that fits into my life. I need a diet that works for the working mom.

I’ve decided to create my own plan, one I can stick to in the long run. For lack of a better name, I’ll call it the Working Mom Diet. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking for an easy way out. Just something I can actually DO. I don’t expect to lose weight fast, but I will get leaner and healthier over time. Besides, what good is losing rapid weight loss if you can’t stay with it and sustain the results? If I continue yo-yo dieting, I’ll be no better off a year from now than I am today. Instead, I’m going to commit to small, healthy changes one doable step at a time.

I invite you to check in from time to time to see how I’m coming along in this little experiment. I’ll let you know what’s working for me, what’s not, and share what I’ve learned.

Leigh