Maintain Your Health as a Stay-at-Home Parent
By Rachel Shouse
Being a stay-at-home parent has its own set of challenges. You're home all day taking care of others and simply doing your best to keep it together at times. While your responsibilities are very important, so are you. You need to be sure that you're taking the best care of yourself that you can. Doing some of the following will help ensure that you live a long healthy life. Be sure you're getting enough exercise, eating a healthy diet, and getting and/or asking for help when you need it.
Getting Exercise as a Stay at Home Parent
It's vital that you get enough exercise. While it may seem like something you can push off to next week or next year, the more time you drag your feet the more consequences you could face. Doctors recommend that you get 3-5 hours of exercise per week. Going above that is fine as long as you're not experiencing any pain or discomfort.
Exercising is kind of like a physical health piggy bank. The work you put in now will benefit you greatly later on. Working out regularly greatly reduces your risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and more. Time can be hard to find, but think about how much time those problems would take up.
Eating Healthy at Home
Being a parent can sometimes cause plans and sometimes entire days to go crazy. Remaining mindful of what you're eating throughout the chaos may not feel possible, but there are some things you can try to keep yourself from reaching for your kids' granola bars.
One way to remain mindful is to put a piece of paper on the fridge or pantry door that reminds you of what you should and should not have. If using a bright marker or fancy paper helps grab your attention, get crafty. Be sure to stock your grocery list with healthy snack options for yourself as well. Parents tend to buy their kids what they need and completely forget that they're humans as well and need to eat.
Don't Wait Too Long to Ask for Help
Asking for help can bring on mountains of guilt to most parents. You feel the need to accomplish all your duties on your own. You're not alone and everyone needs help at some point in their lives. Try to maintain a healthy support system. Most good friends can understand that you don't have time for endless visits or phone calls and understand when you fall off the radar so don't feel guilt when you may not be available.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Valencia, Calif.