Are You Taking Care Of YOU, Mom?

As Moms one thing we are good at is ignoring ourselves, our needs, and our physical health as well as our emotional health.  After having children we say that the weight is baby weight and it’s the hardest weight to get off. 

Well, that’s true, but, not why you’d think.  It’s the hardest weight to get off, because we’re honestly too busy to put any real work into it, and we’re stressed with the added “busyness” and we all know stress adds to weight gain especially in the stomach area.

We take care of the kids- multiple kids, sometimes babies and toddlers and school aged all at the same time – that daily life running back and forth and changing diapers is a lot of work.  Cooking meals, cleaning house, being a maid, a taxi driver, a nurse, a playmate, and a wife. 

We eat poorly, rarely exercise, or get physical activity, and don’t get enough sleep so it’s no wonder we don’t have time to really work on how much stress we have or our weight – so, what’s the real big deal?  I’m still moving, my husband doesn’t mind, I am healthy as a horse, right?

Well, that’s what I thought… I gained weight didn’t try very hard to get it off, I was busy doing all of the things we do.  But, one day it all caught up to me. 

The dog ran out the front door, I chased it and a few weeks later finally went to the Doctor about my foot pain.  I spent more than a month dealing with the inconsequential pain I was feeling in my foot. 

I thought it would go away, or it was nothing, I didn’t even realize the pain was due to the earlier dog chase.

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When I finally saw the Doctor I found out my Achilles Tendon was torn almost in half…., so, I had to have surgery to repair it.  I got a call the day before the scheduled surgery to tell me they would have to postpone it.  They said I was a Type II Diabetic and I had Hypothyroidism!  You could have knocked me over with a feather!

You see, I was married to a Type I Diabetic for 15 years, he died at 35 from normal Diabetic complications.  I KNEW the ramifications of this disease and I wanted NO part of it. 

So, I set out to start new ways and get rid of the weight – I knew if I took the small steps of losing the weight, chances were I could go off of the meds and live a good life.  My Doctor was in agreement with that. 

So, with much prayer and a little help from my close friends   I lost over 100 lbs and no longer require meds.

Now, I hear so many people say – “…well, I am on the meds and I adjusted my diet, so that’s good”.  Well, not necessarily, you see Type II and Type I eat away at your organs. 

Just because it’s Type II and you don’t take shots, doesn’t mean it’s not just as lethal a disease as Type I.  Weight is a HUGE factor in this disease and that is why I wanted to write this and tell my story and hope that it resonates with some of you and you take the time to take care of yourself and care of your body with a self-care plan now. 

Trust me, it’s easier to make the small change and lose the weight and get back in shape in your 30’s than it is in your 50’s!

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Best Self-Care Tips To Take Care Of Yourself

• Good night’s sleep: Not only will more hours of sleep help lower blood pressure but getting adequate sleep it is also a good way to help brain function.
• Creating a morning routine: Having a morning routine is a great way to start the day. Not only will this great tool give you more time for leisure activities such as joining a book club or going for a scenic drive it also helps you sneak in a self-care routine. This has health benefits for feelings of stress as does getting more sleep.
• Starting a healthy diet: Starting a healthy diet is one of the best ways (and also self-care activities) to help your overall health and lower your chances of heart disease which will help you live a longer life.
• Start any form of exercise: This can include something as intense as tai chi or a yoga class or something as simple as going for a walk to get fresh air. Any form of daily exercise is beneficial for many things including sleep deprivation, lowering high blood pressure, and effects of stress.

So don’t forget to take care of yourself. Enjoy the life you live, choose your battles. The kids are only living with you for so many years and then they leave. Put off the stuff you can do after they’re gone and just relax and enjoy the time you have them.

I once had a friend complaining about her 9 yr old to her husband, he looked at her and said “Honey, do you realize he has been with us half of all the years he will be?” I have never forgotten that – it’s so short. Take care of you and be there for them. You’ll both be happier you did.