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February is American Heart Month, so I am sharing some heart-healthy habits that are good for the whole family.
Did you know that heart disease is a leading cause of death in the US for both men and women? And it is the #1 killer of women - it just comes about 10 years later for women than men.
Since my son was born, it has become more critical than ever for me to have a healthy lifestyle because I want to model a healthy lifestyle for him and be around for a long time. And while I am far from perfect at making heart-healthy choices, I have been trying to make small changes that I hope will add up to a healthier lifestyle long-term. I have chosen to share some tips that I think are fairly manageable for busy moms. I hope they inspire you to make heart-healthy changes, no matter how small.
Manageable Tips for Making Heart-Healthy Lifestyle Choices:
Consider how you can make some small changes that are sustainable, otherwise, it will be unlikely to be lasting. Think about involving your kids too!
According to the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH), some manageable habits include:
1. Try habit stacking
Habit stacking is making a small change to a habit or routine you already have makes it more likely that the new habit will stick. Examples:
On your daily walk, focus on nature instead of stressors
Writing a to-do list? Write a couple of things you are grateful for at the top.
Make a healthy snack for later while your coffee is brewing
2. Add more veggies to your plate
3. Avoid adding salt to your food
Choose low-sodium or no-salt-added foods. For example, we are big fans of canned veggies and I try to get the ones with no-salt-added instead of the regular version.
4. Reduce the amount of sugar you drink and eat
Coffee drinks are my weakness. I try to limit myself to one latte per week and otherwise will order something like an Americano that does not have a ton of sugar.
5. Try adding exercise to your daily routine
Examples:
Squats while brushing your teeth
Toe Touches, jumping jacks, and/or arm circles while you watch the morning news.
Park further away from your destination
Play actively with your children
Play music while you cook and you can dance as you prepare meals - have your kids join in!
Practice keeping your balance while getting ready for bed.
6. Cook more at home from scratch
If you eat out a lot (or use a lot of pre-packaged foods), start small. Start by cooking one or two more meals at home from scratch each week.
7. Limit alcohol
Personally, I try to only drink a glass of wine or two on the weekends and avoid alcohol during the week. Of course, the less the better.
8. Exercise
If exercise is not really your thing, try to find something you do enjoy that involves physical activity and/or something you can do with your children that you all can enjoy. Ideas:
Hiking
Going for walks/bike rides as a family
Playing sports with your children
Family Yoga
Swimming
9. Manage Stress
Ideas:
Connecting with friends/family
Meditation
Physical activity
Counseling/therapy
Taking a bath, having "me" time
Find what works for YOU
10. Get plenty of sleep
You should get between 7 and 9 hours. Note: It can be hard to get enough sleep if your child doesn't sleep through the night. I am a huge believer in sleep training for little ones. Check out my blog post 10 Reasons My Son Sleeps 12 Hours Every Night to learn how my little guy sleeps all night (which means I can get the sleep I need!).
Trust me when I say I know how hard it can be to make healthy lifestyle choices, especially when you're busy and tired. I definitely struggle with it, but all we can do is keep trying. Persistence is required and it's worth it to teach our children healthy choices and keep ourselves healthy for a long time.
Remember Mama, you are doing a great job! You got this!
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