In between editing a 130 page report today I turned on Oprah for a minute while sipping some tea (hot tea, and yes I drink it year-round even when it’s 90 degrees outside). The themes echoing from this show were very familiar to me – in fact, I think my sister-in-law and sister could have joined in via Skype. But I’m sure they are both too busy chasing a small child who is doing something they aren’t supposed to be doing.
I watched for about 5 minutes and realized that the underlying sentiment was “no one told me this”. ‘No one told me about all of the challenges that go with motherhood.” It was a “no holds barred” gab session between women. And, many of the ladies on there said they felt all alone because they looked at other women who seemingly had everything together and wondered why they couldn’t do it all.
Interestingly enough, the nutrition and exercise patterns of women post-baby are as similar as the other challenges they aired in this show (see www.oprah.com for a recap). They need someone to let them know they don’t have to cook every night and it’s time to drop their preconceived notions about exercise and nutrition and, do what works. I’m a huge fan of this philosophy and love when I get up front clients who tell me what they won’t do and what isn’t working. That gives me something to navigate around while we work together to develop a plan to fit exercise and healthy nutrition into their lives.
So what’s the bottom line for overwhelmed moms out there who are trying to take off the baby weight and feel more energetic while they are juggling dirty diapers and hungry kids? Do what works. Don’t set yourself up for failure by believing that one particular way of eating and exercise is the only thing that will help you and if you can’t do that then it is time to give up. If your schedule doesn’t allow for 4x a week at the gym in Body Pump class then it’s time to look for other avenues (a pedometer, treadmill at home etc.). And if your gourmet home cooked meals are a thing of the past, then it’s time to embrace healthy convenience foods. If you are having a hard time fitting it all in, ask your friends how they do it or talk to a dietitian who can sit down with you and work on a “do-able” plan.
And finally, if you are interested in following other moms, check out blogs, message boards, Oprah and my good friend Nicole Allshouse’s website: www.momwho.com. Nicole is the co-host of Talk of Alabama (ABC) and 5 months pregnant. Follow her on her journey into motherhood and change from a full-time career woman to a full-time career woman + a mom.