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As a mom, you probably think a lot about what it takes to raise healthy kids. In fact, we’ve even covered healthy habits for kids in another episode. But hopefully, you’ve also wondered about the habits of healthy moms?
With the help of our guest, Katie Haines, a mom and health coach herself, today we’ll be talking about:
- Tips on finding what foods actually work for you (4:30)
- The myth of “perfect” eating and why ease, flexibility, and responsiveness are so important (10:50)
- How and why to create an anchor habit (26:52)
- Perspective as an important tool for healthy moms (34:43)
Finding Foods that Make You Feel Good
A lot of people feel confused about eating healthy and act like “the answer” is in some yet-unknown-to-them diet or meal plan. But the truth is, that the wisdom for happiness and healthiness already lies within you.
So how can you find out what food actually makes you feel good? The answer is simple, but it isn’t always easy.
Ultimately, finding what works for you comes down to trusting yourself. According to Katie,
“When we’re doing a diet, we’re putting all of our trust into this diet to ‘fix us’, to give us the body we want her to give us whatever it is that we’re looking for. But if we can kind of shift that and realize first that we have to trust ourselves, that’s where we can get into
a space where we don’t have to rely on a diet. Whatever your goal is, trusting yourself is the first kind of step in doing that.“
Trusting Yourself with Food
The first step in developing self-trust is to settle into your body and understand how your body feels when you eat a certain meal.
In addition, there’s an art to learning to listen to your body’s hunger and fullness clues. So much diet wisdom tells us we have to eat on a certain schedule or in specific, prescribed amounts, but the truth is that our needs and appetites are changing moment to moment.
Tuning into your body, feeling the hunger and saying ” I feel this hunger, that feels okay and I’m going to sit with it” is a practice that can be so helpful.
In fact, the wisdom that most diets like Keto or Paleo can provide us is with more data to understand ourselves. So if you’re going to follow a program, be sure to tune into how it’s feeling and kind of stay curious and experiment with how that food or how that grouping of foods that you’re eating is making you feel.
Prefer to watch? We talk a LOT more about this in the video (below) or podcast (above):
The Myth of Perfect Eating
So many of us have been sold on this idea that someone else can tell us the perfect way to eat.
The problem with that is that as Katie says in our interview, “perfect is a destination. It’s an arrival point. But food and health and wellness and fitness is never a destination.”
There’s never a time when you fully “get there”, but rather, it’s a daily practice. So the idea of perfect eating and being consistent with food, health, wellness, and fitness can never really go together.
Rather, staying curious and keeping the flexibility in your routine when it comes to health and wellness is so much better than getting it just right. (Which is actually what most of us want.)
Ultimately, there is no one right way to be a healthy mom and the search for THE way is often more impediment than it is helpful.
Healthy Habits for Healthy Moms
So what are the best / most important habits for healthy moms?
The truth is, there is no one single answer to this.
And yet, there is one single thing you CAN do every day that will set you up for success. What is it? An ANCHOR HABIT.
What is an anchor habit?
An anchor habit is ONE thing you do every day to start you off on the right foot. Some examples include:
- Drinking a nutrient-rich smoothie
- Meditating
- Eating a big salad
- Having a large breakfast
Whatever it is for you, this habit should be the one thing you strive to do most days that can help ensure that you feel good.
How can you find your anchor habit?
Here’s a real world chance to practice that reflection. Think back on the past. What is one thing that you were doing regularly when you felt your best.
Could you commit to doing this most days? Great! Then that’s your anchor habit.
Commit to your Anchor Habit
Now that you’ve decided what your anchor habit will be, let Katie and I know so we can hold you accountable. You can find us on Instagram at @katie-haines-2 or @cookingwithafullplate.
Conclusion: Habits and Strategies for Healthy Moms
Thanks for watching /
Also, a friendly reminder you don’t HAVE to do anything. You GET to do it! Want to hear more about that? I loved this podcast episode from Brooke Castillo.
Want to hear more from our guest, Katie Haines? You can find her at:
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