A Road Map for Moms: Beating Stress and Overcoming Fatigue
Don’t skip breakfast!
Starting your day with breakfast is a quick and easy way to jump-start your metabolism. Eat something within 30 minutes of getting up. Make sure to get in 12-15 grams of protein with your breakfast. This could be:
- A protein shake with fruit and greens
- Eggs, veggies and whole grain toast
- Greek yogurt and fruit
-> Check out our blog for great recipe ideas!
Be Mindful of Meals and Snacks!
Moving forward from breakfast, make sure you have protein with each meal and snack. It is important to stick to 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day. Here are some great, healthy protein options:
Source |
Amount |
Grams of Protein |
Fish, cold, deep water |
1 ounce |
7g |
Turkey – organic |
1 ounce |
7g |
Tofu |
½ cup |
10g |
Whole Beans |
½ cup |
7g |
Quinoa |
½ cup |
11g |
Brown Rice |
½ cup |
3g |
Yogurt |
1 cup |
8-14g |
Egg, whole |
1 |
7g |
Nuts |
¼ cup |
8g |
Stay hydrated!
Drink 80 ounces of water daily. Adding lemon or lime to your water is a great way to make it a little more interesting! Hold yourself accountable and purchase a reusable water bottle and keep track of how many you have to drink each day to reach your goal.
Basic Supplements to keep on hand!
Multivitamin: Try and find a food-based multi. These are easy to digest and absorb.
B complex: B vitamins have an important role. They help convert our food into fuel for our body, providing more energy throughout the day.
Adrenal Support: Continued stress causes fatigue of our adrenal system. There are many ways to help keep the adrenal system strong and well supported. Some examples include: Vitamin C, Magnesium and B vitamins. There are also a few herbs that are helpful but my favorite is Rhodiola Rosea, which can be taken as a capsule or tincture.
Fish Oil: Fish oil supports healthy cholesterol levels and also is a great mood booster!
Vitamin D3: When choosing a Vitamin D3 supplement, it should have at least 5,000 IU. Not only does healthy levels of Vitamin D3 help maintain a health immune system, it is also another great vitamin to help with mood.
Get Your Labs Checked!
These basic labs are so important to keep on top of as a woman. They are frequently missed so be sure to ask your doctor the following:
- Iron (hemoglobin, ferritin)
- Vitamin D3
- B12
- Thyroid
Schedule Some “ME” Time!
This is easier said than done but it will make a huge difference! It doesn’t even have to be more than 30 minutes. Some days take longer breaks if you can, other days you may only get 5 minutes of deep breathing. Here are some examples of things you can do to relieve stress:
- Exercise. Yoga is a wonderful way to calm your body down and rejuvenate.
- Reading. Grab a book or magazine find a quiet place and let the world round you melt away for a little while.
- Laugh. Get a few girls together and have an hour or two of fun and laughter. It does wonders.
- Take a bath. Buy some Epsom salt and your favorite essential oil and take a 15-minute bath before bed.
Sleep!
Try and get to bed by 10pm every night. Having a full 8 hours of rest is ideal
Don't miss Dr. Amy Johnson-Grass next Sunday, September 11 at 11:00am on the Mom Show with my Talk 107.1. The topic is A Road Map for Moms: Beating Stress and Overcoming Fatigue.