How to get more energy this summer as a mom
postpartum nutrition, postpartum health, postpartum fatigue, postpartum dietitian
You know what is fun, but exhausting? The zoo. You know what’s not fun and just exhausting? Having no energy before you even get to the zoo. This is exactly what I try to explain to moms. Another way to say it is that it’s totally normal to be tired after a fun day at the zoo with your babies. It is not totally normal to wake up so tired that you don’t enjoy the zoo at all.
Teaching moms how to take care of themselves is becoming important to me because I hear time and time again how tired you are. I get it, being a mom is tiring, but I just don’t believe all day exhaustion has to be our reality. We must choose to “fill our cup” with the right strategies so we can be present when the sun rises for the day.
This really came to mind when I was preparing to go to the zoo with Finn. Days leading up to the trip, I had been thinking a lot about how to prepare because one of my least favorite feelings is showing up for a fun day and being totally wiped. Sure, we are human and that will happen sometimes no matter how much we prepare, but for the most part I want to be able to predict my energy levels. Someday I will look back on these trips like the zoo and say… “those were the days!”
I don’t want to look back and say, “those were the days I was totally exhausted”.
I do believe with a strategy for your health + consistency, you can have more energy too. Without relying on caffeine :).
Which means if you are consistent with all the strategies I have listed below, I know you will have more energy the next time you gear up for a full day at the zoo (or a full wake window).
So, without further ado, here are my top strategies for getting more energy this summer as a mom.
Minerals. If you think I will have a blog post about energy and not mention minerals you are wild and crazy. Minerals are first on the list but let me be more specific than usual. I want you to get potassium and sodium during those hot summer days like a day at the zoo. I also want you to get these minerals the day before, during and the evening you return home. One way to do this is to put salt under your tongue first thing in the morning and then drink a glass of water. To get potassium, drink coconut water, Rayvi or mix cream of tartar in OJ. I’m telling you, one of the reasons you are so tired is because you’re not getting enough sodium and potassium. ***If you struggle with high blood pressure or on high blood pressure medication, be sure to talk to your health professional about what minerals are right for you.
Wait an hour after waking up to have caffeine. I know people don’t want to believe me, but caffeine makes you more tired the more you have it (over time). Caffeine interrupts some of the normal brain signals that help you sleep. Hence the buzz and wakefulness. However, when caffeine interrupts this normal signaling time and time again, the brain will produce more of the sleepy chemical later. This is a cliff notes version of what is happening in the brain, but true, nonetheless. I wonder if this is why some people get sleepy after caffeine. I can think of two people off the top of my head, so they do exist.
Eat enough and don’t skip breakfast. This one I failed on when we went to the zoo. Adam has always talked about how much he loves the food at the zoo, so I had breakfast and even a snack before we left trusting his words since he is my husband. Unfortunately, he betrayed me. The food could have been good, but I wouldn’t know. The lines were insane, I had a big stroller that couldn't get through all the windy lines, and I didn’t have time to wait. Was all this his fault? No. The real problem is that I didn’t go with my normal routine of ALWAYS having snacks. Always have snacks! I like to pack things like beef sticks, protein balls, apples and bananas for the weird people that like them. My goal is to always have a protein and carb source with me. That should be a rule in life. In all seriousness, we get our energy from food. If you’re someone who says they get more energy when they skip meals, my guess is that you’re running on adrenaline (that’s not a good thing). Our bodies need consistent fuel especially as a mom. Oh, and we walked and walked and walked so we needed more fuel times like 100. I did remember my mineral packets so at least we had hydration.
Pack as much as you can the night before (I should have taken my own advice here with the snacks). One of the top energy suckers is rushing. Rushing puts us in fight or flight. Fight or flight is a stress state that impacts our brain. Our brain is what signals everything in the body, so it is connected to energy, metabolism, gut health, hormones– lots of things that I talk about as a dietitian. I’m recommending for myself and for everyone I know to take an audit of your routines and try to eliminate rushing as much as possible. Which reminds me of the book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. This is focused more on how social media creates hurry, but a great book to help you slow down, nonetheless. I believe slowing down really means eliminating hurry, which then actually speeds you up and makes you more productive. Or another way of saying it is that hurrying slows down your productivity even though you feel like you’re doing more.
Mindset shift. How I view my daily habits around health and wellness has drastically changed since becoming a mom. I have always been interested in health and have been practicing as a dietitian for nearly a decade, BUT I wasn’t always consistent. Why? Because I didn’t have to be. I didn’t have to take care of another human. I could take a nap every day if I wanted to. Sure, I worked hard, and I taught a LOT of pure barre classes, but there weren't as many consequences if I wasn’t consistent. Now that I am a mom, this is how I think about my daily habits: If I am consistent with my habits today, I will be able to feel better when I’m with Finn (for example). If I stick to my morning routine, I will have more energy for dinner time, play time and bedtime. If I stick to my bedtime routine, I will sleep better, wake up more restful (and happy) and be excited to get Finn up. Do you see the shift? I suppose you could say Finn is my motivation, which I think is healthy. They say if you were stuck on an island with someone else versus yourself, you’re more likely to survive because you have the mindset that you’re living for someone else versus just yourself. To add another layer, when we see that our actions impact more than just ourselves, we are motivated to keep going (IMO).
All 5 of these could be broken down into even smaller goals/tasks/new habits if any of this seems overwhelming, but these are the core I focus on when it comes to having consistent energy.
To get started, I recommend just choosing one new habit this week and when you feel confident it’s in your routine add another. We live really long lives nowadays, but are we awake for them? Or are we finding ways to just make it through the day? I joke a lot because I like to laugh a lot, but feeling like crap every day is something I take very seriously. It is common, but it is not normal.I hope you can start to apply these 5 strategies this summer and if you ever need more help, reach out. I will happily teach you more :)
