We all have the power inside of us to “get healthy”, “look better” and “feel better”. We just have to develop healthy habits and take practical steps to get there.

When my kids were little and I was smack in the middle of “motherhood”, there was a mom with a little boy in my son’s preschool class that I had a “fit-crush” on. Even with two kids of her own, she just exuded this energy that was enviable.

She had great skin, beautiful shiny hair and muscles. I’m not talking “masculine” looking muscles, but the kinds of muscles that make “bat wings” and “jiggly thighs” a non-issue. She even had abs!

I would later find out that she lifted weights with her husband and practiced what would eventually be known as “Clean Eating”, but I didn’t know or understand any of that then, I just thought she had “magical powers”–at least that’s how it appeared to me!

Now that I’m older and (thankfully) wiser, I realize that what she embodied wasn’t some secret formula.  On the contrary, she practiced Healthy Habits–the same habits I discovered for myself and depend on every day.

What makes the difference between women who manage to stay fit, versus though who often struggle, isn’t a matter of will-power, but a matter of habit.

Some days you’re going to feel tired. Some days you’re going to be too busy. Some days you’re not going to be in the mood. Some days you’ll run out of will-power. Some days you just won’t care! Being a Mom nowadays means that some days, maybe even most days, you’re not going to be able to rely on determination alone.

Instead, developing healthy, consistent habits that you can fall back on, will give you a framework for living healthier every day, not just on days when everything goes right and the planets align.

Just like Dorothy, from the Wizard Of Oz, who had the power inside her all along to find her way home, YOU have the power inside yourself to “get healthy”, “look better” and “feel better” and there are practical steps you can take to get there!

Top 10 Healthy Habits of Fit Women

*Click on the highlighted texts for additional information or downloads*

1. Educate yourself on what eating healthy looks like!  Eating healthy doesn’t mean eating tilapia and chicken all day every day or eating nothing but salads!  Healthy eating means incorporating healthy, non-processed food choices into your daily routine.

2. Cook your own meals at home at least 80% of the time AND plan your meals in advance (just two or three days). You don’t actually have to cook them advance unless that helps the chaos, but at least plan. Sure, it might seem that it costs precious time, but the benefits are too good to deny. Click here to learn more about my easy done-for-guide to healthy living

3. Practice “mindful eating”  Are you an emotional eater?  If so, try using a technique called, “Naming” and “Knowing” the next time your emotions drive you into the kitchen. If you’re not sure how to handle your feelings, pause for a minute and ask yourself a few questions first: 1) Am I hungry? 2) Am I thirsty? 3) Am I upset?  If you’re hungry, grab a protein-rich snack: See #6 for ideas. and likewise if you’re thirsty, fill up with a nice big glass of water or unsweetened iced-tea. If it turns out you’re mad, sad, frustrated or bored, see if you can identify why you’re feeling upset.  For example, “I’m ticked because I just cleaned the house and the kids left their toys all over the place!”  Stuffing your head inside a bag of chips isn’t really going to make you feel better, so see if you can find an alternate way to address it, like texting or calling a friend, going for a walk, or locking yourself in the bathroom so you can scream into a towel! (Not that I have any experience doing that)! 😉  You may actually be upset AND hungry.  If so, try the protein-rich snack…it really works!

4. Keep junk out of the house! Get rid of the obvious offenders: juice boxes, fruit juices, sodas, boxed/processed or pre-packaged foods, candy or “treats” (i.e., snacks, chips, cookies, mac-n-cheese, cold cereals…the list goes on and on). For many of us, the simple fact that something is not within “easy reach” makes it easier for us. In other words, If it’s not there and you have to drive to get it, you will be less tempted. If kicking the Sugar habit is something you struggle with, check out my Blog Post 10 Simple Ways To Kick The Sugar Habit

5. Eat protein at every meal. It sounds pretty simple, but Proteins take longer to digest and can help keep you feeling full longer.  Staying full longer means you’ll be less likely to binge-eat and that you won’t experience crashes or lack of energy, which can happen when you fill up on less-than-healthy-for-you “simple Carbs” (like chips, donuts, cookies, cake or candy). Not sure what the difference is between protein, carbohydrates or fats, or why knowing what they are should even matter? Take a look at this article to learn more! 

6. Eat healthy snacks (click here for some healthy snack ideas) like Almonds and an apple, sliced pear with all-natural peanut butter, or greek yogurt and fresh berries

7. Drink water all day (great for your skin, helps you look and it helps you feel good)! Sure, you can still have your morning Cup o’ Joe, just make sure it’s not filled with added syrups and whipped cream! 😉  As another benefit, hydrated skin appears less wrinkled and diminishes the appearance of cellulite! Don’t think fit girls wrestle with cellulite?   Read my entertaining and informative post–“Confessions Of A Recovering Cellulite Cream Addict

8. Eat until you’re 80% full. Don’t eat off your kid’s plates and don’t require your kids to clean theirs. If your kids are full and they’ve left food behind, put it in the fridge if cost is an issue. Otherwise, praise your kids for stopping when they feel full and follow their example! Eating until we are 80% full doesn’t always mean that we’re leaving 20% behind.  Whatever that twenty percent is for you, might be different for me.  Instead, use this practice as a tool against mindless eating or the concept of “cleaning your plate”, both of which lead to overeating. If dinner is over and you or your kids still feel hungry, wait 20 minutes (the time it takes for our minds to recognize whether or not we are actually full) and then eat a piece of fruit, like an apple or pear, that is high in fiber or a handful of nuts.

9. Get at least 8 hrs of sleep (seriously, this is no joke)! That’s right! Not getting enough sleep can make you fat! I used to stay up past midnight to clean, do laundry or just have quiet time. When you consistently fall short in the sleep department, your body releases hormones which cause you to store belly fat {Coritsol} and sends signals to your brain to increase hunger cues. Going to bed even as little as 20 minutes earlier each night will net you an extra 140 minutes per week!  Plus getting sleep whittles your waistline!

10. Do one thing just for YOU each day. It doesn’t have to be big. I get up before my kids now and go to bed early so that I can work out or enjoy a quiet cup of tea before the house erupts into chaos. You will be amazed at the ways your life and your body can change

Getting healthy is a process.  You didn’t adopt unhealthy habits instantaneously, they developed over time.  You haven’t gotten out-of-shape magically (so don’t expect to get IN SHAPE magically either)! Embracing a healthy way of life requires not only being ready and willing to change, but being open to the process of implementing NEW habits, so that change is lasting and permanent.