I have another reader request today and though I deleted all the names from the suggestions (I never know if people want to be mentioned or not), if this is you, please come hang out with me. You are hilarious!
I would love to see a post about where to START making your family healthier. Back before kids I used to eat pretty healthy, exercise, etc. but after having three kids in five years I’m afraid I’ve fallen so far off the wagon I don’t even know where to start getting back on! I still follow a few “healthy living” blogs from back when I used to actually BE healthy, but now everything seems too daunting. Kale salad?! I’m lucky if I can throw some romaine in a bowl with ranch and get that on the table. Many nights lately I’ve realized I’m not even serving a vegetable with dinner!! I hope I don’t sound whiny and pathetic, but I would love some tips for starting a healthy lifestyle from ground zero. (I also think this would be a great post for around new year’s resolution time!!) Thanks for all you share, after many years your blog is still one of my favorites!
First let me say that I highly doubt you are alone in this. 3 kids in 5 years is no joke (not that I know, but from me just trying to keep up with two, I can only imagine the fun and chaos of keeping up with three).
Once we’ve fallen so far off a wagon, it can feel too intimidating to figure out where or how to jump back on. I totally got it. I’ve felt that way with fitness more than once, but found the best way to start the process is just, well, to pick a spot and start.
If I was starting from scratch with my health, here is the plan I would follow.
1- Identify main health objectives. What does healthy look like to you and why is that goal important? A more nutrient dense diet? Less eating out? More energy? Clearer mind? Better digestion? Stronger immune system? Decreasing inflammation in your body?
Narrowing down your particular focus can help guide you to which area you start working on first. For better digestion, maybe it’s adding in probiotic foods and/or supplement. If it’s more nutrient dense meals, perhaps it’s starting to look for new ways to add vegetables into meals. If you want to focus on eating more real food, maybe it’s learning how to phase out convenience foods that you’ve become reliant on.
I’ve found that having a strong why for any goal is key in staying motivated to make new habits when life starts getting in the way. So spend sometime and figure out why you want to make the change you’re looking into before just loading up your cart with buzzwords (kombucha! turmeric!).
2- Focus on adding, not subtracting. A common idea is to nix all the junk you eat/drink that you “know” you shouldn’t. A diet mountain dew is certainly not getting anyone closer to a healthier way of living, but if you’re used to having 3 a day and yank it out from under you (or your kids) all at once, deprivation is going to rear its ugly head.
Instead, add in a better option- like water. Make a goal that challenges you but is realistic. Maybe it’s 2 glasses as you work your way up to 8 a day, but add the good stuff in and you’ll see it will slowly start to edge out the less healthy habits. It’s really hard to drink 3 sodas if your focusing on getting in your body weight in ounces of water.
If you are a snacker, start buying healthier options to replace the junkier foods as they run out. You might even discover some new favorites (like key lime lara bars- YUM). Snack foods can really increase my grocery bill quickly so I suggest checking out lower prices stores like Trader Joes, Aldi, or Walmart or ordering online through Thrive Market which has some pretty impressive discounts on certain items.
3- Meal plan and do Sunday food prep. For some reason it’s always an unpopular suggestion (probably because it does take some real time and effort) but personally I see no way around it. Having fresh produce ready to eat and in clear containers makes it easy for kids to grab. It makes it easy for me to snag when I’m hangry and need a snack while I make a meal (happens quite often).
Plus it looks pretty, right?
Don’t over commit with meal planning, but even having a loose plan makes a big difference. You can even keep the theme the same every week. Monday is meatless, Tuesday is Mexican, Wednesday is Italian, Thursday is slow cooker, etc, and switch up the meals each week. Here is how I write my meal plan each week and if you’re looking for new recipe ideas, check out my meal plan archives!
4- Keep the pantry and freezer stocked with healthy helpers. Frozen riced cauliflower cooks up in less than 6 minutes and makes an awesome veggie-heavy and low carb swap for rice. You can make your own or buy it ready to go. Having sauce and pasta on hand means you won’t have to resort to take out because it can always make a meal. I also keep frozen veggies because produce goes bad, obviously, but having frozen options on hand means I can always bulk up a meal with added vegetables. Whether it’s adding frozen veggies into a canned soup or using frozen peppers with chicken for fajitas, the mix and match options are endless.
Frozen fruits are great too. The girls love to gnaw on frozen mango chunks and I keep frozen bananas for smoothie. We’ll add frozen berries on top of yogurt or into oatmeal. It’s an easy way to add flavor and nutrition for relatively cheap.
5- Phase out processed foods. Take your time, but slowly start swapping processed options for more real food. Getting excess sugar and processed foods out of your diet will make you feel more energized and healthier faster than anything else I know of.
Trade up with pantry items. I look for sales and stock up on basics then- wild caught tuna and salmon, quinoa because it cooks up in 10 minutes, organic sauces, different pastas– all ready to be turned into simple, healthy meals.
6- Invest in equipment that is most helpful to you. The Insta-Pot is certainly all the rage right now and may help cut down on cook time for busy evenings. Personally, I couldn’t love without my new slow cooker (I upgraded because my old one cracked and I wanted one that could saute in the same pot then switch to slow cooking- love it!).
I usually have a slow cooker meal planned at least once a week because walking in the door and having dinner ready is the best feeling ever. But maybe it’s a quality blender for smoothies in the morning, a programmable rice cooker, or a new water bottle. You don’t need all the gadgets, but singling out one or two that are really helpful to you is definitely worth it.
I’m going to stop there and sum it up with this:
Start small so you can stay consistent.
Consistency is the only thing that’s going to make a real change so pick which area is most important to you, make a small change that is a step towards that goal, then do that for 2 weeks before adding in another.
I know so many of you are home and health gurus, so I’d love your input.
What is the one suggestion you’d offer to someone that feels like they are starting from scratch but wanting to make healthier changes for themselves and their families?
sherry says
You are so inspiring! –now where do I start 🙂
Jen says
Can you share what glass Tupperware you use? I really need some but trying to find some with leakproof lids! Thanks!
Jen
Brittany Dixon says
I’ll have to look and see if a name is on it. Mine is pretty old but I got it for cheap at Big Lots. It’s been great except the lids are cracking now. Still works fine but not sure if it is leak proof if turned upside down 🙂
Amelia says
This past week Aldis had some on sale. I snagged them and they’re wonderful. Glasd bottoms, rubber tops (that actually bend easily and dont crack). I think they’re Anchor or Pyrex.
Jen says
Thanks! I’ll have to look there 🙂
erin says
Meal planning and Sunday food prep are my biggest two. We are 2 full-time working parents and would not survive if we didn’t plan ahead. When we get home with the kids everyone is hungry. Cooking meals the night before and just having to reheat food make life and dinnertime so much less stressful. It is especially helpful on nights when we need to eat quickly to get to activities. I credit our meal planning and food prep for the reason stopping to get the kids fast food never even crosses our minds.
Brittany Dixon says
I love hearing your advice Erin. Since I am at home, I feel disingenuous trying to offer much advice to those mamas that are working full time. Thanks for weighing in!!
erin says
I appreciate your blog and advice so glad I can give back:)
And another tip… I give myself permission to buy convenience things like already cut broccoli, cauliflower and Trader Joe’s mirepoix. I use to wonder who was “too lazy” to do these simple thing themselves, then I realized what a time saver they were and how many heads of broccoli I threw away because I never got around to cutting them. Having these easy to grab items means it’s easier to throw some broccoli on my kid’s plate and it makes my bolognese sauce that much easier.
Alex says
What Erin said: meal planning, planning for leftovers, working with the slow cooker, and cooking double batches and freezing half are what allow my family to eat real food. Otherwise it would be chaos! Oh, and making a batch of muffins every weekend!
Lindsay @ Hot Mess, Cool Day says
I love these tips! I definitely see a big change in our eating habits (and my overall mood) when I take the time to meal prep. Thanks for breaking everything down – it can certainly get overwhelming!
Allison says
These are AWESOME ideas! I think this is a wonderful topic to talk about as well- I know that personally I think I have to go to extremes in the health department. This week I listened to a podcast and she said “I walked because I wasn’t in good enough shape to run”. This hit home oh so hard- my so very close to 30 self has stopped the gym time because I couldn’t get a 90 minute workout in or have the energy to run 4 miles. Well ya know what? I CAN walk, and maybe I jog for 1/4 a mile who cares??? I am moving and enjoying time outside or the treadmill listening to a book!
Brittany Dixon says
I’ve fallen into a similar mindset before too, especially with fitness! Now I’m addicted to Burn Bootcamp, but if I can’t make it often of certain weeks I still try to walk a little more or sneak in some pushups while playing with the kiddos. Now I feel like every little bit at least helps!
Halsy says
To the reader who sent in the question, you are definitely not alone in this. I had 3 kids in 4 years and it can be chaos! I’ve mostly noticed it with myself. I often don’t eat meals or rely heavy on carbs because they are quicker. I also rely on quick easy stuff for the kids (read carb heavy) because I have a preschooler toddler and baby so they often need different meals (at least older 2 meals are similar). Meal planning and prep is what helps me when I do it 😀 Don’t be discouraged…you got this!
Erin says
I can totally relate to the reader who asked this question. I feel like I’m in a very similar boat. Thanks for addressing it, and giving such helpful advice!
Carrie This Fit Chick says
I agree on a LOT of these points. I especially think it’s important to phase out processed foods. If you go slowly, it’s much easier to stick with it and your body and mind have time to adjust. I also think its great to keep in the ‘addition’ mindset. If you feel you are depriving yourself by eliminating things, then that’s setting you up for binge type behavior.
Christina says
I really like what you said about focusing on adding, not subtracting. Way too many diets tell us what NOT to eat….and lose focus of all the benefits of the good stuff.
Christina says
My biggest struggle has been setting unrealistic expectations for myself — like working out X days per week or cooking X dinners per week. I would mentally beat myself up if I didn’t meet those goals, which was incredibly defeating and emotionally exhausting! So, for now, I wear my Fitbit and try to hit my step goal for the week (I find focusing on a goal for the week, and not a daily step goal, works better for me — so I aim for 50K or more steps a week). Eventually, I’d love to get back into a workout routine (and maybe find some arm and ab muscles again, haha), but I’ve learned to meet myself where I am in this season of life 🙂
Ashley @ Whiskers and Weights says
Even thought I hate doing it, meal prep is definitely the #1 thing that keeps me on track. I just turn on a show I like to watch and start planning. Once I start going I actually start enjoying it. Its just getting the motivation to start that get me ha!
Heather says
These are fantastic tips! We’re also trying to get healthier, but it can seem so daunting at times. I agree with baby steps, though… slowly adding and changing things is much easier than trying to cut out all the bad all at once and replacing everything in one go. We’re getting better about the types of snacks we have, and trying to get away from processed foods. I absolutely need a slow cooker that sautes and browns, though!!
Betty says
These are all awesome suggestions! Buying only healthy staples has been a game changer in our family, because we don’t even give ourselves option of eating junk food even if we want to. We do still buy some processed quick meals for busy weeknights, but opt for the better versions (like organic mac n’ cheese instead of the overly processed kind). We love shopping at Trader Joe’s for healthy staples because they sell things like 10-minute barley (pre-cooked) and pre-seasoned meats that help make cooking a healthy meal less daunting.
Christen says
Love all these tips! My family and I just recently went through this big change and we did a lot of these things. For us, I think when you have kids who are old enough to understand, we really told them why we were doing this – “We want to try some new dinners that are good for our bodies.” We ask them to try everything that is served, and be respectful (no spitting things out!)
Laura says
Great suggestions! I can’t imagine 3 kids, as life is hectic enough with a baby and 3 year old. One way I’ve simplified eating is using a Nuk baby food masher to mash up whatever I made for dinner for the baby, so I don’t need to make separate meals (everything goes in it… lettuce, veggies, meats, fish, etc). I’ve been doing this since he was about 8 months (prior to this he had not interest in solids anyways). So all four of us sit down and eat the exact same thing. The baby food masher was really life changing for me! Now, because whatever I am making goes to all of us, it keeps me motivated to make it healthy. Sure there are nights where I pop in a Costco frozen dinner (many delicious and preservative-free options), but most nights I keep it simple and fresh.
montessoriishmom says
Love this! Focusing on adding, not subtracting, is my favorite. Whenever I’m eating a bunch of “super foods,” I want to keep it going and not eat a bunch of junk.
Taryn says
Sunday food prep, meal planning, and LEFTOVERS! Any meal I make, I plan on making enough to feed us for 2 nights. And I ALWAYS cook the most complicated meal on Sunday nights, as once the week gets started and we are busy with work and school, weeknight cooking needs to be simple. I know as the kids get older this might not be possible – I fear the teenage years! But for now this works very well for us.
I also usually make my crockpot meals the night before once the kids are in bed. I then just store the crockpot in the fridge overnight, then put it on before we leave for work and school. I find I enjoy cooking way more when I am alone and can concentrate on it (my kids are 3 1/2 and 5 1/2).
Stephanie says
I know it’s not the cheapest route, but I sometimes buy a veggie tray or precut veggies to keep on hand for the week. I hate chopping vegetables and the shortcut is just worth the added cost for me.
Whitney says
I do this also! I figure that I’m either going to spend my time or my money to get the same result. I might as well spend my money on chopped veggies so I can spend more time with myself and family.
Amelia says
While i may not work outside the home at the moment, ive been there both with and without kids. Its easy to make a million excuses why not to or to be confused where to begin. One thing I like to ask myself is “What’s an improvemeny for ME?” Whats an improvement for the current situation?
Do you typically get drive thru or takeouy 3/5 nights, why not try 1 or 2 and focus on prepping only ONE or two meals ahead for at home? Dont be afraid to rely on some convenience items too. In a pinch, jar of sauce, ground meat, italian seasoning, and some spaghetti squash or pasta. Quick and easy!
Maybe you would rather spend the extra time that you typically grocery shop, with your kids or prepping? Take advantage of spending am extra $5 and letting thr store pull your groceries. Our local harris teeter offers this ans you literally pay and pick up.
Other time savers:
Steam fresh veggies
Hot bars/salad bars (in a pinch for less expensive toppings)
Enlist your kids for any kind of help, letting the older onrs help the younger ones or set the table.
Exercise and lifestyle:
What marks an improvement for you? 10 min house walk after the kids go to bed at night? Bootcamp on the weekends? Playimg and running in the park wirh your kids?
I know as moms, we all tend to take care of everyone else first. Remember to give yourself some grace and take care of YOU no matter what you do. Small improvements, small steps, add up to big changes. If the mama bear goes down, everyone is in trouble!
Katie @ Live Half Full says
Focusing on one thing at a time is important for me, otherwise I tend to give up! Last year I was focused on getting to the gym consistently and once I had mastered that I wanted to focus on eating so my husband and I did Whole30. It has inspired us to make a bunch of small changes, although I’m no where near perfect! My next challenge is tackling the afternoon slump- any suggestions?
Annie says
This is a great post! Healthy habits definitely change once kids come into play. I was surprised how much takeoutwe were eating also and just made an effort to change over the last few weeks.
Dale says
This was my question!! Thank you so much for answering it! These tips are super helpful… It’s so easy to just get overwhelmed, but focusing on simple things like doing meal prep for the week could really help me. (I’m already a pretty diligent meal planner because omg, I can’t handle the “it’s 5:00 what are we going to eat?” stress!!)
And cutting back on processed food will be a big one for us, but I like the idea of focusing on ADDING stuff instead…If we add in more natural, unprocessed foods obviously that leaves less room for the junk!
Thank you again for taking the time to answer my question!!