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Health & Fitness

Blog: Tips for Busy Moms to Stay Healthy During the Flu Season, Holidays

Moms are busy and with the flu season and back-to-back holidays, busy just got busier. Jennifer Johnson, Fit for Expecting's founder, shares tips on how to stay healthy.

You probably know that you should be healthy, but if you're like many moms, chances are you prioritize everyone else's health before your own. Know this - taking care of yourself makes you a better woman, mom, spouse, daughter, employee and friend.

Here are seven tips for busy moms to stay healthy during this super busy time of year:

1.    Sleep 
“Sleep is not a luxury,” says Dr. James O’Brien, medical director of the Boston SleepCare Center in Waltham, Mass. “It’s a necessity for optimal functioning.” As a busy mom, it can be tempting to burn the midnight oil in an attempt to get things done, but cutting into your valuable sleep time will make it even more difficult for you to deal with all of the responsibilities that come with being a modern day mom.

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2.    Exercise – even if you only have 10 minutes 
You can get an effective workout in a short period of time with a little bit of planning. Since planning time is probably non-existent for you, enlist the help of an exercise specialist. Fit for Expecting develops effective exercise programs for moms, in whatever time you have available, with whatever equipment is available. Just make the call and we’ll do the rest - (626) 399-1025 or http://www.fitforexpecting.com.

3.    Hydrate! 
Make a habit of having water be the first thing that you put into your body in the morning and the last thing at night. Carry a water bottle around with you during the day.

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4.    Eat whole, unprocessed foods 
Think an apple instead of applesauce or apple pie.

5.    Be active throughout your day 
Some ideas: carry a basket at the grocery store instead of pushing a cart, walk around while on a call at work, take the stairs, do bicep curls with the laundry detergent after you put the clothes in the washer.

6.    Get fresh air 
Great way to do this is to schedule active family activities – bike riding, swimming, hiking, kick ball, frisbee.

7.    Ask for help 
Celebrity moms look rested and calm. Why? Because they have help. Lots of it – nannies, housekeepers, trainers, chefs, personal assistants. This isn’t realistic for most of us, but we can learn from this – having help makes life a lot easier. If you can’t pay for it, ask for it.

Are there things your partner can take on? Can you budget for someone to clean your house once a month? Can you call on friends and relatives to help out?

Fit for Expecting provides safe and effective exercise for moms. Services include: Private training, fitness concierge service, exercise program development and group classes/workshops. For more information visit http://www.fitforexpecting.com.

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