Fuel Your Body
Speaking to lots of Mamas here, but it’s relevant for others too! Your body is an incredible thing. Yes, it might feel like sometimes it lets you down, but the interconnection of all of the systems as a whole is pretty awesome. But it needs fuel to function. Fuel more than toast crusts here, vats of coffee, a tablespoon of peanut butter there, and dinner (I find most of my patients generally do eat dinner).
You can survive on those things in a pinch, but it is leaving you susceptible to mood swings, low energy, anxiety, depression, food cravings, etc. And it is leaving you without the building blocks we need to thrive.
Protein is what we use for the growth and repair of all of the cells in our body, it’s also used to make enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters and muscles. It fills us up, keeps our blood sugar stable and can boost our metabolism.
Fat is also key for energy and cell growth and communication. Fat is a key component of the membrane of each and every cell in our body. It’s important for the absorption and transportation of certain nutrients and forms the precursor for hormones. It protects our organs and helps to keep us warm.
Carbohydrates are our primary source of energy production and storage. They are an important building block of our DNA, they play a role in both fat and protein metabolism, and keep our bowels moving.
Fluids (like water and herbal teas) keep the cells healthy and moist to support cell to cell communication. They support the transportation of nutrients and oxygen to cells, lubricate joints, support the health of our mucus membranes, regulate body temperature, keep the bowels moving, and help us to flush out waste.
You need to fuel your body for it to work efficiently. I want you to put JUST as much, if not more thought into your breakfast, snacks, and lunches as you do for your kids. You are a grown adult and need much more calories, fat, and protein than your kids do!
Most adult women need 1600-2400 calories a day and AT LEAST 50g of protein (likely much more)! It’s not always easy. Life is busy and the demands are high. When you’re always running around, you’re not as aware of your hunger cues. Planning and pantry stocking is key. It doesn’t need to be pretty, and it doesn’t need to be the perfect healthy meal. The pay-off for your health is huge! As an aside for those of you home with your kids, one of the best things you can do to support your kids’ food choices (and emotional regulation long-term) is to eat meals with them. This is a win-win.
Your health matters, you need to fuel your body to support it’s everyday and long-term health!