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This changes with the seasons – seasons of life that is.
(If you’ve stumbled upon this blog and don’t know me, I am 33, I run an online nutrition coaching business and my husband and I own and run a gym and yoga studio where I teach 8-10 Iyengar yoga classes per week.)
Right now I am in the season of early motherhood.
My baby is about to turn one and I have spent the past 6 months rebuilding my health and figuring out my new normal.
In particular, how much time I need for myself to feel good, how much time I need to work on my business to satisfy my ambition, and then how much energy I have left over from the 24/7 job that is motherhood.
I’m talking about this because firstly it’s not spoken about frankly enough, and secondly because energy and time management are vitally important to health.
I can’t emphasise that enough.
Without mindfully keeping tabs on energy levels, sleep and emotional health, all other aspects of health suffer.
It doesn’t matter if you’re eating a great diet and taking all of the right supplements if you’re stressed out and exhausted.
I’ve had to be realistic about how much I can do in our gym and how much work I can get done from home as Eoin doesn’t go to daycare and we don’t have family living near by.
Basically I’ve had to have serious conversations with Andy about what support I need and I’ve had to ask for help.
So here’s what my health routine and self care look like at the moment.
I get up between 6 and 7 depending on when Eoin wakes up.
I would love to get up earlier and have some me time in the near future but right now he sleeps with me and is breastfeeding overnight so it’s not easy to sneak off and leave him.
Plus if I’ve been awake more than usual overnight I will just stay in bed and get as much sleep as possible.
I don’t usually eat a lot for breakfast, maybe some eggs or sourdough and then I have a more substantial lunch and dinner.
My diet is a modified paleo type of diet if I had to give it a name.
I’m conscious to get enough protein, iron and fat soluble vitamins so I focus on eating nutrient dense foods like meats, fish and seafood, dairy which I tolerate well, dark leafy greens, avocado and nuts, liver once per week and fermented foods plus a far bit of of coffee, sourdough bread and chocolate.
I get an organic veggie box delivered every fortnight and we cook most of our meals from scratch.
I would average 1 alcoholic drink per week.
I take a few supplements, one is a blend of B vitamins and herbs for improving energy and immunity and reducing stress and anxiety.
I also take magnesium and I take a probiotic on and off.
I’ve just replenished my cod liver oil supply and will start taking a teaspoon per day again (I find washing it down with kombucha works well).
If I’m particularly under the pump or feel my immune system is struggling I’ll take a vitamin C and Zinc supplement.
For exercise, twice per week I have scheduled a led practice onto our yoga timetable which means that I am doing the practice as well as being the teacher, just giving the odd instruction here and there and keeping a watchful eye on the students.
One of the practices is 75 minutes, one is quite rigorous and just short of 2 hours.
Eoin generally goes into the play pen in the gym which we’ve had him do since he was quite young, so he’s really good in there and just plays and laughs at people in the gym.
Andy and I go for 2-3 walks along the lake every week to get some sunshine and just chat.
We go past some exercise bars on our walks and I do as many pull ups as I can every time we pass a bar!
Occasionally I will do 30 minutes in the gym lifting weights, or do the lake walk without Andy and use all of the exercise stations.
Two to three afternoons per week, my husband Andy cares for Eoin while I go into our home office and work.
As long as I am out of sight this works well and I have hours back to back to get into the flow.
Once a week Eoin goes to an ‘auntie’s’ house – basically a loose roster of a few willing friends who take him for a few hours to free me up.
I aim to get a massage once per month – this is a relatively new self care / stress management thing I’ve been doing ever since Eoin was able to go a reasonable stretch without needing a feed.
I used to get maybe one per year but now I really look forward to it as a bit of me time each month.
And finally I’m in bed between 930-1030 each night. I’m also not afraid to go to bed at 8pm if I’m tired!
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Kelly Moriarty is an online health & nutrition coach and founder of The Green Body Plan.
After 5 years as a veterinarian Kelly was unhealthy, stressed out and generally dissatisfied.
She now helps professional women make the same changes she did to beat burn out, lose weight, recover their energy and take back control of their health naturally.
kellyannmoriarty.com 