Do I stay at home or do I return to work? I think this is a question that many, if not most moms ask themselves after having a baby and probably re-ask themselves after having a 2^nd or 3^rd baby.   I know that I thought about this after having Caleb and am already thinking about it while pregnant with BB2. I think that this is a VERY personal decision and that what is right for you might not be right for your neighbor, sister or friend. I know there are a lot of mommy wars out there with stay-at-home vs. working moms and everyone seems to have an opinion on what is better for you and your child and your household etc. But, honestly, I think we are all trying to do our best. I posted a very comical video on my Healthy Baby Fit Mom Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/healthybabyfitmom) a few weeks back about all the different types of mothers. There were the breastfeeding moms who looked down on the bottle feeding moms and the stay at home moms who were feuding with the working moms and the stay at home dads and the all-natural moms etc. The stereotypes were quite funny but at the end of the video it says

“No matter what our beliefs, we are parents first. Welcome to the sisterhood of motherhood.”

I just loved this as I think it was so true and I get so tired of the mommy shaming and judging and competitiveness of it all (even though I think we all, maybe unintentionally or unknowingly are guilty of some of this at some point).   As you know, my goal is to help ALL moms live a healthy lifestyle without killing themselves. I want exercise, healthy cooking and eating to be manageable and hopefully somewhat enjoyable.

Therefore for my next 2 blogs, I wanted to interview two moms who lead very different lives who are trying their best to lead a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families. “Time” seems to the number one excuse/issue/problem for people to fit in both exercise and healthy eating. I think it often can be more of a “time management” issue and honestly priorities. We make time for things that are important to us. If working out is not important to you (which is OK!) then you probably do not make time for it.  If you HATE to cook then you probably do not want to make time for it.   But a lot of people tell me they want to workout and eat healthy but do not have time.

So I wanted to give 2 different perspectives as I have heard stay at home moms say they do not have time since they have their kids with them all day and working moms say they do not have time since they are working all day. So how do some moms do it?  I know each situation will be unique as well. I know some office jobs allow for flexibility to go on a run at lunch and some people have home gym equipment, again, this is just two different perspectives that I hope can give some moms some ideas or helpful tips.

First, meet Rachelle. Rachelle is a mother of 2 boys, ages 2 and 3.   Below is my interview with Rachelle and how she tries to fit it all in while staying at home with her boys and even does some part time work from home.

1. As a stay-at-home mom, how do you fit in fitness? 

 I utilize the gym daycare!!!  I tried working out over naps, with the kids, etc. but it was more stressful for me.  I have found a consistent schedule at the gym and I even get to shower in peace now 🙂

2. What does a typical day look like for you?

Get kids dressed and fed, take my oldest to preschool, go to gym ~4 days/week, shower and get ready at gym, pre-school pick-up, activity/lunch with kids, kids nap while I work from home, prep for dinner, play with kids, bath time, story time, bed time.

3. What does a typical day of eating look like for you? and your kids?

For my kids: Breakfast is usually cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, homemade waffles, protein shakes and a fruit.  Lunch is typically left overs or fruit, veggies w/hummus, string cheese, occasionally veggie chips/popcorn, and a meat (turkey/ham sandwiches, grilled cheese, pita pockets, etc). 

Dinner I try to keep simple, I used to make pretty intense meals that took a lot of prep and I was the only one eating it.  I found my kids like minimal ingredient meals.  I typically try to make sure I have something from each food group on their plate for dinner (well at all the meals- that is just how I think about their plate).  I also have been trying to keep variety by doing 1 night each of chicken, fish, sausage/pork, beef, meatless.  Thinking about it in these categories and not going fancy (think a chicken breast rather than a chicken casserole) has really helped me.

 For me: I started intermittent fasting about 3 months ago and this has actually really helped me spend less time in the kitchen and focus on the kids.  I don’t eat until noon so I have more time to just sit and enjoy my kids at Breakfast.  I am also a vegetarian, so what I eat and my family eats vary.  I try not to cook two meals but typically I cook meat and just make sure I have a different protein source for myself.  I start at noon with a BAS (big ass salad J) and add hard boiled eggs as my protein.  I will also add a protein bar, yogurt, fruit etc. to the first meal.  I then have a mid-afternoon snack (more of the same) and then for dinner I usually do a big protein shake/smoothie, quinoa, homemade veggie burgers, a steamed vegetable, etc.  I do a lot of my meal prep in the evenings or on a Sunday- this includes making hard boiled eggs, prepping my salads (storing in a mason jar), crock pot sweet potatoes, and a batch of quinoa.  I find that if I eat roughly the same thing daily (M-F) it provides consistency for me and saves a lot of time (I am not trying to create a new meal 7 days a week 3x a day)

4. Did you workout through all your pregnancies?  How were they different?

I did not workout thru any pregnancy and I really regret it- not as much from a vanity perspective (I only gained ~20 lbs during each pregnancy) but from a strength and abilities perspective.  When I finally decided I wanted to start working out after having them both, it took me much longer to get back on track and I think I would’ve benefited during pregnancy as well.

5. Do you tend to cook or how do you fit in healthy meals for your family?

I feel like I spend all of my waking moments in the kitchen!!! I cook dinner 5-6 nights a week and breakfast/lunch are almost always at home.  If I can have grab and go items prepared it really helps.  (cut up veggies, washed fruit, popcorn, fig bars, string cheese, crackers, lunch meat)

6. What is your greatest challenge with trying to lead a healthy lifestyle for you and your family?

The biggest challenges for me are 1) figuring out how to spend less time in the kitchen (between cooking and dishes) and 2) I find the food companies make it extremely difficult to do the right thing- the advertising and gimmicks can be tricky and always trying to keep up with the latest “what not to buy” is daunting- I don’t have time to read ingredient labels with two kids screaming in the background.  I have been trying to stick to buying and eating a lot of the same foods and buying brands I trust.

8. What advice would you give to other stay-at-home moms who are trying to live a healthy lifestyle while trying to balance it all? 

Involve your kids as much as possible even just for a little task- when they help, they tend to eat it.  Also- I feel like the more you learn, the more you want to do on your own and sometimes it is not always feasible- Mac and Cheese is at least once a week around here.  However, just look for little ways to make each meal better even if it isn’t perfect- add a veggie into the Mac, buy brands without added ingredients, etc. 

Rachelle, her husband Peter and her sons, Hudson and Hillis.

I would love to hear from other stay-at-home moms with their tips and advice!  Stay tuned for next week when I interview a fit working mom of 4!

As always, I would love to hear from you!

XOXO Sara