Juggling work and health is not easy, but it is extremely important as more work requires more investment from our bodies and bodies need to be sufficiently nourished for optimal results.
There always seems to be a parity between working moms and other people. It takes a lot more extra effort for working moms to maintain that work-life balance. And in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, they tend to put their health, both physical and mental, on the back burner. Ladies, it’s time to bring your health to the forefront and care enough about your health equally. The amount of investment that the body makes for the hustle needs to be replenished. How to achieve it? Planning! Planning a day, planning a meal can help establish discipline and help achieve healthy eating.
“Mothers are the busiest species on earth. There is never a moment when they feel alone to themselves,” said Dr. Meghana Pasi, Nutrition Consultant, MyThali Arogya World speaking exclusively to india.com. She further added that, being a mother, I very much agree with this quote: “When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always thinks twice, once for herself and once for her son’s. She is: teacher, cook, doctor, lawyer, driver, counselor, scientist and more… For her, family always comes first!
IMPORTANCE OF MEAL PLANNING FOR WORKING MOTHERS
There has been a tremendous change in recent decades with more women working to financially contribute to their families in both rural and urban India. However, the distribution of the household burden between men and the rest of the family members is minimal.
The demanding nature of the jobs, taking care of the family, skipping meals, eating last, and neglecting your own health eventually takes its toll. In addition, the increase in the consumption of processed foods, the unhealthy lifestyle together with stress have caused an increase in overweight, diabetes, hypertension and cancer. Mothers are also prone to lower bone mass due to pregnancy, childbirth, and subsequent menopause, resulting in bone depletion. After a woman reaches 30, bone loss begins gradually, and there is a 3-5% loss of muscle mass per decade.
Therefore, it becomes extremely important to take care of yourself too! Can mothers do it? Yes, why not! Dr. Pasi shared some ways to handle this. She believes in keeping it simple. Try to make small, doable changes to your daily routine that you can adapt to, and let it start in the kitchen.
1. First, know your nutritional requirements.
For each age group, gender and physical activity, the ICMR-NIN (National Institute of Nutrition) has recommended the average nutritional requirements for macro and micronutrients. A woman requires:
1700 calories/day
0.8 g/kg body weight of protein, i.e. about 45 g/day
25gms of fats
800mg of calcium and 15mg of iron
2. Do not skip breakfast
Drinking coffee to go is not enough to start the day with energy. Start a busy day with a satisfying breakfast that will see you through until lunch. Your breakfast should be rich in
protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber and vitamins. Choose an easy cook breakfast like boiled eggs, date milk, sandwich, leftover dal/veg parathas with curd. Plan your breakfast the night before to avoid rush and stress.
3. Stock your kitchen shelves with healthy snacks
Ready-to-eat snacks like roasted channa, peanuts, fruits, young coconut, nuts, chikki, makhana and curd are nutritious, require no cooking and save time. Your mid-morning and evening snack should be one of these healthy options.
4. Balance your Thali lunch
Opt for simple lunches, but make sure they are balanced. Try to include grains/millet, a protein source like egg/fish/beans/dals, greens and curd to meet all your nutritional requirements.
5. eat more happy meals
Whenever you feel overworked and stressed, have bananas, berries, beans, seeds, dark chocolate, coconut. These contain phenolic compounds, antioxidants, and amino acids that help reduce depression and regulate mood. These foods are also good for the heart and help lower bad cholesterol.
6. Opt for one-pot meals
Prepare easy cook meals like pullao with curd, bisibele bhat with curd, chicken paneer/wrap with salad and buttermilk, khichadi and soup, hummus with pita bread and salad, burrito bowl. These are all well-balanced and healthy meals.
7. Don’t Skip Your Turmeric Latte at Bedtime
Our ancient haldiwala dudh will not only help you meet your calcium requirements, sleep well, but also boost your immunity.
8. soak some nuts before you go to bed so you can get that first shot of healthy fats and protein the moment you wake up the next day.
This Mother’s Day, let’s move towards a healthier life for all you super moms out there!
Published Date: May 11, 2023 9:48 AM IST
–>
–>
