I get to talk with parents every day. Most of them dedicate a lot of time to their children, and even prioritize their well-being over their own.

Some parents work daily, take 15 minutes for lunch (or skip it), run errands, take their kids to dance, swim, soccer… go home, feed them, help them with homework, make sure everything’s ready for the next day, and then they eat dinner themselves (maybe). After that, they clean up and do chores. 

These parents care about their children's welfare, so they do their best to give them healthy meals and teach them how to cope with stress. They don’t want their kids to struggle, so they know that the right foods will boost their kids’ health and energy and that learning to unwind and be calm is important.

But what about them?

Some parents succeed at living healthy lifestyles, for example by eating nutritious meals and distributing their calories throughout the day. This helps them to have energy in their daily tasks and favors their mental focus. In addition, they know how to set boundaries, not overflow their schedules, and avoid second-guessing and comparing themselves to others or an impossible image of perfection. 

But alas, those parents are the exception and not the rule. A study shows that the major barriers that keep parents from doing exercise include family responsibilities, lack of support, scheduling constraints, and work. 

Many parents end up eating leftovers or junk food because they’re too tired to cook or don’t believe they need/deserve something else. Even worse, some parents spend more time beating themselves up for everything that went wrong in the day than being proud of all the good things they did. It’s their priority to have healthy kids, but they should also make it a priority to have healthy parents in the house!

The truth is, parents need good fuel too

By good fuel, I mean delicious and healthy food and happy and confident thoughts and habits. That's the way they can show up best for themselves and their children!

If you are a busy parent, please consider this:

• You do not have to run on coffee just because “there’s no time to eat”.
• One of the best ways to take care of your mental health is to have a healthy diet. Numerous studies on nutrition, gut health, and mental health show that.
• You need to exercise to move freely, overcome mental fatigue, look and feel good, and burn more calories while you sleep.
• You're not being selfish by making your health (including mental health) and fitness a priority.
• Your ideal food, exercise, and vitamin plan is not a copy of your sister’s or anyone else’s. You have unique needs.
• You’ll be able to be there for your family in a better way if you are healthy and happy, because, as they say on airplanes, “put on your oxygen mask first before helping others”.

So, what will you do today to fuel your body and mind and start living your #PowerfulAthlete life? Contact us and take care of your health!

María Inés Flores is an Olympic gymnast, Certified Nutritional Coach, Certified in Mental Health, and mother of four children. She is passionate about helping people get rid of "self-sabotaging habits" and instill a new mindset and habits to optimize their health, performance, and happiness.