Off The back burner: weight loss, exercise & me time

​Gone are the days when Dad worked 9 to 5 and Mom stayed home raising the children and taking care of the household.  In 1967, 49 percent of mothers were stay-at-home moms, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Today it is roughly at 29%, and has been on the rise since an all time low in 1999 of only 25% (Pew Research Center) Being a working mom or a single working mom can certainly take its toll on your health as you try to juggle all your responsibilities.  Let’s face it; Mom’s put everyone else’s needs first. 
 
But there’s an even bigger drain on women these days as the number of 40 year olds enter the Sandwich Generation.  If you haven’t heard of the Sandwich Generation, this is the age group that is taking care of both elderly parents and grown children.  

According to the Pew Research Center, just over 1 of every 8 Americans aged 40 to 60 is both raising a child and caring for a parent.  We are living longer these days and as such there is a growing need for taking care of and supporting our elderly parents.  And on the other side of the coin, as we make our way out of a very long recession, more adult children are having to live at home with their parents.   
 
The financial toll can definitely add stress your life, but it’s more than that.  Being in the position of both financial and emotional support to both your parents and children is draining and can be unhealthy if you don’t take care of yourself too.  Of course I am not saying to ignore your family’s needs, but I am saying you won’t be much help if you’re stressed and sick.   For some reason what is best for our mental and physical health seem to be the first we put on the back burner.  It’s not uncommon for anxiety and depression to start to be an issue with women in this age group.  Taking care of you means paying attention to body and mind and soul.
 
Feeling lethargic, getting overwhelmed easily, feeling irritable or anxious are all signs of being overloaded and overstressed.  And what happens when you’re feeling this way?  You overeat, or eat the wrong foods, which leaves you feeling even worse, your workouts are inconsistent or non–existent, and forget about ME time!  Now, on top of the stresses of daily living, you’re gaining weight, your body is acquiring new aches and pains, and you can’t remember the last time you did something for you.  You have officially been put on the back burner.

taking back your time

​So what can you do to remedy this situation?  How can you get back on the road to good health and feeling good about yourself without neglecting your laundry list of responsibilities?  Here are few things you can start doing that should help

1. Ask for help.  Sounds simple, but a lot of women don’t ask for help when they need it.  Have a family meeting and divide up the responsibilities of caring for your parents, the household chores and even errands.  You don’t have to do it yourself.   
2. Help your children become independent by teaching them to put together a one to five year plan on how they will accomplish being able to live on their own.  This is actually very empowering for your children, which always helps with self-esteem and feelings of being capable.
3. Have a bedtime routine.  Depending on your personality this could mean writing out a to do list for the next day so you can put it out of your head, or if that gets your mind racing, then try reading a novel before falling asleep so your mind doesn’t wander down the anxiety provoking road of  “I have so much to do!”
4. Block off time everyday for you.  This time could be spent going for a walk, working out, getting a pedicure, or maybe a bike ride.  Anything that helps you to relax and better able to handle the day.  Be sure to schedule this in your calendar and stick to it.
5. Take some time at the start of the week to prepare some healthy meals to make work nights easier to manage.
6. Assign everyone living in the house a night to cook dinner.  This way you’ll be eating more home cooked meals rather than take-out.  You’ll be surprised how good a meal taste when someone else prepares it!
7. No time to go to the gym?  There are plenty of workouts you can do right at home with very little equipment.  Check out our Pinterest page for some ideas.
8. Spend some time with your husband or significant other.  Life is too short not to be creating memories.  You’ve got to enjoy the journey.
9.  Join a support group if you need to, especially if you are dealing with the added burden of caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s.  There are a lot of resources out there so you don’t have to deal with this alone.
10. If you are in need of losing weight start tracking what you eat and surround yourself with supportive people.  It’s very difficult to do this alone.  Having supportive friends, family members or a weight loss group that you feel connected to will help you reach your goals.
11.  Set boundaries.  It’s very easy to get caught up in always being available for your children, your parents, your employees or co-workers.  Keep your family time and work time separate. Believe me everyone will respect your wishes.  And give yourself a few boundaries too.  Only allow your self to check email, social media, text messages etc at certain times of day.  You may find you have more time than you thought. Maybe even enough time for an extra breath of fresh air.
12. Lastly, have a good laugh.  Go see a funny movie, laugh with friends, or laugh at yourself.  As they say, laughter is the best medicine.

What do you do to get a little "me time" into your day?  Feel free to share your thoughts and tips below.

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