Episode Transcript:

The Nourished Mama - Ep 4

Ana Robinson (00:01)

Hey there, beautiful mummers. Welcome back to the podcast, I Cannot Believe It Is 2025. I am so excited to be here with you today to talk about something that's really close to my heart, and that is setting realistic and sustainable health goals that actually work for busy mummers like us. As a nutritionist and health coach who works specifically with mummers, I've seen firsthand how overwhelming it can be to try and maintain your health goals while juggling all the demands of motherhood. And today I want to share some practical, achievable daily health habits that can help you feel more energised, more alive without adding stress to your already full plate.

Now something that I tend to see is more often than not, mommas seem to take this all or nothing approach. And that's because if we do something, We wanna do it perfectly. And that's why I see a lot of mommas either waiting for the perfect time to start a health routine, PS, perfect time does not exist, or they go hard on a health routine, especially this time of year. They sign up to a gym, they start that low carb diet, starve themselves and even count calories. They see some results, but come Feb, March, most of these health habits are gone.

And that's not because you're lazy or you have no willpower. It's because they are just not realistic. I know this because I've been there multiple times, especially this time around New Year. Dieting and intense exercise is also not the right approach for mommas from a health perspective too. Most of those diets and intense exercise routines are doing more damage towards your health as a woman than any good either way.

but that's an episode for another day. Now let's be real for a moment. Between the school runs, endless laundry, meal prep, and trying to keep tiny humans alive and happy every day, it can feel impossible to prioritise your own health. I get it, I've been there, but what if I told you that it's the small habits, the consistent actions that you take every single day that are going to make a huge difference in how you feel?

It's those small habits that truly make the biggest impact towards your health over time. I wanna share some of my favorite realistic health goals that have transformed not only my life, but the lives of countless mommas I've worked with over the years. These are some I would highly recommend adding to your 2025 health goals list. Number one, the early bird advantage.

One of the most powerful changes you can make is waking up before your kids. Now I know what you're thinking, but I'm already so exhausted. Here's the thing, even 15 to 30 minutes of quiet time can be transformative in the morning. This isn't about grinding through a 5 a.m. wake up if that's not suitable for you.

It's about finding that sweet spot where you can have a moment of peace to set your intentions for the day and get a head start. Having your kids as an alarm clock is just asking for a stressful morning. Give yourself this time in the morning to wake yourself up and set the mood for how you want the morning to play out. Number two, hydration before caffeine. Listen. I love my morning coffee as much as any mama, but here's a game changer. Drink water first. Your body has been fasting all night and hydrating before that morning caffeine can make a huge difference in your energy levels. I keep a water bottle by my bed and aim to drink it before my feet hit the floor. When we wake up, our cortisol levels are also at their highest.

Caffeine is only going to significantly add to this cortisol spike. Hydrating with water first is a simple yet highly effective way to reduce cortisol levels and rebalance your hormones first thing in the morning. Number three, create a morning sunlight ritual. This is possibly my favourite habit and it's so simple. Get 10 to 15 minutes of morning sunlight on your face and skin.

Take your water outside, do some gentle stretching or just sit and breathe. This natural light exposure helps regulate your circadian rhythm. It boosts vitamin D and improves your mood. Sunlight on your skin and in your eyes signals your body to release serotonin, your feel-good hormone. Plus, it's a beautiful way to start your day mindfully and one of my favourite mumma hacks for a more peaceful morning with kids. Number four.

prioritise a nourishing, high protein and healthy fats breakfast. As a nutritionist, I can't stress enough how important your first meal is. Our bodies crave protein, particularly in the morning. Why? Because protein is quite literally the building block for everything. From maintaining our muscle mass, supporting our digestion and metabolism, producing long lasting energy throughout the day,

regulating crucial hormones, keeping our skin glowing. As women, we often don't get enough of this protein, especially at breakfast when we're rushing to feed everyone else first. Aim for at least 20 to 25 grams of protein at breakfast. Now, what does this look like? It could be two to three eggs with some smoked salmon, a protein smoothie with a good quality protein powder.

Yoghurt with protein powder, seeds and nuts, smoked salmon with avocado toast. And we can't forget about healthy fats. For too long we've been afraid of fats, but they are absolutely essential for our hormone health. Healthy fats help us balance our hormones, which is crucial for energy, for our mood and for weight management. They keep our skin glowing, support brain health, especially brain fog.

and they keep us feeling satisfied and prevent those mid-morning energy crashes. Some of my favourite healthy fat sources for breakfast are avocado, nuts and seeds, things like chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts are hormone supporting superstars. Extra virgin olive oil, you can drizzle this on your toast, on your eggs and some smoked salmon. When you combine protein and healthy fats at breakfast, something magical happens.

your blood sugar stays stable, which means consistent energy throughout the morning. No more reaching for that second or third coffee at 10 a.m. You'll find yourself more focused during those morning tasks and you won't be starving by lunchtime and then resorting to an unhealthy quick option. Number five, movement that fits into your life. Here's what I want you to forget about those intense

workout programs you feel guilty about not following. Instead, think about gentle, consistent movement throughout your day. Maybe it's a morning walk with the stroller, a quick YouTube yoga session during nap time, or some Pilates while your kids play nearby. The key is finding movement that feels good and fits naturally into your day, especially if you have little ones or you're just starting your health journey. I personally am a huge

huge advocate of walking. One study actually found that just 20 minutes of walking a day can increase your lifespan by over a decade. It truly is one of the best and most effective forms of movement for both our physical and mental health as mummers. Number six, prioritising sleep. This might be the most challenging but most important habit of all.

Instead of staying up late for that precious alone time, I know it's tempting, try shifting your wind down routine earlier. Quality sleep is the foundation for everything else. Your energy, your mood, your food choices, everything. It truly is one of the most important pillars of health and it's absolutely free. Something I get mommas to do in my seven day detox program is gradually wind back their bedtime.

So each night go to bed 15 minutes earlier until you get to that time that allows for a minimum of eight hours sleep. Remember, these aren't all or nothing goals. Some days you might hit all of them, other days maybe just one or two, and that's okay. The magic happens in the consistency over time, not in the perfection of any single day.

Start small, pick one or two of these habits that resonate with you most and focus on these first. Become obsessed with mastering them. As they become more natural, you can gradually add others. Now, before we wrap up today's episode, I wanna remind you that taking care of yourself is not selfish, it is absolutely necessary.

When you feel energised and well, you have so much more to give to your family and you deserve to feel good in your body and mind. If you're feeling inspired to start implementing some of these habits, remember progress over perfection. Start where you are, use what you have and do what you can. Thank you so much for listening today, beautiful mama. If you found this episode helpful, please don't forget to subscribe and leave a review.

And if you want more support on your health journey, you can find me on Instagram or head over to my website for all my resources and programs. Until next time, take care of yourself, mama. And you've got this. 2025 is your year.