Today on her show Oprah will announce that she will never diet again. Many of us who embrace a non-diet approach to healthy living are doing the happy dance. We’ve seen Oprah struggle and have been waiting for the day she would learn to eat more intuitively – and use her platform to get the message out.

The person responsible for Oprah’s “aha” moment is Geneen Roth, the author of the new bestseller, Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything. Roth has gained and lost 1000 pounds in her lifetime bouncing between anorexia and obesity. When I heard of this book I rushed to the store and devoured it.

And, of course, I had to tell you all about it.

The premise
“No matter how developed you are in any other areas of your life, no matter what you say you believe, no matter how sophisticated or enlightened you think you are, how you eat says it all”

This is the crux of Roth’s message. After years of many highs and lows in both her weight and emotional state, she decided to give up the struggle with food and her body. She not only naturally fell to the right weight for her, she found her true self in the process.

Roth is not new to writing books or helping women conquer their issues with food. But for the first time the mainstream might be ready for what she has to say. Having Oprah’s endorsement is a major plus, but it helps that many women are tiring of the endless quest for the perfect weight, body and diet.

The concepts in Women Food and God, like food, take some time to digest and absorb. It’s the kind of book you want to read and then re-read. What one woman takes from it, another will completely miss. But this is what makes it such a wonderful and potentially life-changing read (and the perfect book club pick!).

The why of eating
Roth eloquently explains why there is more to overeating, weight problems and food obsessions than people think. (And if food or weight is not your issue, you can still relate what she says to almost any “obsession,” whether it be shopping, over-working, people pleasing or worrying. Men can enjoy this book too).

Obsessions about weight and food, Roth explains, take us away from our true selves:

“Compulsive eating is a way we distance ourselves from the way things are when they are not how we want them to be. I tell them that ending the obsession with food is all about the capacity to stay in the present moment. To not leave themselves.”

Of course there are differing degrees of eating for non-hunger reasons. One person may eat out of boredom or stress while another eats out of sheer dissatisfaction with life. Roth explains that when we learn to tolerate uncomfortable feelings, instead of trying to flee them, we become more in touch with our true selves. And the weight part takes care of itself:

“When you stop struggling, stop suffering, stop pushing and pulling yourself around food and your body, when you stop manipulating and controlling, when you actually relax and listen to the truth of what is there, something bigger than your fear will catch you.”

This bigger-than-your-fear is what Roth describes as God. She admits that God will mean different things to different people. Roth explains that the lessons learned from suffering, the same things we try desperately to hide from, is the gateway to love and holiness. And she believes our relationship with food can lead us there.

I often write about parents raising kids to have a healthy relationship with food by how they feed. But this book reminds me that teaching kids its okay to feel — and learn from — difficult feelings is also important.

How to eat
Towards the end of the book Roth discusses her “eating guidelines” which are not a set of strict rules but rather a very simplistic way to eat. The key is to eat with awareness and listen to your body (not your mind):

“When I first realized how simple it was to end the compulsion with food — eat what your body wants when you’re hungry, stop when you’ve had enough — I felt as if I had popped out of life as I knew it and suddenly found myself in another galaxy.”

When Roth first started eating whatever she wanted she ran to the very foods she wasn’t allowed to eat on many diets. In her sugar-induced state, she realized it wasn’t food she was looking for:

“I needed to prove to myself that what I wanted most was not forbidden, but what I didn’t understand was that I didn’t want the cookies; I wanted the way being allowed to have them made me feel: welcomed, deserving, adored.”

Roth says that when women stop listening to their minds, and start tuning into their bodies, they find it doesn’t want a bunch of cookies, cake, loaves of bread or salty foods. It wants to be nurtured with wholesome food. It wants to move. It needs sleep and self-care.

Moving away from diets and bodily perfection, ironically, make us healthier, stronger and inherently more beautiful.

I highly recommend this book to all women but realize it may not be for everyone. If you get the chance, tune into to Oprah today or record the show. Listening to Geneen Roth just might change your mind — and your life.

This Expert Interview is with Michelle Segar, PhD, MPH, researcher at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan. Her expertise is creating sustainable exercise motivation and self care for women. Learn more about her and her program at Essential Steps. She’s got a lot of wisdom to share!

Sunday we celebrate moms. You might get flowers, a gift certificate or even a home cooked meal. But the absolute best gift you’ll get this Mother’s Day is the one you give to yourself.

While being a mom is incredibly rewarding, it’s easy to lose some of yourself in the process. You know, the old you that but you first. If you could get some of you back, wrapped up in a gift you could access anytime, wouldn’t you want it?

Lately I’ve been missing my old self. And I’ve decided that I’m the only one who can do something about it. I know I could never get the old me back — and I really don’t want to (because I’m better now, right?).

So I talked with my friend and colleague Michelle Segar, PhD, MPH, a women’s motivation psychologist at the University of Michigan, to figure out how moms like me can carve out a little time for ourselves. She calls it “self care.” I call it smart.

What Gets in the Way?

Dr. Segar starts by discussing the barriers mothers face when it comes to making themselves a priority.

The first one is that moms have a lot on their plates. Even though most families (65%) have both parents working, moms still do a majority of the work around the house. According to the Second Shift study, husbands do about one-third the household chores and those tend to include home maintenance. Women tend to do the everyday chores like cooking, cleaning and keeping track of kids’ activities.

Another barrier, tied closely to the first, is that women don’t know how to ask for relief.

“Women haven’t been socialized to make taking care of themselves a priority,” says Segar. “We’re just not socialized to think that way.”

Segar explains that most women never learned to consider their well-being as something that is important enough to plan and stand up for. They may feel bad saying “no” or simply don’t know the most effective way to approach their spouse or partner. This might be why so many arguments happen as resentment grows and then “pop!” Segar challenges us to consider why our own daily well-being shouldn’t be one of the most important things in our lives?

And the third barrier for moms is their tendency to focus a lot of their self-care energy on losing weight.

“So many women put their energy into getting thinner, again, and again, without seeing lasting results when instead they could be engaging in self-care activities that are more likely to nurture and restore and truly feed the self,” she says. “At its core, self-care is about feeling good.”

Segar explains that taking care of yourself is like an essential vitamin you take every day. It empowers and restores instead of zapping you of energy. Because of that, it makes you a more effective mom, friend and coworker.

So with this in mind, here are three steps you can take start taking better care of you.

1. Pause. Segar suggests before taking any action you should you assess where you are first by asking yourself how you feel.

On scale of 1 to 5, 1 being terrible and 5 great, where do you stand? If it’s a 1 or 2 on a regular basis, then things aren’t going very well, but if you get a 4 or a 5, you’re probably getting your needs met.

If you’re not happy with the way things are you need to ask yourself if it’s time to change. Segar says that making the decision is the hardest part, but to remember that you DESERVE to feel good.

2. Decide what you want.

Once you decide there’s room for improvement, you’ll want to consider what it is you want to do.

“Take a step back and think about what self-care means to you,” say Segar. “Self-care means different things to different women whether it be sleep, pampering or going for a walk.”

Segar says every woman needs to check in with her own reality. For example, a women with 4 kids under 6 years old will be very strapped for time. Even though she can’t get everything she wants right now, she can try some key things that might improve her well-being in some way.

Segar advices moms to try taking action on a much smaller scale and see it makes them feel. Try something for 5 minutes if that is all the time you have. Did it make you feel better? She also says creating a “self-care mission” is important because it will help you make a plan. And let’s face it, without a plan things just don’t get done.

3. Negotiate with your partner.

Once you know what you want, you’ll have to talk to your partner and negotiate (if you have one).

“Be frank and honest and ask for what you need,” says Segar “But then make sure to ask your partner what he or she needs too.”

Even though you may feel your partner or spouse has it easier than you, they likely have unmet needs too. By addressing his or her desires, you make the discussion about both of you getting what you want. So instead of the typical get-no-where fight, you have a collaboration. And hopefully you both will feel excited about your new plan.

Segar goes as far as recommending you have regular meetings with your partner to check in and see how things are going. You might need to revise the plan based on what is and isn’t working.

So this Mother’s Day, I say forget the candy, flowers and other fancy gifts and start asking for what you really want and need. I know I will.

How are you feeling about motherhood? Overwhelmed? Having trouble finding time for you? Any success stories out there?

A couple of weeks ago nothing seemed to be working for me. The stress in my life became unmanageable so I utilized some strategies that clearly failed. I wrote about it in my guest blog for the Orlando Sentinel — Moms at Work Blog. I’m sure you can relate to how challenging it can be to get it all done. Especially with unpredictable (and cute) little ones running around.

As a mom, you don’t have to pay a lot of money for weight management advice. In fact, the best diet coaches just happen to be the same little ones running around your house.

Here are 3 things your kids can teach you about managing your weight:

1. Eat what you need: Young children are masters at regulating their food intake by getting exactly what they need. If kids graze on snacks all afternoon, for example, you can bet that they will barely touch their dinner.

Most adults have completely lost touch with their hunger and satiety cues. If this is you, make a point to tune in to how you feel at mealtime. Ask yourself if food is really what you need when you eat out of stress or boredom. Instead, eat when you are hungry and stop when satisfied. If you keep practicing, you’ll get better and better at it.

2. Enjoy life to the fullest: Young children need to be reminded to eat because they are so enthralled with life. Unfortunately, moms have so many responsibilities that they often forget what makes them feel alive. And when this happens, food can take on greater importance.

So make time for a hobby you love, call a friend to go out or reconnect with your spouse. Get back in touch with what you love about life and watch your desire to eat diminish.

3. Make physical activity fun: If you ever watch toddlers run and giggle you know how much enjoyment little ones get from being active. In fact, they hate to sit around when they could be moving. And they’re not picky about the “where” and “how” of physical activity.

Moms, on the other hand, feel like exercise is just another thing they have to get done. Instead of thinking of exercise in this way, look for pleasurable ways to be active. For example, turn on music at home and dance with your kids, chase them at the park and take time to walk and enjoy the view. See this article for more ideas.

The same things that can irritate you about your kids — picking at their meals, reminding them to eat and being active night and day — are the same things that can help you maintain a healthy weight. Not only can you learn from your kids, but you can remind yourself that you were like this when you were a child. And it might just be time to get some of the old you back.

Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters for more mom-centered health tips.

A couple of months ago I wrote about getting back into shape after the birth of my second child. I must have struck a cord with moms because this was my most popular post so far!

I guess this shouldn’t surprise me. A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine revealed that marriage, having kids and starting work are the most challenging times for women to exercise. We all know that parenting young children is a high-demand job. But no matter how easily it would be to justify, I just can’t give up exercise. Not only does it help me cope, it gives me the strength to do this very tough job. And after counseling clients for years, I know all to well that having babies is a time when excess weight can take root and grow.

As promised, I’m sharing with you my getting-back-into-shape progress. Every few months I review to see what’s working, what isn’t working and then develop a new plan.

But first…
A lot has been made about a Time magazine article claiming that exercise doesn’t help people lose weight. I’ve been familiar with this research for some time now. Basically, studies show that while exercise prevents weight gain, when it’s incorporated without reducing calories, it does little to budge the scale.

Fortunately weight is not the reason I exercise. After years of getting in tune with myself, I know that when I eat a balanced diet, honor my appetite and fullness, and exercise at a level that satisfies me, my weight seems to take care of itself. I also remember from nursing last time that my body likes to hold onto a few extra pounds until I wean.

I have to admit, after I got weighed in at the doctor’s a few months ago I was tempted to get rid of the extra weight fast. But if I did that I would’ve grown frustrated with my progress and ended up trying a more extreme approach. Then the extreme approach would’ve backfired because it would be difficult to sustain. Then I’d be back where I started.

Okay enough rambling…now to my progress.

What’s working
My goal was to build a fitness base and add on from there. The plan was to run when possible, do a postpartum core strengthening video on most days (15 minutes) and use hand weights a few times a week.

I’ve been most consistent doing the 15-minute postpartum video. This easily fits in my day and I really like how it has three levels, each getting a little bit harder. One time saver I discovered is that my 2-year old daughter loves to do the video with me. She yells “exercise” most days to signal her desire for the DVD and she usually wants to do it twice. We giggle a lot and repeat the lines. And it’s perfect to do during my son’s morning nap.

The early morning runs have also been going pretty well. Because my son has had trouble sleeping, there have been weeks where running early didn’t happen often. For me sleep trumps everything else. If I’m not getting sleep, I’m simply not productive.

At first I ran outside my place for about 20 minutes and have gradually worked up to 30-40 minutes. It was smart not to make any commitments to run because my son’s erratic schedule wouldn’t allow for it anyway. Being able to put on my shoes at a moment’s notice and head out the door has been key.

What’s not working
The at-home strength training never really happened. After the 15-minute video my desire to lift weights is nonexistent. So instead I’ve been doing the bare minimum at a gym at my mom’s apartment complex every Saturday.

I’ve come to the realization that exercise just isn’t going to happen after putting the kids to bed. I have tried to put off the video or weights for that time but I’m too resistant. I’d rather spend that time relaxing with my husband, writing for this blog or winding down. The more I try to do after 7pm, the later I seem go to bed – and that’s no good.

The new plan
A lot in my life has changed since that last post. First off, my son is (kind of) on a schedule and sleeps most of the night. My husband took a new job and I’m working two days a week. The best part of this change is I have a regular routine which makes it easier to plan. Based on my new schedule, this is what I’ve come up with to take my exercise up a level:

My husband will go into work late on Friday so I can get up and run. I plan to get up early Saturday and run before taking the kids to my mom’s. Sunday I’m going to do a whole body workout class at the gym (yeah!) down the street. Monday and Tuesdays are tough. I’m in negotiations with my mother-in-law to see if she can come over early one of those days so I can either take a spin class or run. I work Wednesdays and Thursdays. Eventually I might try to do something on my lunch (half-hour) when it cools down but for now I’ll just walk around as much as I can.

I’m going to discontinue the postpartum tape and move onto newer (and harder) Pilates/Yoga videos during my son’s early nap with my daughter on Monday, Tuesday and Fridays. I’ll move it up 5 minutes to a total of 20 minutes.

I want to join a running group but will hold off for now. I think I have enough on my plate!

So have I seen any results? I feel better and have more endurance running. My core feels stronger. And I finally weighed myself last week and found my weight down almost 7 pounds since that day 3 and ½ months ago. I’m not sure if it’s because of the exercise or just my body’s way of getting back to normal after the pregnancy.

Well that’s it for now. What do you do to stay in shape? Share your secrets with other moms. We need all the help and support we can get.

For more on this subject see Michelle Segar’s Habits of Highly Effective Exercisers on More.com

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I was a little cocky going into my six-week postpartum doctor’s appointment. After gaining the same amount of weight with my second pregnancy as I did with my first, I assumed my weight loss would be the same too. But when I stepped on the scale it revealed I was 10 pounds heavier than I was six weeks after my first child. Ouch!

Since that day seven weeks ago, I’ve been thinking a lot about how busy moms like me can get into shape. My experience tells me it’s more about being creative than finding extra time. To show you what I mean, I’ll share my getting-back-into-shape plan with you.

1. Why exercise in the first place?
Last year I read about a research study that confirmed something I already knew intuitively. Why you exercise can make or break your success.

I interviewed lead researcher, Michelle Segar, PhD, about her 2008 study published in Women’s Health Issues. Her research team asked 156 midlife women their reasons for exercising. The top five reasons included weight loss, health benefits, stress reduction, sense of well being and weight maintenance. Those who said they exercised for weight loss and health benefits, participated in significantly less exercise than those who exercised for stress reduction and a sense of well being

Michelle explained to me that exercising because you “should” is less motivating than doing it for your own reasons including how it makes you feel. The more I thought about it the more it made sense. I would have never kept exercising all these years if weight was my only motivator. So now I constantly remind myself how being active makes me feel both physically and mentally. After a workout I have a more positive outlook, am much more productive and present with my kids. And I have come to love the time to myself.

2. Do what you like
Nothing turns me off to exercise more than doing something I don’t enjoy. It doesn’t matter how many calories I burn or how good it is supposed to be for me, if I don’t like it I won’t continue to do it.

So I’ve decided to make running my priority when it comes to cardiovascular exercise. I used to run much more before having kids and I really miss it. Not only do I love it, but it’s easy to do, which is key for me at this point in my life. All I need are some running shoes, a good jogging bra and I’m good to go.

I also enjoy exercises that strengthen my body. I have always incorporated some weight training in my routine but it seems like forever since I’ve really challenged myself. After having 2 children, I no longer recognize my abdominal muscles which I mistakenly ignored between pregnancies. So I plan to slowly build a stronger body.

3. How to fit it in
There’s a part of me that wants to dive into exercise like the old me would. I could go to the gym 5 times a week, do tough classes and commit to long runs on the weekend. Not only is that not practical, it no longer fits my life. So I mourn the fact that I don’t have that kind of time – and quickly move on.

I have to start with where I am now. I have a nursing 3-month old and a somewhat high maintenance 2.5 year old (almost forgot my husband too). I just started working part-time and I run this wonderful blog. I simply don’t have big chunks of time available.

Since my 3-month old’s schedule is still unpredictable, it doesn’t make sense for me to commit to running with a group or try to catch classes at the gym. So instead I’ll be on the lookout for daily opportunities to run. Sometimes mornings are good when my husband is home. I also bring the kids over to my moms at least once a week making it easy to escape. And every Sunday afternoon we go to my in-laws so I can bring my running stuff and take off at just the right time.

I plan to do a 15-minute postpartum rescue tape most days to help my poor little core and will incorporate hand weights on the days I have more time.

The Plan
So my plan is to run when I can, do my postpartum core strengthening video on most days and use my hand weights a few times a week. After a month or two I’ll check back in with the why, what and how and change what isn’t working and add on to what is. And I’ll be sure to let you know how I’m doing.

I realize the best way for busy moms like me to get into shape is unique to individuals and constantly changing. What worked for me 6 months ago doesn’t work today. And what I’m doing today is sure to be obsolete for my life in 6 months. If, as a mom of growing and changing children, I had one set idea on how exercise “should” be I’d never do it. For me, that’s just not acceptable.

Have you found a way to balance exercise and your busy mom life? Let others know by leaving a comment below.

Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters to get more health tips for mom.

Inspiring articles by Michelle Segar
Women Who Don’t Workout Aren’t Lazy

Flexing My Mom Muscles

The process of raising healthy eaters actually starts before conception. The health of women entering –and during – pregnancy has a profound impact on the health of both mom and baby.

Part of my job is to inform you (my readers) of important changes in public health recommendations. The Institute of Medicine last tackled pregnancy and weight in 1990 – almost 20 years ago. Health experts have been talking about the need to re-examine these guidelines for the last several years. Yet the newly released guidelines from the Institute of Medicine don’t look much different from the 1990 ones. That said, a lot was learned in the process. Let’s take a look…

A Different Population of Women
Pregnant women today look drastically different than moms-to-be did just 20 years ago. First off, more women start pregnancy either overweight or obese and they gain more weight during pregnancy. Women are also having children later in life with a substantial increase in multiple births. All of these factors increase the likelihood of chronic disease and complications during and after the prenatal period.

Key Takeaways
The Institute of Medicine extensively reviewed studies to determine the optimal range of weight gain for pregnant women. Here are some highlights from the report:
–Weight at the start of pregnancy may be the most important factor for a healthy pregnancy. The science clearly shows that pre-pregnancy weight alone can predict undesirable prenatal health outcomes.
–Women who gain more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy are more likely to have c-sections, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and they are likely to remain overweight long after birth.
–Women who start off pregnancy underweight and gain less than the recommended amount of weight tend to have small (for gestational age) babies. Women who gain more than the recommended amount of weight tend to have large (for gestational age) babies.
–Gaining too little or too much weight has also been associated with preterm birth.

The Guidelines
Below are the 2009 guidelines from the Institute of Medicine. The guidelines assume that women gain 1.1-4.4 pounds in the first trimester. The biggest change from 1990 is the smaller range of weight gain for obese women:

Underweight <18.5 (28-40 pounds)
Normal Weight 18.5-24.9 (25-35 pounds)
Overweight 25.0-29.9 (15-25 pounds)
Obese > 30 (11-20 pounds)

Provisional guidelines for twins: normal weight (37-54 pounds), overweight (31-50 pounds), obese (25-42 pounds).

Want to know your BMI. Check it out here.

To Sum Up
Beginning pregnancy at a healthy weight and gaining a sensible amount during the pregnancy provides a healthier start for both you and your baby. This is an incredible opportunity because it allows you to develop a healthier relationship with food before your child is even born.

For more information on nutrition and pregnancy see our pregnancy nutrition section.

Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters to learn more about nutrition during pregnancy.

References
Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines

I overcame most of my food issues in my twenties. It happened during a 10-month internship in the city of New Orleans. I was obsessed with eating low-fat even though I still carried extra weight. I constantly complained about how fat seemed to be infused into every food imaginable until a friend called me on it: “Do you even enjoy eating, Maryann?” At that moment I decided to ditch my low-fat-only diet so I could enjoy the culturally-diverse food while I was there.

But this time was different. I didn’t take it as free license to eat like crazy. Instead, I continued to eat a balanced diet and exercise. I soon figured out there was no reason to over-eat because unlike before, I could always have some fatty food the next day. By the end of the 10-months, I actually lost some weight. How could this be? My desire to over-eat was almost nonexistent. It was one of the most liberating feelings of my life.

After I started working as a dietitian, I searched for books on this topic. Eventually I found a book called Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD and Elyse Resch, MS, RD. These two dietitian-authors write that we are all born with a natural ability to regulate food intake. Unfortunately, modern society teaches the opposite – we should clean our plate, restrict what we eat to lose weight and avoid eating “bad” foods even if we crave them. What I have learned since reading this book is that our children will pick up on our food issues unless we break free of them. This is especially true for mothers and daughters.

Intuitive Eating aims to get you back to the intuitive eater you were born to be – eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are comfortably full (and that means eating any food you want!). There are 10 strategies to guide you through the intuitive eating process. The first eight work to undue the damaging effects of culture’s “dieting mentality” and the last two discuss nutrition and exercise.

Being a good food role model for your kids is not about eating perfectly. In fact, I hope my children don’t become obsessed with eating only healthy foods. I want them to have a healthy relationship with food – one where eating nutritious foods isn’t a chore, where they naturally maintain a healthy weight and they are able to eat indulgent foods without feeling guilty or “bad”.

So I recommend this book to moms everywhere. It will not only make you a better role model, it will change your life.

Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters to get more mom-centered health tips

Moms come in all different shapes and sizes. Some are still having a hard time losing the baby weight – even years after birth. Others weigh the same as they did before pregnancy but feel their fat has redistributed to all the wrong places. And there are those who didn’t give birth at all but because they are now a mom, they lack the time to really do anything about their weight.

I might as well let you know my bias up front: I don’t believe in dieting. I’m not just referring to popular weight loss diets. I’m talking about following any set of strict “food rules” — even those that are self-made. But when it comes to moms, I think dieting is an especially a poor fit. Let me explain why.

1. Diets generally don’t work
A 2007 review in American Psychologist revealed that up to two-thirds of people following restricted-calorie diets gained the weight back. This is often seen in the literature – weight loss is doable over the short term but maintaining it is a different story. You probably know plenty of people who have lost weight only to regain it back. Even celebrities like Oprah, with all their advantages, admit to having a hard time.

2. Moms don’t have time to diet
Following a specific diet requires you to eat differently from your family. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard enough time preparing one meal for dinner much less two. As moms we are already in charge of feeding our families – and it’s too much of a strain to prepare two meals. And when you add in the extra cost in a tough economy, it just doesn’t make sense.

3. Dieting can influence kids
Parents serve as food role models for their children, especially mothers to their daughters. According to a 2000 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 5-year old girls with dieting moms were more than twice as likely to have ideas about dieting than girls without dieting moms. 5-years old! I don’t think any mom wants their children to ever diet, much less be at increased risk for future eating disorders.

Remember, it’s our job to teach children how to eat a variety of foods, including fun foods that are higher in calories. If we can’t eat such items in moderation, how can we expect them to do so?

So what can moms do?
The first step is letting go of the dieting person you used to be. Instead of using strategies that may have worked for you in the past, embrace your mom role and actually use it to your advantage. In fact, the best diet coach in the world happens to be your child – and they don’t charge. In all seriousness, we can learn a great deal from our little ones.

–Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full: When my two-year-old daughter snacks more than usual before dinner she ends up picking at her meal for two minutes and then exclaims “all done!” She reached her calorie quota for the day and she’s full. I don’t insist she eat more because she’s listening to her body and that’s a good thing. Moms can benefit from listening to, and honoring, their own hunger signals.

When you take the time to eat and really enjoy it you’ll notice that moment you start to feel full – and satisfied– and that’s a good time to tell yourself “all done.”

–Get immersed in your life: A woman I used to work with had lost quite a bit of weight and was getting a ton of attention. I usually avoid asking people how they lost weight but when she sat next to me in a boring work meeting the subject came up. Instead of saying she cut sugar or followed some popular diet she said “I’m happy.” She went on to explain that she had started acting again, even got into a play, and lost interest in overeating.

Children are the best example of this: they are so excited about life that they have to be reminded to eat. As moms, sometimes we forget about our personal passions because of the demands of the job. But if you can slowly pick them back up, or take time to discover what they are, vigorous eating can lose its luster.

–Use love as a motivation to put health first: It’s hard to describe the love a mother has for her child. I still can’t get over this powerful force. But many of us make the mistake of putting all the energy into our child’s health while ignoring our own – and it can backfire.

Instead of using guilt and “shoulds” to eat better (which don’t work by the way), think about how you want to be around when your children get older. The key is to start loving yourself as much as you love your little one. Put the same type of care into what you eat and you’ll get double back.

Look for newly added information for moms in the Resource section coming soon along with more blog posts aimed to help moms to take better care of themselves.

Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters to get more information on mom’s health.

References

Mann T, Tomiyama AJ, Westling E, Lew A, Samuels B, Chatman J. Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: Diets are not the answer. American Psychologist. Vol 62(3), Apr 2007, 220-233.

Abramovitz BA, Birch LL. Five-year-old girls’ ideas about dieting are predicted by their mothers’ dieting. J Am Diet Assoc. 2000; 100(10):1157-63.