Optimise your nutrition as a busy mum
As a mum in today's fast-paced modern world, we can often find ourselves juggling multiple roles. We are mums, wives, and professionals, and we juggle life, work, and running the household while trying to have meaningful relationships and finding moments for ourselves and self-care. The pressures of everyday life can cause us to let self-care fall by the wayside and to neglect our much-needed nutritional needs. The lack of time and energy can lead to selecting unhealthy food options or even skipping meals altogether. What you eat and how you eat have a huge impact on how you feel, both physically and mentally.
Stress and its impact on nutrition
Stress can have a huge impact on our physical and emotional health. When the body is under stress, it triggers the release of hormones, for example, cortisol, otherwise known as the "stress hormone." Cortisol helps the body manage the stressors in the short term. However, over time, chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels can lead to a range of negative health effects, including weight gain, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, and weakened immune function.
Good nutrition is often one of the first things to be affected by stress. When the pressure rises, many women reach for "comfort foods". Not the nourishing nutrient-dense kind, but “bliss” foods. Foods that are high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. These bliss foods feel good when we eat them and provide a moment of what we need, be it energy, comfort, escapism, relief from boredom, or the feeling of stress. These foods trigger the release of Dopamine, which is our “happy and reward hormone.” Providing a moment of welcome, happy relief from the situation you find yourself in. However, stress can also result in a lack of appetite, which can make women skip meals. These scenarios can mean that the body doesn’t get the adequate nutrients that it requires to function optimally during stressful and demanding times.
I understand it can be difficult to get out of ingrained and entrenched habits when we are tired and stressed. It can be challenging to be more in tune when you are stuck in survival mode. This makes it easy for us to find ourselves going around in circles with stress and poor nutrition. As an example, poor eating habits can cause blood sugar imbalances, which can then lead to energy crashes, and mood swings, which then lead us to feel increased stress and anxiety. Stress can also disrupt digestion and nutrient absorption, which makes it even harder for us to replenish essential vitamins and minerals from our food.
Here are a few of my favourite tips on prioritising nutrition to reduce stress, boost energy, and promote emotional well-being.
Meal planning and preparation
The best strategy for managing nutrition while balancing a busy lifestyle is meal planning. Preparing meals ahead of time allows you to have healthy options readily available before hunger kicks in. Therefore reducing the temptation to turn to processed foods or unhealthy snacks. Batch cooking, prepping vegetables, or setting aside time to cook nutritious meals in advance to feed the freezer can make a world of difference. I recommend utilising your freezer and batch cooking by cooking larger portions when making dinners or as and when you have extra time on your hands. Yes, this requires a little energy and thinking. Things we don’t always have readily available. However, by feeding the freezer, when you pull out your homemade nutritious meal from the freezer after a long day, it’s like someone is hugging you.
Mindful Eating
This practice encourages you to pay attention to the whole experience of eating and to recognise the body’s hunger and fullness cues. This can be especially helpful for women under stress, as it can prevent overeating or emotional eating. Slowing down to savour food, avoiding distractions like screens, and focusing on the sensory experience of eating can help prevent mindless eating habits.
It’s easy to eat on autopilot, especially when you’re busy. However, taking the time to mindfully eat can reduce stress levels whilst also promoting digestion. When you eat quickly or while multitasking, it’s harder for your body to properly digest food, which can lead to bloating and discomfort. Taking a few minutes to sit down, breathe deeply, and eat without distractions helps your body absorb nutrients better and enhances the enjoyment of your meals. It’s also an opportunity to check in with yourself and how you’re feeling, helping you stay grounded and calm.
Tip: Practice mindful eating by setting aside time for meals without distractions like phones or TV. Chew your food slowly and savour the flavours. Make it a practice to not eat standing, this can create more awareness with what you are putting into your mouth and you are less likely to mindlessly eat.
Make a conscious effort to make your meals balanced using the balanced plate method helping to support energy levels. The Balanced Plate Method is a simple way to ensure that you're eating balanced and nutritious meals. It involves dividing your plate into three sections:
1/2 should be filled with colourful vegetables or fruits (think seasonal and include a combination).
1/4 with lean protein (such as chicken, tofu, fish, grass-fed beef, lentils or beans).
1/4 with whole grains or complex carbohydrates (for example, quinoa, sweet potatoes, or brown rice).
This variety provides a broad spectrum of nutrients that work together to support your body’s functions, improve immune health, and keep energy levels stable. It’s easy to fall into the trap of convenience foods when time is short and juggling multiple things, but taking the time to plan and prep balanced meals can make a world of difference. Eating in this way helps you to get a variety of much needed nutrients. The Balanced Plate Method also helps you to naturally control portion sizes, manage blood sugar levels, and support overall health, making it easier to function optimally during stressful periods.Prioritise protein for steady energy
When you're constantly on the go or trying to keep going, it's easy to skip meals or rely on sugary snacks for a quick boost of energy. However, we need to fuel our busy days and provide the body it needs to go about its day. Skipping meals or fueling on sugar and caffeine can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, leaving you feeling more tired and irritable. Protein rich foods like eggs, lean meats, fish, tofu, full-fat Greek yogurt, and nuts provide long lasting energy that helps regulate blood sugar levels. When paired with healthy fats and fibre, they create a balanced meal that helps you avoid energy crashes and feel fuller longer, even during your busiest days.
Tip: Prepare protein packed snacks like boiled eggs, protein balls, cheese cubes, or a handful of mixed nuts to grab when you're on the move. Ensuring you’re fueling your body properly without reaching for quick, sugary fixes.
Opt for complex carbohydrates to avoid blood sugar fluctuations
Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, sweet potatoes, quinoa, and oats, are your best friends during stressful times. Avoiding refined carbohydrates or sugars (such as white bread, sugary snacks or drinks, and white sugar) and instead focusing on complex carbohydrates, which release energy slowly. Therefore preventing blood sugar spikes and a blood sugar roller coaster, which features crashes that can make you feel anxious, irritable, and fatigued. These slow digesting carbohydrates provide a steady stream of energy, which is especially important when you're managing multiple tasks and responsibilities and running around like a headless chicken.
Incorporate stress-relieving foods
Some foods have natural properties that can help support you and reduce the physical and mental effects of stress. Magnesium, for example, is a mineral known for its ability to relax muscles and ease tension. It’s found in foods like spinach, almonds, avocados, and dark chocolate. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and walnuts, also play a role in reducing inflammation and support in regulating stress hormones.
Tip: Add a handful of leafy greens to smoothies or use them as a base to salads. Sprinkle omega-3-rich chia seeds on your yogurt, or enjoy a warm cacao and collagen as an afternoon treat pick-me-up or a square of dark chocolate after dinner.
Healthy snacking
When under stress, many women may feel the urge to snack more. Instead of reaching for crisps or sweets, keeping healthy snacks like nuts, fruit, yogurt, dates with peanut butter, olives, cheese slices, or chopped vegetables and hummus readily available can help curb hunger and provide essential nutrients without the added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats of processed snacks. Also, I urge you to think before you put anything into your mouth. Pause and create awareness around what you are doing, think “Why do I want to eat this?” Bringing awareness to your situation, are you hungry? or are you bored, tired, stressed, etc.
Hydration
It’s easy to forget about hydration when you’re busy, but dehydration can exacerbate feelings of stress and fatigue and lead to headaches. When you’re not properly hydrated, your body is less able to cope with stress, and thinking clearly can suffer. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is key, and herbal teas can also be a soothing and hydrating choice. If you find plain water boring, try infusing it with slices of fruit such as lemon, lime, or berries, or cucumber, or fresh herbs such as mint or rosemary to make it more enjoyable and more likely you will reach for it.
Support energy with B vitamins
Stress depletes your body’s stores of B vitamins. These are essential for energy production as well as mood regulation. Low levels of B vitamins can contribute to feelings of fatigue, irritability, and even feeling down. B vitamins can be found in a vast variety of foods, for example, meat, eggs, beans, lentils, and leafy greens. By including these foods in your diet, you can help to support your energy levels when you're feeling overwhelmed.
Tip: Start your day with a breakfast that includes eggs (a great source of B12 and protein) and leafy greens like spinach or kale. For lunch, try roasted salmon with vegetables (sweet potatoes, leafy greens, chickpeas) and quinoa.
Stress reduction
Managing stress through yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, or even a simple walk can help regulate cortisol levels for busy mums. i often sit for a few minutes, allowing my gaze to fall softly on something in front of me or daydream a little for a minute. I find this helps to refresh and reduce stress. Simple stress reduction techniques such as deep breathing exercises can be a game-changer. Taking just five minutes to focus on slow, deep breaths helps activate the body's relaxation response, calming the mind. Even small acts of self-compassion, for example, saying "no" when you need or asking for help, can make a big difference when you are at your limits. These simple practices can help us to regain balance, reduce overwhelm, and feel more centered.
It may take time, but every little change can make a big difference in improving health, boosting energy, and ultimately leading to a better quality of life. Good nutrition isn’t just about the food we eat, it is also about our lifestyle. By incorporating these nutritional strategies, as busy mums, we can better manage the physical and mental toll of stress. Therefore, giving yourself the tools to handle the demands of daily life with more energy, focus, and resilience.
I urge you, next time you're feeling overwhelmed or overstretched, don’t neglect your nutrition. Now is the time to look after yourself more than ever! Add good nutrition to your self-care and stress relief toolbox.
I hope this journal is helpful for you.
Katie xx
DISCLAIMER: This journal is for information only and does not constitute or include any advice of any nature whatsoever. No reliance should be placed on the information or opinions in this journal. The reader should carry out their own research and consult with a suitably qualified medical practitioner.