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Mom Energy: Get An Energy Makeover

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Last week, I was able to meet author and dietician, Ashely Koff and hear about her exciting new book, mom energy. I was immediately intrigued….mom energy. I know I can use some of that. As a matter of fact, I know we can all use some more mom energy!

Mom Energy gives you 3 simple steps to get energy back in your hectic life:

1. Reorganize – Ditch energy drainers & choose energy solutions
2. Rehabilitate –Balance your diet & life
3. Recharge – Exercise & sleep are part of the plan

I had the chance to interview Ashley and ask her a few questions on how to get more energy the ‘buttoned up’ way.

GBU: What one or two baby steps can someone take to get started to rev up their Mom Energy?

ASHLEY: The combination of nutrient balance (nutrient balance instead of counting calories) and eating frequency (eating every 3ish hours) will make a big difference in one’s energy so I would go with those two. Start by learning where foods fall in terms of their dominant nutrients (you can use the plan in the book or the nutrition plan on my website: www.ashleykoff.com/nutritionplan

GBU: What meal planning/steps can I do no the weekend so making healthy meals is easy and quick during the week?

ASHLEY: Preparation and shopping. I often recommend stocking your freezer with organic foods like fruits, vegetables, herbs (yes, you can freeze them), nuts & seeds, wild salmon, quality vegetable burgers, and organic waffles (like Nature’s Path). Then I recommend over-cooking. I am not talking about temperature or duration but quantity. Hard boil all 12 eggs, make several servings of a grain (vs 1), make a stock or puree soup, cook a few servings of wild salmon and cut up vegetables for a quick assemble salad bar.

GBU: What tips can you give me to get over being an ‘Over Worked, Over Scheduled (Over Tired) mom?

ASHLEY: The body needs recovery time to get its groove back so we have to decide how we are going to prioritize our workload daily. It’s key to give yourself a lights out (or computer off) time and stick to it like a kid’s bedtime. You need to be okay to carry over something that didn’t get done one day to the next day. Also balance your activity. Intensity is great but relaxation is also critical. Magnesium in foods helps as well as a supplement like my go-to Natural Vitality Natural Calm (It turns off the stress inside the cells and relaxes the body).

My Turn
This is helpful and helped me think about how I could take the 3 steps and incorporate them into my day to day life. I hope that some of these ideas can help you as well:

1. Reorganize – My biggest energy drainer is caffeine and yet I cannot imagine giving it up entirely. I am going to try the 20% Method and reduce my intake of ice tea ( my beverage of choice) by 20% each week so it is not a dramatic change but over time gets me to my goal of one caffeinated beverage a day.

2. Rehabilitate –Planning is my best tool to make sure I manage my diet and also take care of feeding my family. I am using our meal planner tool as a template to plan, shop and make sure I stay on track.

3. Recharge – The best way for me to make sure I exercise and get enough sleep is to plan it into my schedule. I set up a reoccurring appointment in my calendar for five days a week at 6PM to exercise. It has an alarm that rings on my iPhone to make sure I remember I do what I need to for me. Even my daughter, Lucy, knows when it goes off it is time for mom to hit the treadmill for 30 minutes. As for sleep, I set a reoccurring alarm as well at 10PM each night to remind me it is time to stop watching bad reality TV and to turn over and get some ZZZs. It is simple but it works.

So I am almost done with Mom Energy and have a plan in my head on how I can get on the right track, eat better and do it without interrupting the rest of my already hectic life. Very exciting! If you want more information, you can “LIKE” Ashely Koff Approved or Mom Energy on Facebook or send Ashley a message on twitter @Ashleykoff.