Six. Weeks. Kids are in full silly mode, teachers are throwing a party (or having a long lie down for the foreseeable) and you’re now looking on in horror as you realise not only do you have to juggle life, work and training, but you need to do all this AND sort childcare or entertain the little darlings yourself.
And the next question is, how the heck are you going to do all that AND maintain your own health and fitness?!
Yep, we’re a DINKs household – double income, no kids – so I can’t profess to know firsthand about having kids ruining my house for six weeks of summer BUT. 85% of my current client list are parents. They’re business owners, professionals, parents and athletes and they’re facing the same struggles you are. And as a group, we’re all learning from eachother. Which is why I’ve decided to put this six week blog series together to help you tackle some of the biggest challenges you face over the summer holidays. And it’s not from my own brain, it’s from the collective brain of my parent clients!
The first thing that always comes up (since I am, after all, first and foremost a nutrition coach), is FOOD. In particular, keeping up with a nutrition plan for life and training might seem daunting, especially when the routine feels like it’s about to go out of the window. So here’s some practical tips one how to keep your nutrition on track to fuel life, training and work while you’ve got little monsters under your feet this summer…
1. Plan and prep together.
Meal prepping is a skill that can become your best ally during the summer holidays, when time is even more crunched than usual and family schedules start to overlap. Prepare large batches of balanced meals ahead of time that can be quickly reheated and served. These can include pasta salads, grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, or quinoa salads. Not only does this save time and energy, but it also ensures that you have nutritionally balanced meals ready to fuel your training and busy day. You can also use these as amazing “accessories” for healthy impromptu barbecues when the Sun eventually decides to show its face. Including your kids in this process by sitting down to plan the week ahead, will also help your kids develop a really valuable life skill that they’ll recognise as they develop. It also helps foster healthy conversations about food.
2. Create a Kid-Friendly Snack Station
Nutritionally dense, easy-to-grab snacks can be a lifesaver when you’re on the go. Create a snack station in your kitchen that’s accessible to your children, filled with healthy options like fresh fruits, veggies with hummus, nuts, and yogurt. This encourages your children to make healthy choices while providing quick fuel for you before and after workouts – everyone’s a winner!
3. Eat Together as a Family
While your dietary needs may differ from your children’s, eating together provides a sense of routine amidst the holiday chaos. It’s also an opportunity to model healthy eating habits and introduce intuitive eating concepts, such as listening to hunger cues and enjoying food mindfully. You can tailor meals to your kids without cooking whole different options, by making one central component such as a ratatouille and serving with different proteins or simply adjusting portion sizes to suit.
4. Be Flexible and Compassionate with Yourself
Despite the best planning, there will be days when things go awry, and that’s perfectly okay. Perhaps you’ll miss a meal, eat more than you planned, or resort to less nutritious options due to time constraints or a family day out near the ice cream van! Remember, intuitive eating is about flexibility and listening to your body’s needs, not perfection. Show yourself compassion and remember that each meal is a new opportunity to nourish your body while your favourite treats are there to be enjoyed and savoured as part of your family memory making!
5. Recognise the value of routine
It can be tempting to let everything go for the entire summer holidays, but this can cause more grief later down the line when you look back and feel resentful about the steps you’ve taken backward. Instead of going totally nuts for the full summer period, embrace the opportunity to gently teach children about the value of intuitive eating, meal planning and nutrition and build in sensible meal time routines as a chance to catch up, spend quality time together and help everyone nourish themselves for the fun you plan over the time off.
The summer holidays fly by when you’re a parent and although they can be stressful and feature a lot of upheaval, they can also be a valuable opportunity to share a health journey with your family. Relax, enjoy yourself and recognise the energy that staying on track with your nutritional strategy can bring you – as well as a visit to the Roly Poly fudge pantry and Mr Whippy every once in a while!