A Day in the Life of a Mom of Multiples: achieving healthy choices in the midst of chaos

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BalanceRewards #CollectiveBias

I wish that I could say that I am a fitness buff. That people marvel at my six pack and wonder where my amazing biceps originated. But this is the real world, and that’s just not the case. The truth is that the majority of the time I am a frazzled mom of multiples plus a preschooler. I haven’t set foot in a gym since college, and I drink more caffeine than I care to admit. The stage of my life doesn’t allow for much (if any) “me” time right now. But I also feel like this is a critical time in my life where the health goals that I make are laying the ground work for my future health and wellness. And when it comes to healthy choices, I need all the help that I can get. Today I’m sharing a few of the small must-do things that I incorporate into my day to promote my wellness goals, as well as a fun new app to motivate me to get myself in gear!

Water, Water, and More Water

One of the first things that I do every morning is make a pitcher of lemon and lime infused water. Simply slice a lemon and lime and place a few pieces in a full pitcher of water. I then place the water in the refrigerator to chill. After a few hours chasing the kids, the water is ready for me to drink. My own personal challenge is that I have to finish the entire pitcher of water before drinking anything else. I usually polish off two of these pitchers over the course of the day. I find that when I have cold water (that’s tasty!) made and on hand, I drink it more often than if I don’t already have it made.

Probiotics

I’m around small kids all day long, and I firmly believe that good health begins in the gut. I can’t promise to make the best food choices all day long, but I can try to achieve system balance with a daily probiotic.

Fresh Fruits and Veggies on Hand

Have you ever heard the saying, “Build it and they will come?” When it comes to eating, my saying is, “Buy it, and I will eat it.” My life stays so crazy that most of the time I have to grab what I can to eat. If I have junk food lying around, then that’s what I eat. If I have fresh fruits and veggies in the fridge, then that’s what I make. Keeping good foods on hand ensures that I make healthy food choices for myself and my kids.

Get Moving

It’s actually not that difficult to get moving around here. While I may not be able to fit in an hour long workout, I’ve found that 15 minute spurts are best for my schedule. I can chase the kids in the yard, ride bikes with my oldest during naptime, and take the whole crew for an evening walk to get daily exercise. And if the crew decides to split in all different ways in the yard, well, that’s even more sweat equity.

Use a Motivation System

Everyone needs a motivator. EVERYONE. Knowing that there is a reward at the end of the tunnel is a must for anyone. The wellness rewards that are the results of a healthy lifestyle sometimes seem so intangible that it’s nice to have a tangible goal towards which to work. For a while now I’ve been using Walgreens Balance Rewards during my weekly shopping trips and prescription refills. But now I can use the Walgreens Balance Rewards for healthy choices, too! The Walgreens Balance Rewards for healthy choices allows users to log in exercise, setting goals, and track their progress. There is a wide range of rewardable activities, so even users like me who can’t hit the gym can still earn points. The program can be used on a mobile device or on a computer.

It’s a huge motivating factor for me to see the points add up when I add my daily exercise. The points I earn through the Walgreens Balance Rewards for healthy choices program goes towards fun things like a Walgreens gift card!

If you already use a mobile app like My Fitness Pal or a Fitness device, logging in the points is even easier. Simply connect the app/device and the points and progress will update automatically.

Ready to get motivated and give the Walgreens Balance Rewards for healthy choices program a try? I have a great giveaway to help you out today! One lucky reader will win a FitBit! Simply use the below Rafflecopter form to enter to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The Walgreens®  Giveaway ends on 9/10/14 at 6:00PM ET. Open only to (i) legal residents of the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia, and (ii) who are at least 18 years old at the time of entry. Void in PR and where prohibited. Sponsor: Collective Bias, Inc.