If you have ever had a stranger hesitate before saying the word “mom,” it might be time for a little overhaul on the appearance. Keeping yourself feeling young and healthy from the inside out is the best way to make sure that you are not the one hobbling down the aisle when your precious baby is getting married. After all, don’t you want to have people call you “mom” when you are pushing your grandson in his stroller?
To look like a kid, eat like an adult
Think about it: If you had a rocking brand new BMW X5, you would not stick cheap gas in it, would you? Your body is your rocking BMW. You can either give it what it needs to be a rumbling, purring maximum power, look-at-me machine or you can pump it full of junk and let it turn into a station wagon.
Choose fresh fruits and vegetables over cheesy, fat-laden side dishes and sugary juices. Snack on nuts rather than nut bars. Three chocolate kisses are a nice treat; three dozen chocolate kisses are a cry for help. Stick to small portions of healthy foods and your body will rumble like a tiger, not moan like a dying cat.
And play like a kid
Whatever it takes to get you to haul your butt off the couch and move it, is perfectly fine. Do not get caught up in the idea that you have to do a set routine for it to count as exercise. There are many ways you can get back in shape:
- Push baby in the stroller on a good day and walk him around the house on the bad days.
- When baby is older, take him to the park and join him on the swings for an awesome abs work out that is actually a lot of fun to do. Hopscotch, join a baseball game, jump rope or hula hoop and you will burn calories while you are having a good time.
- If you need a little more structure, then join a gym or buy a DVD. At most libraries you can borrow workouts so that you can sample different ones until you find the one that most appeals to you. After all, there is no sense in having the equipment if you never use it.
Treat your skin as well as you do baby’s bum
While changing your baby’s diaper, do you just grab whatever is handy to smear on his little fanny when you are through? Of course not! You probably have a whole basket filled with various products to use for when baby is rash free, getting ready to have a rash, in the throes of a rash and just getting over a rash. You make sure that you treat your baby’s bottom carefully, but you will use whatever sample product or possibly expired crud you can coax out of a musty, dusty bottle that you found rolled under the counter. It is time to ditch the out-of-date stuff and invest in a skin care routine that will keep the dead skin sloughed off, the breakouts and the winkles at bay and give you back your youthful radiance. No one is saying you have to have a ten-step process for your face, but taking out five minutes for proper skin care is not a crime, either.
All of your skin
The stuff that your baby bathes in, that lovely scented liquid that seems to make baby so happy? That is actually a good idea. If you enjoy the scent, then buy a bigger bottle and you will both smell the same. If you would prefer another scent, stick to the same concept: gentle, liquid and clean rinsing. Moisturize before you dry off and you will seal in all of the softness that you need.
Cap it off with protection
If you are heading out into the sunshine without a sun block on, you are just begging the sun to tan your hide for you. Not only are you putting yourself at risk for dangerous skin cancers, you are inviting wrinkles and other signs of skin damage onto your face and body.
Check it out
Finally, to stay as young and healthy as possible and to maintain your youthful appearance, get your check-ups as scheduled: yearly Pap smear, blood work, eye exam and don’t forget the dermatologist to get a clean bill of health for your skin.
