New Mom Chronicles: The Lack of Energy Struggle

Ask anyone around you how their energy level is, even someone who isn’t a new mom, and they’ll probably tell you they’re tired–they have no motivation, no energy. Find a new mom (or dad) and you don’t even have to ask! You can see it in our eyes, and you can probably sense it in the quality of conversation with us when we repeat ourselves or completely lose our train of thought.

Prior to becoming a mom, my energy levels were on 11 most of the time, even if I did sometimes feel tired. And I knew going into motherhood that the constantly interrupted sleep patterns would lead to being more tired than I’ve ever felt in my entire life…but wow. I can manage to boost my energy up mentally when I really need to, such as when I’m teaching one of my group exercise classes or doing a Facebook Live video, but most of the time, I feel like I’m dragging.

And it is a constant struggle to keep myself going. Praise God for caffeine! (I asked my doctor and our pediatrician–the view on caffeine during and after pregnancy is different these days, and I make sure I don’t go overboard, just in case you were wondering there.) But the fact is, I don’t want to always be reliant on caffeine for an energy source, and it’s likely you’re reading this because you don’t want to either. Caffeine is really a false energy source that we can crash from, and it messes with our adrenal system and the signals within our own bodies.

So while I’m personally in the midst of the energy crisis…okay, struggle (I’ll stop being dramatic!)…here’s what I’m working on, and maybe these tips can help you too.

• Drink more water!

This will always be a chant of mine, so despite sounding like a broken record, I will keep repeating it. Drink more water! Water is our most natural energy drink. It’s what we’re made of, so it’s what our bodies crave. When we’re properly hydrated, our bodies respond with energy. Lack of sleep will still interfere, of course, but staying hydrated is the first and biggest step to combating that as best we can. And sorry, the water that makes your coffee doesn’t count toward your actual water intake.

Do what feels right for your body, but you probably need way more water than you think you do. Most people are actually dehydrated these days! I was consistently surprised, when conducting the free personal training assessments at my gym, to learn how little water people were drinking. One person even declared, quite sternly, that he drank one mini bottle of water per day, like the tiny 4oz bottles you can buy in the store. I forget what he did for a living, but it was almost like he was boasting that he was too busy and too important to bother drinking more water than that, that maybe he was saying he didn’t need more because he was functioning just fine.

You. Need. More. Water. The general rule of thumb right now is to drink half your body weight in ounces. Yes, that’s a lot of water. No, you probably shouldn’t just start assaulting your insides with that much water right away since you’re not used to it. Go ahead and start slowly, adding maybe one more glass of water each day until you eventually reach where you should be.

If you’re telling me you don’t like the taste of water, add some fresh fruit, cucumber, mint, ginger, etc. Go ahead and make it flavorful, just please stay away from those flavor squirt bottles or packets. Even if they say there are no calories or even no sugar, there are artificial sweeteners or “natural” flavors that are just going to continue to mess with your body because it doesn’t know what to do with them. And let’s be honest, do you really know what they mean by “natural” flavors? Yeah, me either. So just don’t do it! Step away!

If you’re up for a little kick, try this recipe from Chalene Johnson for lemon ginger cayenne water. I’ve only made it once so far, but I liked it, and next time I plan on adding a little more ginger and an extra dash of cayenne pepper.

• Exercise more often

Now, if you’re dog tired and in danger of falling over asleep on the floor at any moment because baby was up every hour on the hour last night, I don’t recommend hopping on the elliptical today.

BUT, in general, on your average day, get your butt to the gym or pop in your workout DVD or go for a walk. Move your body somehow. It doesn’t have to be the craziest, most intense workout under the sun. Go do some yoga or Pilates. Just move. It sounds backwards, but exercise CREATES energy.

Maybe the boost of energy won’t last as long as it used to before baby came along, but I’m certain we will eventually get back to that point. And for now, would you rather have some energy for even just a little bit, or no energy all the time? Booyah.

• Eat healthier.

If you’re like me, you might be more inclined to go for what’s quick and/or easy these days. I’ll be the first to admit that my diet is not where it should be! I give into pizza, eating out, frozen meals, and sweets more often than I want to admit. (Yes, I know I just said I was the first to admit…shush…)

But if you can make healthier choices at least more often than not, you’re on the right path. Keep easy snacks around like ready-to-eat veggies (carrots and hummus, sugar snap peas, etc.), fruits, nuts, and choose lean proteins like chicken, plain Greek yogurt, etc., and healthy fats like avocado and coconut oil. Google quick and easy recipes for ideas on how to keep these healthier foods interesting, and incorporate spices for flavor.

Invest in (or start using!) a Crock Pot. Opt for frozen veggies if you need to. Intentionally look for recipes that are done in 30 minutes or less, require little prep, can be made in the oven (set it and forget it), etc. Avoid recipes that call for ingredients that contain lots of sugar or sodium (usually canned items are overloaded with sodium, even canned veggies–so choose fresh or frozen).

Go easy on yourself if a pizza is the easiest or the only choice one night. Just don’t let it become every night and you’re doing fine.

• Rest.

I feel ya–you’d love to nap when baby naps, but there are dishes to wash, laundry to do, work to get done, and it’s crazy tough to get it done when baby’s awake. (He has all these toys…why can’t he just sit and play with them for a minute? Why does he have to keep trying to pull things out of the cupboards or yell at me from the baby gate because he wants to go climb the stairs? I think I just figured out where all my energy went…he took it with him as he was being born and he’s not giving it back…)

But once in a while, give yourself permission to sleep when baby sleeps, or veg out and watch tv or read a book, or soak in a bath after baby has gone to sleep for the night. Or ask someone to babysit so you can nap in a moment when you really need to catch up on some sleep.

Recharging your batteries is just as important as actively boosting your energy. It’s absolutely so much harder these days, but do your best to catch and use those moments when you can. You can’t be at your best for anyone else if you’re not replenishing your own reserves.

• Set goals and go for them.

In my personal experience, when I have something I’m working toward, whether it’s a personal goal or a business goal, there’s an underlying push and drive to get it done. Again, much harder these days (sometimes I feel like I might give myself a little TOO much permission to rest haha), but when I find those other moments that can be used for working toward those goals and crossing things off my to-do list, I feel happy and accomplished, motivated and energized. (And I also feel more relaxed when I then take other moments for rest.)

You’ve got to find your own personal balance between choosing rest and choosing to earn that Instagram #goals post. You know what you need best, which moments in your life can or should be used for goal-getting vs. rest, so I can’t and won’t tell you what to do when. But for me, when I feel that energy, I’ve got to try to use it when it’s there.

Sometimes it’s a mental game–you can create energy just by telling yourself you have energy! It definitely works when you’re working out, so it can work in daily life too. But other times, the baby just wouldn’t fall asleep at his normal time and you’re exhausted and now it’s 10:00, and it’s either do the dishes cuz they kinda need to be done or try to write a coherent blog post in a sleepy haze. I get it. You make the choice that feels right. But keep those goals in your sight and don’t let them get too far away.

And set new goals once you accomplish the other ones. Because you can and you will!

Believe in yourself. You are still you. You’re a beautiful mom now, and that is a wonderful and important part of your identity. But don’t let the fire for your passions in life start to dim. Maybe you only get to take one small baby step every day (no pun intended…maybe) or even every other day, but what’s wrong with that? It’s further than you were the day before, right? And what’s wrong with that? Progress is progress. So again I say: Booyah.

I hope this was helpful for you! Please feel free to share your own tips and tricks in the comments for how YOU keep your energy up. Moms rule. (Okay, dads too. But still. Moms rule.)

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