3 Fitness Tips for Busy Moms: Live with Megan Millecam
Welcome to part three of our self-care series with Megan Millecam, a personal trainer and owner of MC Fit. She majored in Exercise Science, and has her Master’s in Health Science. She has always loved health and fitness, and has been in the fitness industry for almost 14 years now! Her Live with Jessalyn is saved to The Sleep Fairy IGTV. Be sure to watch it to learn her three fitness tips for busy moms.
Tip #1: Make Movement a Non-Negotiable
What is the reason we do all that we do with health and fitness? Some of it might be aesthetic, but really we want to feel good and enjoy our lives. It might sound harsh to make movement a requirement in your day, but really, it is absolutely possible to get it in! You can grab a stroller and walk around the block, go to the park with your kids and do a few exercises on the bench, etc. Work hard to make it fit into your day, and those small doses will add up!
Jessalyn mentioned that her friend once said she was starting to work out again, and she has always remembered that she said, “I’m not looking for a number, I’m looking for a feeling.” That is the truth! The benefits of movement go far beyond your physical appearance. They affect your mental health, your sleep, and your motivation to eat better. Megan has TONS of bodyweight only workout on her IGTV, so go check those out if you are at a loss for where to start, or you don’t have the equipment right now!
They also talked about how your kids can be incorporated into your workout. Whether you’re doing squat and presses with your toddler or walking your newborn in their stroller, you are setting an example for them! And how cool that they can see you prioritize movement. If you can scroll on your phone for 10 minutes, you can put your phone down and work out for 10 minutes. Celebrate those small wins!
Tip #2: Make Yourself and Priority
We talk about the importance of self-care often, and Megan agrees that you don’t need to feel bad about making yourself a priority! Moms can get so lost in taking care of other people, but really you’re not giving them the best version of you if you are spread so thin and your cup is empty. Megan hears many people say that is “feels selfish” to put themselves first sometimes, but what’s the alternative?? You can’t go on like this forever, and you will definitely snap or have a breakdown.
If we are trying to raise independent humans, we can teach our toddlers to play by themselves for 10 minutes so we can get a workout in. We can tell them to use their imaginations so we can have a bit of time to breathe. Again, those little doses go a long way!
Tip #3: Simplify Your Food
Megan says that we put too much pressure on the process of food prep these days. If we see something on Instagram or Pinterest, we think we have to make it too, and that it has to be perfect! When really, we can just make sure we plan ahead for a few meals and our snacks for the week so that our quick “go-to” snacks are healthy.
Example: buy a veggie tray from Costco so that’s accessible in your fridge, buy string cheese or lean deli meat that’s easy to grab, or pre-make some protein shakes so you can have them on hand for those moments when you need something now. Megan even has discount codes for several different protein and protein bar options (we love G2G!), so go find those on her Instagram. {Idealfit is 15% off with her code MCFIT15}
Thoughts on Nutrition & Meals
All the changes that have happened with nutrition in the past few years have really been rebranding basic whole foods. We want to enjoy food—it’s so good! We should be able to live our lives and create memories with our families around food, and enjoy the things we eat. However, everything should be done in moderation. One of Megan’s rules regarding nutrition is: If it feels extreme, NO. She believes it can ALL fit, we just need to see where things can work and where we need to make adjustments.
Megan has several options of where to get ideas for healthy meals:
Go to her Link in Bio, and she has 2 meal guides to purchase.
She has another Instagram account, @imhungrywhatsfordinner that is a collection of her easy, healthy, meals.
Search the hashtag #munchercruncherrecipes and you’ll see a bunch of things come up.
And finally, her blog has recipes too!
She also shared her favorite places to eat out for healthy food options: Cafe Rio, Costa Vida, Cubby’s, and most Mexican food (as long as you take it easy with the chips and salsa, loads of cheese, and toppings!)
Where to Find Megan
We are totally fangirling that we got to have Megan here on The Sleep Fairy account! We have followed her for years, and she is such an example of consistency, positivity, diligence, and just getting it done. Check out her Instagram @muncher_cruncher where she shares a wealth of knowledge about fitness and nutrition, and where she has TONS of workout on her IGTV. We guarantee 20 minutes with her will turn into a sweat fest!