Top hero foods for new Mums

Most of us know what we should eat and why we should eat it. But it's often the case we get caught up in work, or running around after our little (or not so little) kids, that we don't. We say it's too hard too eat healthily, we don't have time to cook or plan meals, or even that it costs more to prepare healthy alternatives. And we look for a short-cut or what we think will be a quick fix to good health and fat loss.

And does it work? Maybe in the short term, but so-called 'dieting' isn't the answer when you look at the big picture. Diets mess with your head, your moods, and confidence. How often do you feel guilty about something you ate for instance? 

Diets can create a negative cycle of stress, deprivation, bingeing, guilt, denial, frustration and the biggie – failure. Not exactly what you'd call a great model for a happy, healthy Mum. And like it or not, our kids learn by example and not just from what we say but what we do. A friend of mine was shocked to see her three-year-old mimic her on the bathroom scales, saying she'd “have to try harder” and that she was “too fat”.

So forget dieting – start by throwing away all the junk magazines and crazy diet books – and start eating positively and getting savvy about nutrition. It all comes down to habits and behaviour.

After all, if you take the time now to look at why you're eating certain foods - and looking at the foods that seem to sabotage your health – then you can set yourself up with new, positive, life-long eating habits.

And more importantly, happy, healthy Mums can't help but be an example to their kids.

New Mums - check out our top 12 hero foods especially for you! You need to take extra care of your body so it has a chance to recover and heal from the birth trauma!