Are you tired and haggard looking? I feel that way sometimes and I am not even a mother, yet. I give a lot of credit to working mothers these days - they certainly have their hands full. Some of my friends have young children and still manage to hold down full time jobs outside of the home. I have other friends who are lucky enough to be stay at home moms, but even that is difficult especially if you have more than one child. Being a mother has so many rewards but it is a 24/7 gig.

Finding down time or time for your self is like finding affordable gas prices today. Often, mothers tailor their needs to their kid's schedules and they often go unmet because activities are so time consuming. More than 65% of moms drink some sort of caffeinated beverage to get through those hectic days. It's no wonder why energy drink sales have skyrocketed in the past year or so. A single cup of coffee is not doing the trick, anymore.

Many moms seem to be overdosing on caffeine instead of eating proper meals or healthy snacks. They are too worried about being late to Johnny's soccer game or cleaning up messes that they skip meals or end of picking at their children's food. You need to take the time to eat lunch, even if other things have to slip through the cracks. Constant fatigue and running yourself into the ground all the time will catch up to you sooner or later. You wouldn't want to faint or get dizzy and light headed when you're hauling the kids and their friends to bible study class?

Calorie is another word for energy. If you're trying to lose weight but need to stay physically active and mentally alert all day and night not eating is only going to make you feel more exhausted. It's Ok to eat since you will burn it off anyway. Caffeine will give you an instant energy kick but the effects are not long lasting. This leads to a vicious cycle of wanting and needing more to make it through the day.

Like everything else, moderation is the key.  Proper diet, sleep and exercise play a huge role in our energy levels. You need to make time for yourself by going to the gym, taking walks, pampering yourself, etc. This will only make you a better mom since you will show your children that you respect yourself and they will, too.

Lyla Feldman writes about health and fitness. Some of her favorite passions include writing about energy drinks and natural sleep aids .

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