Recharge360 & (young) children
As a parent, it can sometimes be hard to find the time and energy to create new routines for yourself. And yet it is precisely at this stage of your life that it is so important to be fit and feel good about yourself. This is why we have developed this Parents Guide especially for you: a guide for parents that takes you through the Recharge360 program and offers you advice and alternatives where necessary.
Good preparation
Really is half the work… Chances are that everything has been organised for the children, but have you found a moment to go through the Recharge360 program? A quarter of an hour would be enough. See if you can go through these steps and make a good start to your week!
Step-by-step plan for a good start
Read the Recharge360 manual for information about the program.
Download the app and plan your Recharge360 week (tip: also mark it down in your calendar or the shared family calendar).
Prepare for the first day’s morning routine:
Don’t snooze
Drink water
Finish your shower with cold water
Tell your partner, children and/or family members that you are following the Recharge360 program.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. The program is designed so that you can follow it in a way that works for you.
Your program
Nothing is compulsory this week. We offer tools and suggestions, but it’s up to you what you do with them. Just experiment, see how many energizers and challenges you can do. It may be a bit of a challenge, but try to stay focused on your situation. It’s not supposed to use up more energy than it supplies.
At this phase in your life, it’s likely that you are preoccupied with parenthood – if only because your sleep pattern has become more irregular and you have less time for yourself. So some Recharge360 challenges may seem a bit much at the moment.
Our advice: keep it simple. Maybe this is not the right moment to set yourself long-term goals or to be prepared to help a stranger, but at the same time you want to enjoy life. It’s always important to make your own decisions about how you live your life.
For example, choose to follow the morning and evening routines and think of one thing that you’d like to achieve every day. If possible, start working on this in the morning. By the end of the week, you will have achieved a lot.
Tip: our coaches are ready to help you with your choices. Don’t hesitate to ask for support!
Energy
Work is like a top-class sport. If you want to get everything out of it, you have to make sure you have good energy. How to do that?
During the Recharge360 program you will immediately discover the effect of healthy food, how easy and tasty healthy food can be and what it can do for you physically and mentally. You also learn the importance of daily exercise and get started with it.
Every person is different so the energy needs of each person and how to use them will differ. Therefore you will work with your own energy flow and learn to use it in the right way.
You will determine what the best sources of energy are for you
experience at which moments of the day you can get the most work done
use positive energy to get the best out of your environment
Nutrition
Eating well starts with the right mindset. Remember just one thing: every molecule in your body needs the right nutrients to keep you healthy. That’s why we work on nutrition during the Recharge360 program.
During the program, you’ll try plant-based, lactose-free and gluten-free food. We also avoid processed products, refined sugars and coffee. This can be quite different from what you are used to and what you find easy, but it doesn’t mean you need to stand in the kitchen for hours to prepare a healthy meal that fits this pattern.
Tips:
Take a look at the shopping list and have your groceries delivered to your home. This saves time and stops you from making impulse buys.
Pre-cut vegetables, pre-cooked potatoes and canned tomatoes are very good options to speed up healthy cooking.
Make double portions and freeze the leftovers; meals will keep for about three months.
Prepare your meals in advance. Are your mornings generally very busy? Then put your smoothie ingredients in the blender beforehand, or leave your oatmeal in a bowl for overnight oats.
Family meals
How can you involve your family in your Recharge360 week?
You can always complement your meals with a piece of meat or fish for your family or partner, should they want something different.
If you have young children, you can look at what food you can purée for them before seasoning it. A green smoothie will taste much better with a different name, for example the Hulk Smoothie!
Let your kids taste your meals to make them part of your Recharge360.
This will give older children a chance to think, choose and help. Go through the recipes together, and give them the opportunity to tell you what they enjoy most. Helping to cook can be fun, and makes them feel they’ve achieved something.
Excerise
If you don’t have time to go to the gym, here’s a hint: moderate exercise throughout the day is healthier than sitting still and working out three times a week. Moderate exercise is a matter of awareness. Get all the ‘free’ exercise you can. Take the stairs instead of the lift. Do your shopping on foot or by bike. Get up from your chair every hour.
The Recharge360 app includes several sports videos that you can work with. Choose a regular time for your exercises, for example immediately after getting up or before going to bed – this way it becomes a routine.
And naturally, you can also exercise with the children. Involve them. One American woman even ran an entire marathon pushing three children in a buggy.
Sleep
A broken night’s sleep is tough: not only do you lose precious hours of sleep, you have no control over which part of your sleep cycle you wake up from.
During the Recharge360 program, 8 hours per night is recommended, but this is not always possible when you have young children. However, we can influence the quality of our sleep, and you can try and grab some power naps in between.
Quality of your sleep
The evening routine is designed to help you go to bed feeling good and with greater peace of mind. Exercise and food choices during the day will help you sleep better. Try to go to sleep as early as possible (especially during times of sleep deprivation).
Powernaps
Sleep whenever you can. It’s tempting to empty the dishwasher when your child is taking a nap, but this is actually the moment when you can also have a lie-down. This allows you to recharge your batteries so that you can continue your program with renewed energy.
Make sure your power nap lasts no longer than 25 minutes. This helps to stop you from waking during your period of deep sleep, which would leave you feeling very tired instead of rested. If you have more time, try to take in a complete sleep cycle: lie down for 90 to 120 minutes. Plan ahead and set your alarm.
Environment
We already suggested that you let the people around you know that you are participating in the Recharge360 program. Especially in these busy times, if the people around you are aware of what you are doing, they can offer support. Whether it’s by encouraging from the sidelines or by choosing to join you in certain aspects of the program: your environment is a huge factor in your life.
Maybe someone can take over for a little while, allowing you to enjoy your challenge or mind-fitness video, or help with cooking or give you time to go for a walk outdoors.
The Recharge360 coaches are available every day to help you if you have a question or you need advice. Feel free to contact them via the app.p.