Healthy Hollywood: Wellness Wednesday – Jenna Fischer’s Mommy Lifestyle!

For nearly nine seasons, Jenna Fischer has charmed us on NBC’s “The Office.” Off camera, her personality doesn’t disappoint.

She is an absolute down-to-earth gem — especially her regular folks-style attitude towards parenthood.

Just like the rest of us working moms, Jenna struggles to balance work and motherhood.

“I’m a mom and I do all the stuff that comes with it — endless baby laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, dishes, planning play dates, losing sleep, the usual. I have to juggle work commitments and family commitments and somehow still find time to get a proper haircut or workout,” the actress told Access Hollywood’s Healthy Hollywood.

Jenna’s hectic juggling act sounds a lot like mine. In fact, unlike some Hollywood stars, the actress and her husband don’t have chefs, nannies, or an army of help to assist with their son, Weston, who is nearly one.

“I love holding Weston on my hip while I cook dinner and go over his schedule for the next day with my husband. I like juggling a million things at once so, in that way, motherhood is a good fit for me,” exclaims Jenna!

And like some working moms, the hardest part is being able to see your child at any given moment, adding, “Many mornings I have to be at work by 6 AM, which means I don’t see him before I leave for work. I hate that. But, my husband and I coordinate schedules so that there is always a parent getting up with Weston in the morning and doing his dinner, bath and bedtime at night.”

Also, Jenna makes sure her work schedule allows her to be home for family dinners.

“My family ate dinner together when I was a kid and I want that for Weston. I love how homey and bonding it feels to hear him babbling in his high chair while my husband and I trade stories about our day. And I especially love Weston to bang on the Tupperware while we do the dishes,” she said.

As a busy mom, the actress also knows the importance of eating healthy and taking care of herself.

“I found that oatmeal in the morning and tuna sandwiches in the afternoon really kept me feeling full and satisfied. Munching on baby carrots and bananas are a must for me. It’s the healthy alternative to chips and crackers. Planning ahead is key. I’m also not against eating the same lunch several days in a row. It’s less to think about,” she said.

But, Jenna does allow herself dessert every night and one of her favorites is Fiber One 90 Calories Brownies, for which she’s a spokesperson.

“My goal is to keep my desserts under 150 [calories], so I like to use them as building block to create other desserts. My favorite is to take the Fiber One Chocolate Brownie, heat it in the microwave for seven seconds and then top it with a scoop of low-fat frozen yogurt and sliced strawberries. Or, you can crumble the chocolate chip cookie brownie and blend it with frozen yogurt and a dash of skim milk for a cookie dough shake,” she said.

Sounds yummy!

— Terri MacLeod