Motherhood & Fitness

It's hard to stay fit while being a mommy.

Especially when you're a mommy to a toddler who wants to play and skip and crawl rather than sit still.

Or when you're a mommy who is sleep-deprived (aren't we all?) and seems to feel tired more often than not.

Or when you're a mommy who works late most nights during the week (like midnight to 2am late) and it's not always an option to wake up early so that you can get it done before anyone in the house wakes up.

There are MANY ways we as mommies find it difficult, challenging, sometimes almost impossible (note the "almost" - I have a hard time believing that anything is completely and utterly impossible) to squeeze in that workout. But it's important that we MAKE time. Our bodies will thank us because we will be healthier. Our family members, husbands, kids, parents, will thank us because we will be happier. Trust me, being healthy and fit makes us better people, and especially better parents.

I work out at least 5 times a week. How do I do this?

I do a couple of (what I consider) EASY things.

1. At the beginning of the week (or even the end of the previous week), I look at my entire schedule for the upcoming days, along with my husband's schedule and any appointments that any of us (me, him, or our daughter) have. I cross out any times during the week that are unavailable. I pencil in my workouts wherever they can be squeezed into our busy life. Hubby and I work opposite shifts so sometimes it's hard but on the days where we don't see each other, I either workout with Alexa (i.e. stroller runs or walks usually, sometimes while she plays in the same room although often these workouts get cut short because she becomes antsy or clingy) or during her naptime. She goes to daycare twice a week so I might drop her off a smidge early so that I can fit in a run sans stroller before I head to work myself for the remainder of the day.
2. I talk to my husband and make SURE that all of my workouts can happen. He doesn't tell me I can or cannot do something but he needs to agree that those are the best times for our family. If I need to be available because he's busy, we figure out another plan together. He supports me in my journey to stay fit and healthy before AND now after having our child. I understand that if you're by yourself or do not of the support you need, this will be difficult.
3. I'm flexible if necessary. I modify as needed but I still try to do the workouts, whether they are on different days or just different workouts because a certain one just didn't work out (i.e. I oversleep and miss my yoga class so instead I go for a run after dropping my daughter off at daycare).
4. REPEAT. No matter what. If I'm on vacation, I still workout. If we're busier than usual, I still try to squeeze in something. Even if it's not as long or as intense as usual, it still keeps me in my routine and makes me feel accomplished. I always have a backup plan just in case it's too cold or rainy or windy or snowy for a stroller run.

My stroller runs are my favorite part of my workout schedule. I love running by myself but I also enjoy taking my daughter along for the ride. I ran my 5th half marathon at 25 weeks pregnant so I feel like I want her there by my side. I think she enjoys the fun rides as well :). A couple times a month I will invite a fellow parents to join us for a run so then it's me, a friend, and our 2 kiddos in strollers. It's nice to get the chance to workout AND talk about things that matter - like spit-up, changing diapers, and our adorable kiddos. We try to talk about other things but it does seem that the conversations generally end up more focused on our lives as parents and that's okay. We all need to know that someone else GETS our lives and our experiences.

I know I will have to modify the way I make time for my workouts as she gets older, and my hope is that someday she will ask to join me. Maybe for a minute. Maybe for 5, 10, 20. Who knows. But I will gladly continue to be a positive fitness role model as long as I can so that we have the opportunity to be a healthy family together.

How are YOU going to make time for health and fitness into your busy life?