by Lynne Virant
Happy New Year to New Moms and all those not so new…
Congratulations! You’ve made it to another joyous year. But maybe there are times when you don’t feel so joyous.
After my daughter was born, I found myself struggling with the many challenges that came with being a mom.
She won’t sleep, won’t drink from a bottle, and has to nurse every hour… A friend offered me advice that helped me get through many tough times -
"Nothing is permanent."
And she was right, well almost. My daughter is now sleeping through the night, eats her vegetables at each meal, and eats every 4 hours! One thing however has remained permanent. Whether you’ve been a mom for 6 weeks or a mom for 15 years, making health and fitness a priority continues to pose the same type of challenges.
Among the many moms that I’ve talked to, the top three reasons that “I haven’t been able to exercise” are
- “I don’t have enough time.” When you’re a mom dealing with hourly feedings or juggling kids’ activities with a full-time job, squeezing in an hour to workout just doesn’t seem feasible. I too catch myself rationalizing that I just can’t find an hour to go for run or go to an exercise class.
- “I’m too tired.” First, you’re not getting more than 3 hours of sleep in a row (on a good night or day). Then you’re up until midnight getting work done or cleaning up the house, because it’s the only time you can get by yourself. Funny that when I do get a chance to workout, that’s when I decide to nap when the baby naps (So how is it that I don’t follow that advice at midnight?!)
- “I don’t have childcare.” For some, the local gym doesn’t have day care. For others, their spouse works from 6am-9pm. Others don’t have neighbors, family or friends who can watch the kids for an hour or so. With the loss of my income, we just couldn’t justify paying for a gym membership and the base child care was impossible to get into. My husband tried coming home during lunch time for an hour so I could go workout-that lasted about 1 month.
A fellow TRX enthusiast, Andi Talmedge, reassured me that new moms usually take a year to get into an exercise routine. She was about right, for me it was 14 months.
First and foremost, I needed a goal that motivated and inspired me. I decided to race in a triathlon and run in a half-marathon on my birthday. It worked!
Suddenly, I had time to do 3 to 9 mile runs twice a week, go on 10 mile bike rides, and swim twice a week. Really what got me going was the desire to complete each race without feeling like hell afterwards. Regardless of my motivation, I was exercising!
Strangely enough, I also lost weight, improved my fitness level, and felt more energized (even though I was actually getting the same or less sleep!). By the way, I finished my first triathlon and half-marathon feeling great. A little tired, but great nonetheless. It’s been three months since my last race and well, let’s just say that life is cyclical. Nineteen months after my daughter was born, the same reasons still manage to pop up (although more often than not they are better known as excuses!). In other words, I need another goal.
So I ask you to join me. Set a goal for yourself. It could be fitting into a great dress for a special occasion, walking in one of the upcoming *** Cancer Awareness walks this spring, finally learning a new sport, or competing (or completing) a local race. Whatever you decide, just make sure it’s a goal that really matters to you.
Then
1) Let me know what you are going to accomplish and
2) Stay tuned for more ways to get there!
Until then, remember “Nothing is permanent”, well almost!
Lynne Virant
TRX Course Instructor
Physiotherapist
Proud Mom!
