Getting Back to Exercise as a Mom, After a Long Break

If you're a mom, please congratulate yourself for making it through the past few years. You've worked harder than ever with insane demands on you from every angle. You've made a lot of hard decisions and a lot of snacks. There's been so many demands on you, your time, your patience and your sanity. I think it's time for you to take some back for yourself. 

Being a mom gives you the opportunity to be active without trying hard. But are you taking time for formal exercise? Maybe you did before everything fell apart. Maybe it was just too much to ask of yourself while you were dealing with 2020. That's understandable. It's hard to carve out time to take care of yourself. But there's a good chance your kids will one day thank you for doing that.

When I was little, my mom took me with her to exercise when they had childcare at the gym she belonged to or exercised at home. She always asked me when she worked out at home if I wanted to join her. Sometimes I did, sometimes I honestly made fun of Denise Austin. But she kept working out and she kept inviting me to join her. She set a good example for me by taking the time to take care of herself. I have a photographic memory and there's a memory burned into my brain of watching her through the glass in the childcare area as she did aerobics on the other side. I'm so happy she took care of herself so she stayed healthy and so she could take better care of me. I'm thankful she let me see that. She knew she needed to give back to herself after teaching elementary school music all day. 

I'm not going to lie, I didn't want my mom to leave me to go exercise as a kid. But as an adult I realized how important that was for her and for me. Yes, it's hard to leave your kid and do something for yourself. But as an adult I knew that was something I needed to do. I had the example my mom set for me. Sometimes it's just not even an option to go somewhere by yourself and exercise. But when it is, I just want to stress how important it is for your kids as well. Don't you want your child to learn the importance of taking care of themself for when they get older and have a family? 

I know as a mom you are pulled in a million different directions. You often have a ton of things on your to do lists. There's a list of musts, a list of shoulds and a list of in your dreams that you'll be lucky to have time to consider. Exercise often falls into the should or in your dreams category. But maybe it doesn't always have to end up there. Sometimes you just have to get creative with how it happens. 

Exercise is not always fun but isn't it worth it if it makes you a more patient mom? If you can show up better for your kids because you've given yourself some productive time for your health, isn't that a good thing? 

I imagine you are ready for your kids to get back to school! Real, live, in person someone else to teach your child math school! Give yourself the opportunity to let someone else teach you exercise while a brave soul is working on the numbers with your kids. Maybe your kid hates math. Maybe you hate exercise. But do you let your kid get out of math homework? 

Pilates is so much fun! You get to learn from an expert with your best interests at heart. I help you understand your body and how it works better. I give you a space for stress relief and sweat. I give you the option of working out at home so you don't have to leave the kids, who are welcome to join if they want. And I promise I won't get mad if they make fun of me, like I made fun of Denise Austin. 

I taught one of my clients through her pregnancy. Pre-lockdown, I went to her house and taught her and the baby Pilates together. Now she's a toddler who's constantly moving and as she says "doing her exercises" or "doing her Pilates." If you have trouble justifying time away from your kids to exercise, maybe reframe it to time to help you take care of yourself so you can take better care of them. Think about how you're setting a good example for your kids and how you can involve them. There's no judgment here if you can't make it work. But I'm here to help you problem solve and find a way if it's something you want to figure out.