Hey friends! How’s your Thursday shaping up?
I am loving how quickly this week has gone by thanks to the Labor Day holiday. And, after a week of battling some type of allergy attack or cold (leaning toward cold), I’m glad I made it back to the gym after a 2-week hiatus.
The only bad thing is…my quads and hamstrings are so sore!
Since I’m feeling like a stiff, old grandma today, I got to thinking about fitness and how it fits into my life lately. Specifically, how my approach to fitness has changed since I’ve become a mother.
Fitness has always been important to me (at least to some degree), but now that I have a little guy looking up to me and depending on my being around, it’s something I prioritize even more. But my mindset is a little different, and here’s how.
How Motherhood Has Changed My Approach to Fitness
1. It’s less about aesthetics.
Not going to lie, it feels good to fit into my pre-baby jeans, but now that I have experienced how miraculous the human body truly is, I no longer exercise just for aesthetics. I know that my son loves me because I’m his “mama,” and that will never change regardless of how I look in a bikini.
2. I need it to keep my sanity.
Before having Bazooka and returning to work, I didn’t truly comprehend how much I physically and emotionally needed regular exercise! If I take a few days or weeks off, I can tell a difference in my mood (I’m sure Mark can, too). Because neither my husband nor I have a lot of free time to ourselves, getting in a good workout during the busy work week is huge for my well-being.
3. I want it to be a family thing.
Apart from my gymnastics, sports and fitness were never a huge thing in my family when I was growing up. Now, though, I realize that exercise and play is crucial to a healthy family life. When Bazooka is old enough, I want him to run races with me. I want to cheer him on at soccer games (or swim meets, gymnastics competitions, whatever…) and play ball as a family. I want our time together to be a positive impact on Bazooka’s physical and emotional life.
4. It’s not always going to fit.
This one seems a little contradictory, but what I mean is, sometimes being a mommy will come first. Sometimes spending an hour at the gym will have to wait if a sick baby needs to be cuddled or if a stressed out dad needs some help around the house. It doesn’t mean that my physical health isn’t important; it simply means that I will have to get creative with my activity and fit more formal workouts in when it makes sense.
5. It is a measure of my commitment to my family.
Don’t get the wrong idea here, I don’t mean that I have to be “in shape” to be a good mother. I simply mean that prioritizing my health and being an example to my son is extremely important to me and how I approach parenting. If I don’t stay active and teach my son that exercise is something he should want to do, then I feel like I’m not being the best example I can be.
See how #motherhood has changed Catherine's approach to #fitness. #sweatpink Share on XAs you can see, fitness is still important to me, but for different reasons than when I was younger. I hope I raise a son who enjoys running, flipping, swimming, and you name it as much as I do!
So tell me…
- Whether you’re a parent or not, how has your approach to fitness changed as you’ve gotten older?
- Was fitness a big deal in your family when you were growing up?
I am not a mother, but after reading this and listening to a podcast with Dorthey Beal from Mile Posts this morning, I have a huge appreciation for what mother runners do. I think taking care of yourself is so important and some people hate on moms who do that saying they should only focus on your children. I think taking care of yourself is as important as spending time with your child.
Great post Catherine 🙂
It’s a fine balance, for sure, but I definitely think it’s impossible to care for your children/family without caring for yourself!
I really am thankful for this to Catherine, because it reminds me of how much love and sacrifice my mommy put into the days and hours of when we were little and we needed more. I really am now so grateful for the time she took to just cuddle, spend time, go on walks with us, go outside, and I really don’t want exercise to be something in my life, if I’m a mother, that becomes a ‘priority’ that pushes out my love for my children. <3 Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks, Emily. I agree – exercise should NEVER become a priory over our children!
I think for me, it showed me that while, yes, fitness is important, eating well is just as important. Also, that working out doesn’t have to be an hour of running or strength or whatever. Having 2 kids in 21 months means that it’s just not reasonable for me. But going to a walk while wearing an infant and chasing a toddler? I count it as a workout.
Basically, I just want to be ableto keep up with my kids and for them to understand the importance of stayin healthy and being active.
Agreed – eating well is a big part of it and chasing after 2 kids is definitely a workout! 😉
I love this post! Your perspective on exercise now is SO SO wonderful! I love how our perspective changes as we walk through different seasons of life!
I never liked anything fitness related growing up as I had (and still have) a shoulder disability which stopped me from playing sports and doing a lot of things, however, as I got older I realised I had the potential to push myself to allow me to do more with my arm and I did it. It was SO HARD but so worth it – and now I’m a Zumbaing, running, biking, hiking, fitness loving girl who loves nothing more than knowing I can play hours of tag with the little people in our life, play an awesome game of soccer each week with the little boy I volunteer with and know that one day I should be able to do all of those things with my own kids too!
Oh, I bet it’s so much fun to play soccer with that little boy. I can’t wait till my son is old enough to play 🙂
I can imagine having a shoulder disability would make it difficult to play some sports, but I’m so glad you were able to find different fitness activities that suit you!
Great perspective! As I’ve gotten older I’ve seen that with the life I want to live, fitness can’t be for vanity much. I don’t have enough time for that. I try to focus on feeling good and staying strong!
Agreed! I just don’t have time for focusing strictly on vanity. Working out should be fun and make us feel BETTER not worse.
realizing that fitness isn’t always going to fit into our schedule and isn’t all about aesthetics is so important to me as well Catherine. I really love your mindset behind working out, and I commend you for that! And having the attitude that family and life comes first 🙂 xoxo
Thanks, Alyssa <3 I would HATE to look back and realize I spent too much time at the gym instead of reading to or playing with my son. We all need to put our lives first, otherwise, what's the point?