By Melinda Patterson Thompson
I was told to love my body now that I was a mum, but I didn’t. I didn’t feel like my only identity was as a mum.
I am a mother of two young children, half owner of my own business, and a maths and science teacher.
This morning before I started the rest of my day, I climbed to the top of a rope 10m high. I did some squats with my body weight on my shoulders – upping the weight from last week. I did 4 pull-ups. I blew the cobwebs out on the rower. Accomplishments that made me feel great. I pushed myself and competed to do more, go faster. It was so much fun. This is me.
But 2 years ago, this was not me. There was a glimmer of this in my past as an athlete, but it felt so very long ago.
At that time, I was busy being a mum to a toddler and a baby, finishing up my study and working on my new business. Free time did not exist.
I worked so hard at everything I was doing that most afternoons, as a reward, I took a few minutes to relax. I put my feet up and had a cup of tea and a couple (or a few) chocolate biscuits. Just a little bit of ME time because I deserved it.
Unfortunately, this choice did not make me feel great. I read plenty of advice from experts who told me to love my body now that I was a mum, but I didn’t. I didn’t feel like my only identity was as a mum – I didn’t feel like me. I felt tired and sluggish all the time. I wanted my clothes to fit again – and to feel like getting a few new ones where I didn’t just wear yoga pants and mum jeans all the time. I wanted to feel like I was fit enough to run a 10k tomorrow. (Not that I really wanted to run it, just know I could… ☺)
I made the decision that I needed to exercise more seriously again. But we all know that as much as we want to do something that does not mean that it is going to happen. And when you have kids, there seem to be even more obstacles.
Here are some ideas of how Mums can fit fitness in
1. KNOW YOU CAN DO IT
You want to get fit. Trust that you will get there.
It may take time, more time than it used to. Your body is different.
Know that you can do it.
2. FIND SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANT TO DO
Sounds easy, but there are a lot of options out there. Think about what it was about what you used to do that you enjoyed.
I loved being on a team and competing. Crossfit was able to give me this with only an hour commitment a day.
3. ORGANISE LOGISTICS
You need help to be able to get some time to yourself.
Can the kids come along? Would that work for your kids? Who is going to look after them? Do they have classes during school time? Can you go to training right before/right after work? Will these arrangements work consistently?
4. NO EXCUSES
You hear this all the time from trainers. But as a parent, you have more than others, and many are legitimate. Didn’t get a good night’s sleep last night: go to training in the morning. It is the only way you will feel better. It is not possible to get enough sleep to boost your energy levels – get some exercise endorphins instead! Feeling stressed?!
Nothing makes your feel better than a good workout to help you deal with the rest of your day.
5. COMMIT
You’ve done all the work to organize the logistics and you want to go, so you will go. Everyday. Commitment for us is for the long term. You could have a great stretch of 3 months working out 5 days a week. Then the winter flu hits your house. You aren’t sick, but everyone else takes their turn. You might then lose 2 weeks where you are unable to make it to training.
You need to make sure that you turn up as soon as you can and try to regain that momentum. Keep at it – you can do it!
Feeling more like me is the best thing I could do as a mum, a teacher and a business owner. I feel better about myself and I have more energy.