I’m going to be 31 next week. 31 years old.
It’s funny. Growing up, I was a swimmer. I started swimming when I was my son William’s age, 4 years old. I fell in love with the water. I kept swimming. All through middle school, high school and into college. Swimming was my sport of choice. I used to glide through the water effortlessly, it was as easy as walking or talking to me. And I had a love and passion for it. I was driven to swim. To go faster. To set records. To achieve my goals. It was my life for so many years… and I loved it.
And… it was my workout. My every-single-day workout.
Fast forward 11 years. Here I am. Turning 31 years old. I haven’t touched the water in over 10 years. Working out for me is important, it’s something that make me feel good. It’s not always just about the results of my body, it’s about what it does for me mentally and emotionally – it makes me feel amazing. I feel alive. I feel like I can conquer the world. And I feel ready for anything – yes, even 4 boys running around, all asking for different things!
Becoming a mother definitely changed my working out and my workouts. Let’s face facts, I have been pregnant back-to-back (to back-to-back!) since 2004. So essentially, I haven’t been able to fully go full speed ahead with my workouts until recently. There’s just one thing holding me back.
TIME.
It’s finding the time. It’s not an easy thing.
I’ve come to terms with the fact that right now, my workout schedule has to work around my boys, my work and my household. And every single day it’s different.
There are nights I set my alarm for 5AM. And I am committed to running on my treadmill in the basement. But… then there are the nights when the boys are up late, or come into bed with us, or when I try to get up at 5AM and I am just too tired. There are days where I tell myself, as soon as the boys go down for bed, I’m on the treadmill. But then I have work to do, and by the time I’m ready to head down, it’s almost 10PM… and I just can’t do it. It’s too late.
So my biggest problem is finding the time. I’m thinking almost every mother has the same dilemma. Time is so hard to come by when you’re a mom. You work. You take care of your home and your family. And the “me” time often falls last. But one thing I have discovered about motherhood is that I need that 20-30 minutes on the treadmill almost as much as my morning cup of coffee.
I want to work out because I know it will keep me healthy and fit and happy. I feel better on the days I can squeeze it in… and I hate to put it that way, but it truly is like “fitting it in.”
I’m curious… what do other Moms do? When do you find the time to workout and keep yourself healthy for YOU? I know that it’s possible to fit it in… I would just love to know when you do and what you do. I only do the treadmill. I need it. Do you leave your house to workout? Do you do stuff outside? Do you have a set-up somewhere in your home?
When do you find the time to workout?
Disclosure: This blog post is sponsored by Healthy Choice. Please visit http://www.spokespersonwanted.com for more information on Healthy Choice and to print a free $1 off coupon.