There was a time in my life I could easily get to the gym. I would have my down seasons or times I was a little busier, but I always found my way back. Then I had kids. When I became pregnant the first time, I wanted to keep working out, but I was tired and nauseous all the time. I definitely gained more than I wanted. I did lose it all the first year. But it was not because I exercised. I would try to get out with the stroller, but the place I lived did not have sidewalks, and it eventually got hot. If I did not get out first thing in the morning, it was not going to happen.
As my son got older, we headed to the parks. He loved to play, and I followed him around and joined in. But nature walks were not gonna happen with him. Playing for hours was fine...walking around the block was not. And climbing around on toddler size playground equipment only challenges an adult so much. My son has never had a desire to be physically active by playing sports or running. He is more of an adventure type. He will play actively while acting out his stories. Even when playing video games, he will be on his feet jumping when the character jumps. Unfortunately, he is fast approaching the age where he will start to outgrow this type of play. I plan to make the most of it while I can. That is why it is so important to get our new yard fixed up this spring. We will be putting in a fort/playground. With any luck, we will also manage to get an above ground pool...not great for swimming, but great for active play. We may even get a tether ball. I loved playing with those when I was a kid. Of course, the warm weather will also mean more trampoline time. And my daughter has taken to being active like a fish takes to swimming. She is always running around and dancing. So the kids staying active is kind of taken care of. But where does that leave me?
I have household chores that give me some physical exercise. Sweeping floors, doing laundry, helping the kids pick up their messes, taking out the trash, chopping wood, bringing in 40 pound bags of pellets for the pellet stove, carrying around my daughter, carrying groceries. A lot of moving and lifting. Yard work is just around the corner, and that will help too. It just is not enough.
Did I mention I hate dieting? (I have never really committed to trying to, but I think about it many times). I can make smart choices in the kitchen and grocery store...as long as there are no sweets around. I have a terrible sweet tooth, and it takes a lot for me to just get tired of desserts and treats. The holidays kill me. All of them: Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's, Easter, birthdays. Why do we always celebrate with sweets?!? I would rather not have any sweets around. It is much easier to keep the scale from inching up.
For years, I have tried on and off to get back into the exercise routine. If you are a stay-at-home mom, you know how hard this can be. Kids love to interrupt anything you are doing for yourself. Two years ago, my husband gave me the treadmill I had been wanting. I pretty much never used it because the only time I could was when my daughter was asleep, and it made too much noise...who thought it was a good idea to have loud beeps on exercise equipment? I did not want to wake her up. Then we moved to a small apartment on campus where my husband got a new job. Housing options were limited. My treadmill went into storage. We had a great place to walk, but as I mentioned before, getting my son to come along was like pulling teeth. He was not old enough for me to feel comfortable leaving him, even though we were on a safe college campus. He still needed to mature some more when it came to thinking about safety.
When we moved to a new place this past summer, I thought I would finally have it made. We set up a gym in the spare room in the garage. I would try to bring the kids in there with me and get my son doing a few things. But that did not leave room for me to do a challenging workout. Instead of exercise being a stress reliever, it created more stress. When I left them inside, I always got interrupted by some "crisis" that could not wait. It made it hard to stay motivated. I felt like giving up! I asked myself if all the misses and stress created by me trying to unsuccessfully exercise was really worth it.
Then I remember that I am almost 40, and my kids are young. I want to be strong and healthy as they grow, so I can keep up. I want to be strong and healthy, so I may be able to enjoy grandkids one day. I want to be strong and healthy, so I can be there for my own parents as they get older. I want an active lifestyle, and as my kids get older, it may become easier. Eventually, they can stay home, and I can go without them to do things when they are not interested. Like rock climbing. I miss rock climbing. Every time I go to the city, I drive right past a rock gym and want to go.
Something amazing happened today. I decided to get out to my gym (my impending birthday reminds me I am getting older and have to start making it a priority). And I got in an hour-long workout without interruption. A whole hour! And I feel great! Maybe this will be the start of something new. Maybe the kids are ready to give me the time I need to make this happen at least a few times a week. Maybe not giving up and being willing to keep starting again will have finally paid off.
So if you are struggling with your exercise routine, no matter what the reason or excuse, don't give up on starting again. At least if you are always willing to start again, you maintain a sense of hope, and one day, you will not have to keep starting. Instead, you will keep going. In the meantime, I'll be hoping I will keep going. And maybe I will even be ready for an active summer at the swimming pool this year. Maybe I will even need to buy a new, smaller, swimsuit. If I manage to keep it up, I will share my journey with you in a few months.
So what have been your fitness successes?
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