Being a mum is the hardest job I’ve ever had. There’s no RDO, no sick leave or annual leave and no 2 week notice period so you can go and find something better or higher paying. There is always something that needs to be done, washing to fold, meals to cook, shopping to do, noses to wipe and there seems always someone that needs you for something. If you’re a mum & you’re reading this, you know it’s true and are probably wondering, why would you tell me I need to workout on top of all these other things I have to do. Well, there’s a multitude of good reasons but I think they can be boiled down to 2 main points.
1. IT IS GOOD FOR YOU!
You know it. Energy is not like money in the sense that once it’s gone, it’s gone. For some strange reason the economy of energy works quite differently. When you spend your energy, somehow your body manages to generate more. The release of endorphins when you’ve put yourself through a good heart thumping session gives a boost to the day that is unmatched by chocolate & coffee….as I found out the large way. After I had my 2nd baby, I managed to send my bodyweight to a record 25kg above my ideal weight….this was something new and different for me as I’d always managed to stay in fairly good shape. I was overwhelmed by the amount of work involved in looking after a busy toddler, caring for a new baby, and keeping house with a husband who worked away often. I took comfort in the wonderful coffee that our flash new machine would make so beautifully….and what’s coffee without cake right?? Within a matter of weeks I was a big fat ball of sad, with no energy to play with my little one, and no enjoyment whatsoever of the amazing little baby in my arms. How tragic!!
Then, later that year, things began to change in our lives. My husband was now no longer working away, but was a qualified personal trainer with a job in a gym. It was an expensive gym in my opinion, but there were many good things about it… the main thing was having a coach available during every session to answer my questions & make sure I wasn’t about to break myself. By having a coach overseeing all of my workouts, I learned new things and gained new confidence in what I was doing. As I like to get value for my money, I used the cost as motivation to never miss a day, and so I dropped my 25kg fairly quickly and had energy like I hadn’t had in a long time. In fact, I remember saying to my coach one day, that I thought I was the fittest I’d ever been in my life. Not only did my body fit back into my favourite clothes, I had energy at home too. I could run and play with the little ones! The house seemed to be mostly in order (and by that I mean the orderliness that is appropriate for such a life stage, not show home status by any means!). And I didn’t feel the need to fill myself with coffee & cake, but we started learning to enjoy more healthy food. And you know what else, I felt GOOD! I loved feeling good, knowing I look good in that new top, or I can frock up & head out on a date with my hubby & know that I look HOT. It’s an awesome feeling, and Mum, you need to experience that. Just because you have little ones around your feet all day, doesn’t mean you can’t feel great and look awesome!
Anyways, all that to say; Mum, you need to workout because it’s good for you!!
And,
2. IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR FAMILY!
All too often I fed myself the lie that I was being selfish by going to the gym, or doing a workout…or anything really that took my focus off of my children or my chores. The fact is, it is highly beneficial for a child to be taught to sit and wait for 30 minutes while Mum does something for herself. The world does not revolve around the child and if I don’t teach her that, then she will have the rudest shock when she eventually goes to school, or kindy, or daycare, or whatever the case may be. My sweet baby is a welcome member of our family, we are a team. Learning to sit and wait, learning to play independently are crucial skills for any child to learn, and it’s best learned as young as possible. By working out, Mum, you are creating a training facility for your precious young one to learn these most highly valuable life skills.
You know that saying, “If Mama aint happy, aint nobody happy!” Well, consider this, when you workout, when you reach a new milestone in your strength training, when you shave seconds of your fastest run time, when you hit that goal you’ve been working towards…you feel AWESOME!! That feeling of awesomeness makes you happy right? When you’re overjoyed with your achievement, you grab that baby and dance the room with her without effort, you sing that silly song and make up that funny nonsensical rhyme, and in doing so, you transform your home into a happy haven for all who dwell there…including yourself. A happy home is a healthy home!
Yes, Mum, working out is good for your family.