I have a love hate relationship with exercise. I’m sure no one else can relate to that at all. Especially as a mom finding time to fit exercise in is a real challenge. Another bummer is that I’m thinner when I don’t exercise so that’s not a real motivator either. Who needs muscle anyway? However, I’ve come to the conclusion that the benefits outweigh the negatives in many ways: it keeps my heart healthy, I feel better about myself, I have more energy, it keeps me sane emotionally, it helps my back and all the arthritis pain that I have (I know I’m old), and most of all I need to be taking care of my body to honor the Lord and set a good example for my daughter. Did you know that our children’s generation is the first one that is not expected to outlive their parents because of such unhealthy life practices? I don’t want to be a part of that terrible statistic. So, I exercise and try to teach Jenna that it’s important.
So what do I do for exercise? I would love to swim laps every day but I don’t have time for that. I don’t have time or money for a gym membership either so this is what I do. I go to a yoga class once a week which is lovely. It’s the one time a week that I get 90 minutes of uninterrupted exercise with real live adults in the room. So wonderful. The other days I do yoga videos at home and alternate it with The 30 Day Shred with Jillian. My favorite line in the Shred is “I want you to feel like you’re going to die!” And many times I do. It’s fantastic and it works. Here are the two videos I use. The best thing is that they are 20 minute workouts which is all I can do most days and works when you have small children who have many needs to attend to.
So what do you other moms do? I always love new ideas. I’d love it if you would share. And I don’t share this to brag that I work out. I’m inconsistent and need to be way better about it. There are definitely seasons that come with this area of my life. I just like to share the wealth as we like to say on the MSU staff team.
P.S. Even my husband enjoys the Shred and I’m sure he’ll appreciate me sharing this detail 🙂
I am doing the ‘shred’ too, just started this week! The girls love to try to do what I am doing, and they actually cooperate mostly when I am trying to work out. They love the jumping jacks, and I usually have a Baby Faye trying to untie my shoe laces and climb on me when I am doing abs. I, too, want to set a better, healthier example for my kids. I feel way better already and feel like I have accomplished something at the end of the day. If I have more time, I think I will add some wii yoga to the end of the day…but this is all that I can handle right now.