Once upon a time, there lived a girl who was skinny. Then as puberty hit, she got chubby. When she headed off to college, she lost some of the flab. But alas, remnants of that flab remained and never went away. So as a single working girl she headed to a fancy gym and worked hard at getting fit and slim. And it worked! Fast forward a few years, a husband, two kids and 20 lbs more, she’s now a stay at home mom, desperately trying to get healthy and fit again with much struggle and many challenges.
So I ask myself (yes I am that girl), what must I do? My issues of not getting started and getting serious are the following:
- Number one: Cost. I can’t afford expensive gym memberships. I’m a stay at home mom so we’re a one income household. A lot of gym memberships are pricey. Well even if they are reasonably priced, with one income, it still is hard. So yes, I need a gym or option that’s affordable for our budget.
- Number two: Childcare. My second kid is a “Klingon.” She will literally not let me go and it’ll take forever for her to get used to someone else caring for her. Let’s just say it took a month for her to stop crying at the MMO (Mother’s Morning Out). Granted it was just twice a week, every week – but still. It was so, so hard.
- Number three: Time. I have a busy life. Period. My spouse is not in town during the week so it’s basically single mom duty for me. I have so much respect for single parents, especially those with no family around. It’s a tough 24/7 “stint” but it’s totally rewarding. The deal is to be awake enough (read: sleep deprivation) to reap the fruits of this labor 😉
- Number four: Only classes. That’s right. I’m awful with equipment and I find them boring. So I only do classes, especially Zumba. That’s my jam. This does not mean I’m any good in it, just saying I enjoy it thoroughly! The challenge is finding these classes and finding a time and day that fits into my schedule.
So there you have it the bane of my dilemma. Having said that, I have gotten off my behind and tried to get something done. I’ve also most importantly spoken to several ladies who, not surprising at all, share my struggle. Their issues may not be identical to mine but it has given me some ideas.
Challenges of a mom
Katie Goldsmith, mom of two girls including a newborn said the biggest challenge is childcare. With her husband working odd hours as a resident at the hospital, and how gym daycare doesn’t start until 6 months and up it’s hard for her to start getting fit. “Also you can’t use a jogging stroller until they have better spinal stabilization (also around 6 months). So I can’t do much outside. I can try to do online workouts at home but it’s hard to keep my toddler occupied while I do that.” She also said that after going through pregnancy, she feels like she’s starting over with her fitness level so that’s pretty demoralizing.
Finding a support system to get fit
Meanwhile, mother of two, Michelle Stairs is a Beachbody coach shared that starting out wasn’t easy. So what did she do? “When I started my wellness journey, the biggest challenge was believing I could actually make a lifestyle change and stick with it! When you believe in yourself and remember why you need to be healthy, you really can do anything!” Stairs said finding her Beachbody coach truly was a life changer and that’s why she got into the program and became a coach too. She found it had a community feel that helps people stay motivated and focused to conquer their goals. “No matter how you go about your wellness journey, find a support system that works for you! It makes all the difference.”
Just do it – make it happen!
