I can't say exercise makes every mom a better mom. I don’t know that. The only thing I know for sure is that exercise makes me a better mom. Why, you might ask? For so many reasons. I'll share a little bit about my journey with exercise.
I started working out at about 19 years old. The reason for it is that my family has struggled with weight for a long time. I grew up seeing that struggle, seeing the different diets for weight loss, and when I was old enough I knew that I wanted to avoid that struggle if possible.
I’m 40 now, and even though I’ve been working out for more than 20 years, it’s been in the last few years that I have come to understand why exercise is so important to me, my life and my well-being.
From talking to other people, I’ve realized that exercise has benefited them in so many ways as well, so it really can make a difference in everyone’s lives. Today I am sharing why.
This is the biggest one. As soon as my workout is done, I can feel a difference in my attitude. I feel energized, I feel ready for the day, and I’m so much happier! That’s why I try and start at least 5 days of the week with a morning workout.
That 45 minutes to an hour where I’m exercising gives me some time to myself. I can focus on me; I can think and just do something for myself. We all need that.
There’s a serious adrenaline rush after exercising, which is great first thing in the morning. When I get back home, I’m rearing to get the kids ready for school, making breakfast, and lunches, and sometimes I just can’t stop talking about everything going on in my head (my husband can attest to that one.)
If any of you have suffered from the blues or depression, exercise can be huge in helping with that. Depression is something that runs in our family and it’s something I’ve dealt with since I was a teenager. In the last few years, I’ve come to realize that exercising is almost like a kind of medicine for me when it comes to depression. The longer I take a break from exercise, the more down I feel.
This isn’t just me; it’s anyone. Regular exercise has shown to let you live a longer and healthier life. It also makes you stronger and you can do more for yourself, your family, at work, and even around the house. You just need to find something you like - whether it’s step class, personal training, tennis, hiking, weight lifting, walking, Zumba, soccer. If you enjoy it, you’re more likely to do it on a regular basis.
When I haven’t exercised for a few days or I’ve been sick, I can feel the difference in the way I react to everything. No exercise for a while means I’m quicker to lose patience with the kids. When I’m in my regular routine, I have the patience to talk to them calmly and rationally rather than snapping or yelling at them. I really don’t like doing that, and it does happen.
By exercising on a regular basis, I am showing and teaching the kids the importance of being active and healthy in your daily life. And kids learn the best by example.
A good daily workout gives me more motivation in my everyday tasks. It makes me feel excited and motivated to complete my to do lists and tasks for the day and I do it with more gusto.
And last but not least, exercise makes me feel better about myself. I may not be at my pre-baby weight or how I was before kids, but I’m proud of myself for working out regularly and about how I look and that all comes from a healthy lifestyle.
Very recently, I got rid of my scale and stopped counting calories, and it had an amazing effect on me. I felt like a figurative weight was lifted off my shoulders. I no longer let the number on the scale dictate how I feel about myself.
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