Let it Flow

The following is written by Alicia Silva, MSPT, guest blogger, mother of 2 children, and admittedly my sister, who still finds time for fitness.

As a wife and mother of 2 who works part-time, how do I find time for fitness? Or is the better question how can I not find time?

Finding time for myself, though a huge challenge, is part of what keeps me whole and sane. Prior to having children it was quite easy for me to find time to run, do yoga, or go to the gym. My nights and weekend were my own.

It’s easier when they’re young
When I had my son one summer five years ago, I was easily able to continue with a lot of my workouts; I ran or power walked with him in a stroller and did weights or yoga during his naps. Then a year and a half later came my daughter…in the middle of winter in New England. When at 2 weeks old she became very sick and was hospitalized for a week, it became much harder to find a way to make time for fitness. I bought a mom and baby yoga video that she and I would do while my son napped. Or, I would try to coordinate their naps at the same time so I could do jumping jacks, sit-up, or run up and down the steps to the basement to get some cardio in. (You see, I was to be the maid of honor in my sister’s wedding a mere 8 weeks after giving birth to her, so had even more motivation and desire to shed the baby weight.)

With the onset of spring and summer, I invested in a double jogger, and once again hit the roads, walking or jogging while pushing about 55+ pounds ahead of me. During my nap times and evenings, I tried to incorporate some yoga, stretching, and weight training. When we were out in our yard , I would do some squats and lunges. I kept moving a lot because it made me feel healthy and allowed me to stick with something I had enjoyed doing in my life B.C. (Before children)

It ended up being a good two years before I re-joined a gym, and I went as often as I could around the schedule with the kids. I was reluctant to bring them to the gym’s day care. After all, I had a fear of germs after my daughter’s illness and who were those people working in that babysitting room anyway? My double jogger was my means of getting in a workout, and I met other moms who liked running and we began to run with the kids in tow or in the early morning or late night hours when all was quiet at home.

And then they grow up
Then it happened last summer…we exceeded the weight limit on the double jogger. Not only were my children outgrowing the seats, but I was now unable to push the 85+ pounds up even the slightest of inclines. Fortunately, this corresponded with my son learning to ride his bike well without training wheels. So now on nice days, he rides his bike and I jog my daughter in our single jogger (thankfully I held onto that!), or we all ride together at a leisurely pace. We go to local trails and hike as a family and I go out running with my daughter while my son’s at school. On rainy or snowy days, my daughter and I may turn up the radio and dance around the kitchen for a quick cardio burst. And I continue to make time in the evening and on an occasional early morning for yoga, a run, or swim with a good friend.

Every little bit, no matter how little, helps
Though I’ll admit it’s not always easy (and there are certainly weeks that I find very little time for exercise) I cherish even the 15 minutes here or there for a quick walk, mini Pilates video or weight session, and don’t allow myself to feel bad for what else I may not have had time for. In this way, I am able to enjoy and look forward to exercise, which I know always makes me feel great.

Alicia Silva, MSPT is a wife, friend, mother of 2, physical therapist, runner, yogi, and cook. She earned a Master of Science degree in physical therapy from Boston University and is the author of the book Managing Back Pain During Pregnancy. She writes the blog for Wellness Professionals, based in Massachusetts and sees client privately through her company Expect Fitness.

How do you fit fitness in? Help others or get some new ideas for yourself by sharing your tips here!

Tags: Fitness and Exercise //