Thank goodness for the #teamNFC program at National Fitness Center offering so many #Fitness4Mom options! I’m hopeful that being part of this program can improve my quality of life. If you’d like to improve yours too, give NFC a visit!
I don’t have time to exercise.
I can’t afford a gym membership.
I’ll never look like the Photoshopped, airbrushed models in the magazines anyway.
I’m fed up with the media telling me what beautiful is supposed to look like.
If I had a free hour, I’d rather be taking a nap, after the baby kept me up all night.
Have you heard all of these? I’ve used all of these excuses.
#Fitness4Mom is our theme of encouragement this week as society prepares to celebrate Mother’s Day. All of that card-sending, breakfast-in-bed-inspiring sentimentality aside, being a mom is a difficult, often thankless and frustrating role on a daily basis. Sure, we love our kids and perhaps our spouse; but if we aren’t careful, they can squeeze every ounce of energy from us. Martyrdom does not make for strong female role models.
“To be a good mom, you need to take time for yourself to make your mind and body happy,” shared #teamNFC member Melissa Peplow. She is a dedicated mother of four whose children are involved in a number of academic and extracurricular pursuits. Yet, she still finds time to pursue her own fitness goals.
“One definite way to make mom happy is to give her the time for her own fitness which can be very difficult when she is juggling making time for everybody else in the family. Even though it may seem at times that you feel like you are taking away from your family, you really are not and you are setting a great example for your younger ones . Remember they are always watching you,” said Peplow.
This is true, isn’t it? Let’s just take a look at a few of the proven benefits of exercise:
- Improve circulation to prevent risk of heart disease
- Improve mental sharpness
- Lose weight
- Relieve Depression
- Add years to your life
Who in the family wouldn’t want Mom to feel better and be the best version of herself? Fitness may be a daily routine for some moms, or something she only finds time for a couple of times each week. For me, it seems to change each week with my variable schedule, and I’m striving for more consistency in making time to sweat. I’m also painfully aware that I need to get the nutrition part just right in order to persuade my body to let go of the stubborn pounds I need to lose.
Some moms like avid runner and #teamNFC member Brittany Sheffey Crosswell seem to have an advantage in staying fit even during pregnancy and breastfeeding months. “I think just having a healthy lifestyle to begin with is great and it makes being fit during pregnancy much easier,” Crosswell shared.
Crosswell, known for her competitiveness in Lady Vols cross country running still has aspirations of competing on the track. For now, she and the baby are training together, under the careful supervision of their doctor. She says she’s made modifications as necessary, but sees no reason to stop working out. She wants to encourage other expectant moms to talk with their doctors about the benefits of exercise before and after their babies arrive.
Of course, every mothering situation is different and each of us may have our own unique goals for how we want to feel and look. I’m as fed up as anyone with the Photoshopped photos of celebrity moms who magically appear to have never spent nine months with another human being stretching their abdomens beyond recognition. I’m also fed up with ads for quick fix diet drinks and other gimmicks that deserve your skepticism about efficacy and safety. What I do know is that if I dedicate the daily effort and put in the work, I can own my own results, modest as they might be. Perhaps the best part is I’ll feel happier and more confident, which goes a long way toward success in life. I’d much rather my daughter see me as confident with a healthy lifestyle than obsessing about a particular clothing size.
Perhaps #Fitness4Mom seems irrelevant to you, because you’ve been enduring something as a mom you think no one else could understand. Maybe it’s been long hours at a bedside while your child conquers a life-threatening illness. Maybe it’s depression, or infertility. Maybe it’s the heartbreak of SIDS, which no parent should have to endure and #teamNFC member Sarah Van Sickle of Knoxville Beauty Hunters recently tried to help heal in her own extended family by hosting a fitness-themed event in memory of her niece.
The truth is, no matter what it is – and yes, it’s good to be there for your family – you still need to take care of you. That’s where the family-focused approach is what first drew me to National Fitness Center years ago, when my kids were even smaller. For a new mother, having childcare ready for you at the club can be a godsend, whether you have an intense workout routine or just need an hour to relax, alone, without anyone whining or tugging at you, at the indoor track or pool. Once the kids get old enough for Kids in Motion, they have an option to learn anything from kickball to karate to ballet or rock climbing, which you can coordinate with your own workout times. The summer includes cool, indoor camp options for kids, as well. Any sort of childcare help that assists with a family balance can help moms out with both physical and mental wellness.
However you approach #Fitness4Mom, I hope you’ll find what works for you. Be sure to follow NFC on Twitter and join the #teamNFC chat on Mondays at 11 am Eastern time. If you happen to be visiting National Fitness Center for the first time, please tell them Anne from #teamNFC sent you. This is a sponsored post in cooperation with NFC.
Comments are closed.