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Health & Fitness

How Exercise Became a Big Part of My Life As a Busy, Devoted Mom

Not in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I would become someone so committed to my fitness routine that I would exercise 6 days week, with two hours every third day for weight training and cardio. I have always understood as an adult that exercise is an important part of a healthy life style. But to put it mildly, making exercise a vital part of my life, never mind my daily routine, did not come easily. 

Growing up, the very idea of sweating was totally unappealing, while being out of breath easily came way too easily. Miserable P.E. classes in which I was always the last to be picked for any team and general klutziness did nothing to make exercise seem like a good idea. A few visits in my mid-20′s to a typical chain fitness center filled with model thin, spandex-clad women in a passing effort to impress my then boyfriend (now husband) did nothing to enchant me to the very idea of “regular exercise.”

After giving birth to two sons, I came to appreciate my body for more than its seeming inability to be thin or lithe. Yet my complete and utter love for my sons inspired me to care in a new way about being healthy. I want to be strong and present for my sons and husband. All well and good, but I was about 90 pounds overweight after giving birth to my second son, leaving me miserable and uncomfortable in my own skin and ready to get serious about it. Long story short, I went on a doctor-supervised strict diet to lose the first 50 pounds and gradually started exercising.

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What started as my gasping for air as I spent 5 minutes on each of 3 different cardio activities, like the treadmill and elliptical, has grown to a serious commitment. Oddly enough, over time, I found not only great stress relief but also an endorphin rush much healthier for me than the similar rush I still get from carbs and caffeine. Initially, I built up to working out 2 to 3 times a week when my sons were younger – and obviously had very limited time for exercise. Gradually over time, as they got older and I could manage my work-family time better, I increased my workouts to my current 6 days a week.

The results? I’m still not thin, in fact, I’m still 30 pounds overweight. But my blood counts and blood pressure are excellent, and I feel so much healthier and stronger and draw so much energy from my workouts. Getting older has helped me accept that we aren’t all meant to be thin. Instead, taking care of myself and being healthy is what is most important. I discovered that my local JCC in Cleveland was the right environment for me, where the staff and facilities are wonderful and supportive, and the members are regular people trying to get or stay fit (so much so that I became a JCC Board member).

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Here are some tips for finding exercise that fits your preferences and situation based on my experiences:

Find activities you enjoy, trying different things till you know better what you’ll find fun, or at least tolerable. Whether it is a traditional gym workout, pilates, yoga, zumba, bicycling, long walks, water aerobics, hiking, cross country skiing, or something else doesn’t matter. What matters is finding the right mix of activities that will make it most appealing to you. For more exercise ideas, check out this blog posting on Ten Ways to Get Exercise Without a Gym.

Be patient with yourself yet persistent. At first, truthfully, I just about hated it. But I liked how it made me feel and the progress that I felt.

Build up time as you have time and ability. I started with 15 minutes per workout building up to 30 and then 40 minutes, etc., as my stamina and child care situation evolved, and my children got older.

Aim for locations close to home, ideally no more than a 15 minute drive or walk from home or work to optimize how often you will really go.

Consider child care needs. If your children are young, look for reasonably priced, on-site childcare. Ask the child care center what screening they do before hiring, and check out the site in person.

To read the rest of the article, please visit my parenting blog at  http://gooseling.com/2013/09/19/benefits-of-exercise/. Lisa Danielpour is Co-Founder and COO of Gooseling, dedicated to teaching children social & life skills through video game apps. Cavity Dragons is the first game designed to encourage kids to brush their teeth.

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