I had a terrible (fantastically yummy, but still really terrible) philosophy during both my pregnancies. It was: I’m pregnant! I do what I want and eat what I want! My workout will be the walk to my fridge.
Yeeeaaahhh… let’s not talk about how terrible that thinking was. Now, as I’m 3 months post partum from having my second baby, I’m lookin’ down at my body like:
Because I really would like to be healthier and look good, I’ve started trying to eat better and workout at least 3 times a week. Let me tell ya, it’s not easy! It’s hard to convince myself to do another at-home workout when I know “at-home workout” means stopping every five minutes to put the pacifier back in my tired baby’s mouth while avoiding accidentally kicking my toddler, who has to run circles around me in that exact moment. But I still get those flashes where, all of a sudden, I’m totally sure I can lose the 25 pounds and it won’t be the end of the world. These moments of dedication usually come after having seen myself naked, stepping out of the shower…
In case I’m not the only mom out there with the struggle to stay focused on eating right and working out, here are 5 things I like to tell myself (over and over) to keep up that motivational “high:”
- Every time I start eating healthier, I ask my husband to help me stay focused. And every time, there comes a point where I’m hiding in our bedroom closet, sneaking a cookie. Or five. So I have to constantly remind myself that empty calories, even if eaten while no one can see, still count against me.
- Something is better than nothing, because nothing is what I was doing before. Baby steps will help me ease into a routine and workout that I’m comfortable with, which will help me maintain my lifestyle change.
- Exercising won’t kill me; it will help me live longer! “I feel like I’m dying!” is a common phrase I whimper during my workouts. My toddler has started responding, “You’re fine.”
- I want to look hot for my man. Sure, it might be a superficial reason to stay motivated, but it’s a good reason nonetheless. I know my husband would love me regardless of how much I weigh, but we shouldn’t deny the fact that physical attraction is important in a relationship. Not only do I want to look sexy for my man, I want to feel confident about my body, too.
- My kids deserve a healthy mom. Years down the road, when I have to start worrying if my cholesterol is too high or if genetic diseases will start manifesting, I don’t want my kids to worry that I won’t be able to handle any health issues thrown my way. If I can’t get motivated to work out for myself, maybe I can get motivated to work out for my children.
Look, I get it—One of the most frustrating parts of losing weight and getting healthy is the realization that it’s a life-long commitment. It’s a lifestyle change, not a quick diet that will get you the results you want and then you can go back to your fast food and Netflix binge watching. I have to constantly remind myself that every workout I do, every veggie I eat instead of a cookie, will help me see the results I so desperately want. Eventually, the change will start to show, I’ll have more energy, and maybe I won’t WANT to go back to the way things were before.
So stick with your workouts, momma, because I’m right there with you, and maybe we keep each other motivated!
