5 Things Motherhood Taught Me About Fitness

There are times when I sit down to write and I can't come up with a single word. Other times, the words pour out of me with ease. And there are even other times when those words come from a part of me that's just...deep. Proud. Happy. Emotional. Which makes me really love the resulting piece of work. No, I'm not bragging, but I recently wrote one such piece. I sent it to Jennifer of JFoYoHealth as a guest post, and I mentioned as much to you last week. Did you check it out on her blog? If not, today is your lucky day as I've decided to repost it here on Daily Dose. Why? Because I've been reflecting on motherhood a lot lately. My girl is growing up, and she's officially been on the outside of this world more than inside of me. I keep telling her to stop growing up, but my Hannah-Banana doesn't listen. And truthfully, I'm loving every minute of it, even if the minutes sometimes feel like milliseconds. Enjoy:
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As a certified personal trainer and new mother, I have spent the last nine months juggling these two hats. I don’t ever expect to balance them perfectly, which is why I’ve succumbed to life and let them both teach me a thing or two about merging them into one. I am, after all, a fit mother. And as such, this is what I’ve learned:

FIVE THINGS MOTHERHOOD TAUGHT ME ABOUT FITNESS

1) The female body is an amazing thing. As such, it should be worshipped. Respected. Taken care of. And for those of you that cannot give birth to a child, this doesn’t make your body any less so. As mothers, we all give instinctively from the depths of our being. And our bodies respond, tired sometimes, but strong nonetheless. And when we bring light to that strength by lifting weights at the gym or running miles on the sidewalks, we do nothing but highlight what it is our bodies are capable of.

2) It’s an example worth setting. Our children are quite impressionable. Give them something worth impressing into their minds. If they see you working out, if they are familiar with your gym…if they partake by playing quietly in the jogging stroller as you jog…they are learning that fitness is important. And most importantly, that living fit is the norm.

3) It really isn’t about fitting into jeans. No mom will deny the satisfaction of slipping into her pre-pregnancy jeans, but when your body goes through pregnancy, labor and delivery, it builds within you a newfound focus. Sure, I still hit the gym to build muscle, lean out and look strong. But above that, I go to build a body that sustains life for the long haul. I do, after all, have a child that needs me as I still need my own mother. Now and forever, really.

4) Quality workouts are best. I’ve learned that a child inserts an element of unpredictability into life, which means I can’t always rely on a schedule. Which means I can’t always guarantee myself the workout I might have planned. So every workout I do manage to snag has to be full of heart and focus. This, of course, should be the case even if one isn’t a mother.

5) It can reset the mind, body and spirit. Not only does fitness have the ability to transform the physical you, it can change the mental and spiritual you as well. Take an hour to lift weights or go for a run. Get lost in yourself, forgetting about the laundry, the job or child that needs to be entertained. Let someone else handle those tasks because slipping away for some fitness is “me” time at its finest. 
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Question: Did your approach to fitness change after you became a mother? If so, how?