Any advice on how to stay motivated?
Hi everyone; I just joined Bookie Boo a couple of days ago, and I'm hoping that this will help me get myself started on working out. I am a mother of two (my daughter is 7 and my son is 5) and we are going through a period of transition right now that has been hard on my husband and me (unemployment, student loans in default, trying to start over in a new city where I don’t have any friends, practically no money, etc.) and as a result, I have been gaining a lot of weight. I managed to lose all of my pregnancy weight after my son was born, and I have been the same weight for years now, but now I am starting to outgrow my clothes, which is scaring me. I have ALWAYS been extremely lazy when it comes to working out, but now I really need to get into a workout routine-not just to lose weight, but also to help me to deal with life’s daily stressors and to hopefully get more energy and feel better. I was just wondering if any of you have any advice for getting started, and keeping it up when all I want to do is sit in front of the TV and eat comfort food. Thanks!
Views: 6
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Alysa Bajenaru, RD, CPT on -
Hi Carol! The good news is, you have made a great first step by joining Bookieboo! There is some wonderful motivation here!
Are your kids in school? Or are they with you all day? What is your typical day like? Do you like to cook? What kind of exercise do you enjoy?
I am a personal trainer and dietitian, so I would love to give you some good tips. Let me know what you are working with right now, maybe we can motivate each other!
-
Permalink Reply by Carol Baldonado on -
Hi, thanks for your response! I am definitely hoping that reading other people's experiences with balancing working out and being a mom will help me in my own life. Let's see, to answer your questions...My kids are with me all day (we homeschool, and we're on our summer break); I like the idea of cooking but I'm not very good at it yet (we are vegetarian); and at the moment I don't really enjoy any exercise because I'm so out of shape. :-) Financially my husband and I are doing horribly, so we can't afford a gym membership or any home exercise equipment, so I'm trying to get myself to exercise on my own every day. I used to love going to the YMCA to work out on the elliptical machine, but that isn't an option right now, so I'm on my own.
Any advice you have would be great, and of course I'll make sure to check out your page on Bookieboo. Thanks!
-
Permalink Reply by Lisa (aka: workout mommy) on -
hi carol, it sounds like you definitely have your hands full. As far as exercise goes, start small. Can you take some extra long walks? Do you have any stairs in your house? Even going up and down the stairs for 5-10 minutes can give you a great cardio boost in your day. Do some squats whenever you can and get the kids involved too! Mine love to do squats and do jumping jacks with me! :)
Any little bit of movement that you can do throughout the day will add up!
-
Permalink Reply by Alysa Bajenaru, RD, CPT on
-
Carol, here is an at-home workout I used to give my Baby Boot Camp clients. If you have any questions on how to do the exercises let me know. All of this can be done without any equipment!
Mommy Do It At Home Workout
Exercises:
3x15 push-ups
3x15 lunges traditional
3x15 lunges with double pulses
2x15 squats
2x15 squats with 5-count pulses each rep
3x15 dips
3x10 dips with 5-second holds
2x60-second forward arm circle
2x60-second backward arm circle
3x20 plies
3x15 scapula (back) squeeze
3x45-second plank
Leg circuit on the ground (straight leg, bent leg, bent leg out to side, bent leg side and back). 8 reps each then 8 pulses each.
3x10 reps side plank
Cardio:
• Run the stairs to your house 3x between exercise sets, or if you don’t have any, run in place for 60 seconds between sets.
• Jump “rope” for 60 seconds in between Exercise sets
• Perform Jumping Jacks for 60 seconds in between Exercise sets.
• Run in place kicking your butt for 60 seconds in between Exercise sets.
• Speed Skating-Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Bend down, engage your abs. Bring your right hand down to touch your right feet, and your left foot comes up towards your bum. Switch side. Continue like this, trying to stay low to the ground and going fast. Repeat for 60 seconds.
-
Permalink Reply by Carol Baldonado on
-
Wow, Alysa, thanks for posting this for me; that was very nice of you! I will definitely try this out sometime this weekend (I'm still procrastinating, in case you can't tell) and see how they work for me. Thanks again!
-
Permalink Reply by Kelly Holton on -
Carol,
Alysa gave you a great start. The hard part is taking the time to do it. Sometimes I just don't feel like it, but I MAKE myselft do a workout anyway, and in the end, I am SO much happier that I did. Once you get that feeling day after day, you'll WANT to workout, because of the way it makes you feel. There is great support here on bookieboo, so stay connected! :)
-Kelly
www.coloradofitmom.com
-
Permalink Reply by Alysa Bajenaru, RD, CPT on
-
Hey Carol! Just wondering how everything has gone this week. Have you tried any of the workout yet?
-
Permalink Reply by Heidi Marshall on -
Great tips already. I agree with Carol. Really concentrate on that great feeling you have after a workout and you will want to do it again.
A little trick that always works for me when I am feeling lazy is to just put on my workout clothes. Don't even think about the workout just get the clothes on. I call them my "magical workout clothes" because once they are on my energy level always goes up.
Your in a great place. I get a lot of my motivation right here on bookieboo.
Good luck.
-
Permalink Reply by Amia on -
Carol. I can just tell you what helped me. First I applaud you for looking for support. That's the number 1 key to staying motivated is recognizing that we can't do it alone. I'm a personal trainer/group fitness instructor/mom/wife/taxi driver a.ka. mom-wife-friend-you-name-it-call-me-to-do-it.../every other hat I wear woman! So, what keeps me balanced, focused and keeping things in perspective even when i have those days that scream just give me chocolate and no one gets hurt, CHRIST!
Seriously, like when I don't FEEL like moving, I don't and then I have to stop and meditate and just ask what's going on, like why do I feel like "I can't" or "it doesn't matter" or even "I QUIT". And without a doubt He pulls me back in. It helps me to do things in moderation so that I don't become crazy cardio lady who obsesses about not getting in "enough" cardio. He helps me to know what to eat, when to eat, when to just breathe when the day feels like it's been pounding on my chest and if one more person asks me to do another thing I just might throw these three loads of laundry in thier face. Oops, did I say that out loud? LOL
Honestly hun, we all have those days, even as trainers. And so I surround myself with honest real women who will encourage me to find the strength in me, which happens to be Christ, and say it's ok if I don't feel motivated today. So you let go of yesturday, just breathe through today and when tomorrow comes, we take it on and appreciate the gift in it. I hope that helps.
-
Permalink Reply by Nathalie Griffiths on -
Hi Carol,
I just recently joined this site, and I came upon your post. Thank you for asking this question because I benefited from the answers that were given. I will be trying out the Momma Do it At Home Workout posted by: Alysa Bajenaru. How are you doing?
-
Permalink Reply by Chondra Babb Williams on -
I have been exactly where you are Carol and I totally get it! But you know something? You are in the right place! This community seems like one where you will ask for support and actually get it! Don't give up! See this as a new adventure! Just start off exactly where you are....take the plunge. I joined the 2 week challenge today. Just reading through the exercises made me want to rescind my pledge and jump in bed! LOL but nothing happens unless something happens - so here goes. Hey! We can encourage each other! How 'bout it?
Chondra
© 2012 Created by Leah Segedie.
