Working Out For You

Working out…

As mothers, when we hear this word I know most of us think “I ain’t got time for that,” and honestly, you’re probably right. Between the house, kids, cooking, cleaning, working, being a wife, getting involved in outside activities, and whatever else… working out just usually comes last. Why?

It comes last because we usually put ourselves last. 

I know I did. After I had my oldest daughter, I tried so hard to workout so I could get my body back. I was ashamed I didn’t bounce back, and I wanted to meet society’s standards, so I worked out like a maniac to punish myself for having what I thought was a less than perfect body. After I had my second baby, I went the complete opposite route and never worked out. It didn’t change how I felt about myself the first time around even though I had lost all the baby weight, so why put myself through the torture? I was better off just not working out. 

SO WRONG!!! 

Being active has so many benefits for your life. Of course the traditional list is it makes you happier, gives you increased energy, our body needs it, and it reduces pain. BUT, did you know exercise helps you develop self esteem and self worth? 

It is crazy, but becoming a mother was extremely hard for me, and I fought a lot of silent battles because it wasn’t the “right” thing to say about motherhood. I was afraid to speak up. It was HARD, and sometimes I didn’t like it, and it changed how I saw myself. I did not feel sexy; I felt like I had lost all of me, and I was now someone I didn’t like. I was lost and didn’t know how to dig my way out. 

I exercised the first time because I thought I needed to be fixed and then BOOM the problem would magically go away. What I didn’t realize was I caused more emotional damage by creating a really unhealthy relationship with diet and exercise and setting unattainable goals for myself. Exercise is not for you to meet someone else’s expectations. Exercise is completely 100% for YOU!

It took me 5 years to learn that exercise was meant for ME, and that’s when I found the beauty in exercise as a mother. It was exactly what I needed. It taught me patience, self respect, and that I was worth a whole lot more than I thought I was. It made my sex life a whole heck of a lot better as well because when you feel good it shows. I felt good about myself and didn’t allow anyone (including myself) to treat me less than what I knew I deserved. We are out here everyday keeping little people alive. Making sure the husband is okay and happy. We help our friends, help out in work, BUT we don’t help ourselves. 

I am UPSET that I let 5 years of my life pass and my light was dimmed because I didn’t believe I had the right to shine. I missed out on a lot of opportunities to build relationships and to be a better mother. I missed out on showing the world… ME.

TRY IT!

Make time for exercise because what you’re really doing is making time for yourself!

Brittainy Moala is 30, has two kids and is married to her high school sweetheart. She loves learning, the ID channel, and anything fitness. She is passionate about writing and expressing personal triumphs and fails in hopes to connect with others. She found that writing has helped her rise above her own struggles and stories of pain. She is excited to be a contributor to connect with so many women who are on this journey of “perfectly flawed, usually wrong, but sometimes right and all the while never being more certain of any other calling in life – Motherhood.”