Time to rediscover the old me

This has been destined to happen, and thank god.

Since getting a new car at the end of last year, I have put on more weight than I am happy with. There’s been many changes in my life. We’ve moved house to a small country town, and I’ve gone from a mother who used to spend two hours every weekday pushing a double pram to and from school (when my fiance was working, once he wasn’t I did the walk without the kids), up and down hills, to a mum who lives two minutes’ walk from a new school, and a partner who often takes my daughter to school for me.

It’s partly because I want to look better and fit my old clothes (and new size 8 ones!) but it’s so much more than that. I want to readjust my insomnia once again. That has always been a constant battle for me as long as I can remember. Exercising is a big part of my self-identity, heck, I studied it as a potential career all those years ago! Most of my adult life, I’ve been exercising, be it walking to work, TAFE, basically everywhere. I used to enjoy going to the gym and doing personal workouts at home, as well.

And now… well, I’m living the cliche that I hate. The martyr, who is too tired, too busy and doesn’t have enough time. Oh boo friggin’ hoo. Well, those excuses get a girl nowhere, except sore back and sore joints from carrying excess weight, and constant fatigue. I want my bouncy, energetic old self back, thank you very much, and this video below has given me just the push I needed:

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Through each of my three pregnancies, I exercised the entire way through them. At times it was tiring, but I found it so necessary. I’ve always found it pretty easy to get exercise when I have kids in a pram, too. But now I have two little ones who don’t use a pram anymore, I love taking them for short walks now and then when we go shopping, or to school, but I can’t really raise my heart rate at those times.

I’ve also found it challenging to adjust my need for exercise to the new town we’ve moved to. I’ve always lived where there’s plenty of hills, and it’s as flat as a tack here. I went for a half hour walk here (I’m used to a minimum of one hour) and was frustrated not to have the feeling that my legs got any work, also that there was no endorphin rush that I crave. I missed the sense of peace and invigoration that I’ve always felt after a good workout.

So, all this time, I’ve been thinking about what I could do out here for exercise, and drawing a blank. After watching this video, I’m thinking I will just do it as has always been my motto prior. Just find a good time in the morning to put an hour aside and go for a walk, however un-challenging it is. Do some workouts at home. I was going to wait until we buy a treadmill, but I don’t want to put off what is usually a big part of my life. I toy with the idea of running again, but I have to be sensible with that idea, and check with a physio first, find out if it’s safe for me, and take certain issues into consideration. But that can wait. What is important, is that I get my groove back on!

I hope this video inspires other parents to get into some regular exercise too. We are facing an obesity epidemic, and I for one, don’t want to be a part of it. I’ve always been a role model for my kids when it comes to exercise, and it’s not ok or fair on them that this has suddenly changed. I need to get back on track for myself, and back on track for my family.

Do you exercise regularly? What do you do, and how do you fit it into your family’s schedule?