Making Bonds While Breaking A Sweat
It’s Sunday at 8:30 a.m., and guess where She’sWrite is. At the gym. About a year ago, I started meeting with my personal trainer along with three other women and we’ve had these weekly sanity-saving, butt-busting, ab-torquing classes. Admittedly when I found out I was pregnant I wondered, uh-oh what about my small group training?
We do weights, resistance training, cardio warm-ups and it’s a total body workout. With my last pregnancy I did prenatal pilates and prenatal yoga classes, it was relaxing, but it wasn’t challenging. My current training always made my tummy muscles twitch, left me walking on legs of jello and feeling the ache the following morning.
My trainer assured me, don’t worry, we’ll make modifications and instead of focusing on getting stronger, I’ll just focus on maintaining.
That was such a relief because besides the physical benefits of working out, what I really get from this group is the quality time with the women. They have a variety of life experiences, yet there’s universalities there that bond us. One woman has a zany personality much like my own, three grown children – two in college and one who just passed the bar. Another is a straight-shooting, but sweet kindergarten teacher with two teenage boys and the third is a funny successful career woman. The no-nonsense-yet-kind trainer is a mom of two boys who are tweens/teens.
While working out we talk about our lives. What’s going on at work, with our families, exciting vacations, what’s new with our friends.
I value their advice, insights and love listening about their daily lives. They have this “been there, done that” way about them, but it’s not an air, it’s honest understanding and empathy. And I love it.
Even though not everyone can be part of a small training group, the benefits of exercise can’t be overstated. I feel stronger and more centered after exercising and recommend all moms try to get in even just a little where they can.
Obviously first check with your doctor before working out, they usually advise not to start anything new and vigorous while pregnant. I’m not a personal trainer, I’m just speaking from my personal experience.
- Check your TV listings. Many exercise channels or OnDemand options have great prenatal classes. Make the time to do them.
- Just because you’re a preggo, don’t discount light weights, the exercise ball, resistance bands and even mat workouts. There’s still plenty of “Buns of Steel” moves that can be done while preggo. Ask my saddlebags. An expert can help walk you through safe exercises.
- Take a walk around the neighborhood. If you can, try to leave the little ones at home, put on your sneaks and head out the door. A 20 minute walk to clear your head and get the blood pumping can do wonders.
When I was only 5 weeks pregnant I used a prenatal yoga DVD. Then the morning sickness started and I was way too sick to do anything 🙁 I was sick for half the pregnancy and by the time I was better…I was just too lazy to work out. But at least all the puking kept my weight down 😉
I’d love to know how you found/formed your small personal training group.
My gym has always offered small group training, it’s just that usually the small groups are all friends or people who know each other and chip in on the cost of a trainer.
My trainer was smart enough to organize a group of strangers who were interested in fitness and voila! Small group training.
Hi There!! Thanks so much for stopping by my site!! I had to hop over and take a look at yours.
It took me 36 years to figure out that I needed to take care of myself first and that ultimately that would make me a better wife and mother. It sounds like you’ve figured it out too!! It’s really hard to find the time, especially with small children, but even if it’s just a few minutes a day or a couple hours a week, having something for yourself is priceless. You’ll find the time when the baby arrives, because you know how much better you feel when you do. Don’t you wish you could convince every woman you know to do the same?? I’m still struggling with friends calling me selfish and making sarcastic comments about the time I spend going to hot yoga or the fact that I might pay a sitter to have lunch with a friend. The good news is I’ve stopped letting what the rest of the world thinks influence my decisions.
You have a new follower!! Thanks again for the comment!!
I am sooooo with you on the better mommy when you take out time for yourself. I’ve posted about it here, but I should revisit the issue because you’re right not enough of us do it. And for those who do it regularly, we do get those judgmental looks, don’t we? I’m still dying to try hot yoga, my gym offers it, but I haven’t yet been. After Bean is born and my world starts getting somewhat right-side up, I wanna go there! You’re blog is awesome btw, I really enjoy reading it!
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