I’m a full-time working mother. It’s not easy to be a mother, it’s even more difficult to be a mother who works full-time and wants to be fit at the same time. Getting fit is no longer an option for me, it is a necessity. As we age, not only will we lose our bone density, our muscle mass will shrink as well.
In my kidless world back in the day, I would practice Yoga five times a week at a yoga studio followed by coffee and pastries at a cafe a few minutes away. Life was fabulous!
Although I was able to get back to my yoga practice in my own home after the twins were born, it was very sporadic, especially the minute they started to crawl, touch, poke, walk, and everything else in between. I had to stop yoga completely because I was not able to concentrate on completing a session in its entirety each time. My mind and body were too busy looking out for the boys’ safety while making sure they were fed at the same time. The key to practice yoga is staying focus and committed. I couldn’t do either let alone both. So I gave up yoga.
A couple years ago I tried to practice yoga again – twice a week. It lasted a couple months because the twins required constant help with food and snack. So I gave up yoga again. Then last year I started doing planks in the mornings and sometimes at night. That wasn’t enough because my body needed more.
Now that the twins are more self-sufficient, I decided to re-organize and re-prioritize my schedule a month ago so that I can get back to yoga at least four times a week. For the past few weeks, I have been able to practice power yoga not four but six times a week (stay tuned for an upcoming post about my challenges and triumphs) with no interruptions.
So how do I find time to do this after a full day of work with nights packed with dinner, bedtime routines, and prep for the next day? Simple, an hour before bedtime and hours after the boys are asleep, I lay out the yoga mat and crank up Youtube for 30 minutes of power yoga. The most enjoyable part of this exercise is the shower after the workout – the best feeling in the world and I get to sleep soundly after.
I now have more energy and less stress at work and home. I feel like I finally have a good balance of work, fitness, and motherhood. And life is still fabulous 🙂
