The Workout Bumble: Finding My Fitness Groove as a SAHM

 

After having two kids, I decided it was time to get serious about gaining my strength back and, vainly, flattening my tummy. Now that my son is two, I’m finding little pockets of time here and there to focus on myself again. My morning routine includes waking up early, doing my daily devotions and prayer, and then squeezing in at least a 15-minute workout. Totally reasonable, right?

Here’s where things get tricky... My two-year-old still comfort feeds. (My daughter was the same, so I should have known!) The minute I get out of bed, it’s like my son has a radar. Even when he’s barely moving, he somehow senses my absence. So, about five minutes into my workout, I hear him stirring. Groggy, grumpy, and in need of comfort, I have to hit pause and take care of him.

And that’s it—my workout goes out the window. For the entire month of August, I tried to make it work, but it just wasn’t happening. I kept telling myself that maybe I’d just have to wait another year to get back into shape. But then I thought, no, I really want to figure this out.

Instead of giving up, I found a solution that worked for me: one of those monthly fitness challenges. I liked the idea of starting slow with a quick, daily challenge that I could track. I found a great ab challenge and committed to doing it for a week. I also gave up the idea of having a set morning workout time and decided to fit it in before my shower. It was a game-changer! Sometimes, the workout would happen right on the bathroom floor, but hey, it got done.

After completing the first week, I bumbled again. I skipped a few days and quickly realized I needed a backup plan. That’s when I turned to Grow With Jo for some quick and effective workouts. Now, if I miss a morning session with Jo, I fall back on my ab challenge.

I’ve realized that consistency is the goal here. Once I build a routine, working out will become a habit. If you're like me and bumbling through your workout journey, here are some practical tips that have helped me:

• Be flexible with your time. Set a time to work out, but if you miss it, widen your window. Give yourself until the end of the morning or even the end of the day to fit it in.

• Have a backup plan. Life happens, and we can’t always make it to the gym. Have a home workout plan as a backup. It could be something as simple as a challenge or a quick YouTube workout.

• Keep yourself accountable. It feels great to check off a day on my ab challenge. Plus, I told a friend about my workout goals, and she checks in with me from time to time to make sure I’m staying on track.

Finally, remember to be gracious with yourself. If you bumble, call it a rest day and get back to it the next. Consistency over perfection is key.

P.S. If you’re a teacher or a parent looking for educational resources, I’d love to support you through my Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) shop! You can find a variety of freebies and other materials designed to make learning fun and engaging. Be sure to check out my Pinterest for even more creative ideas and inspiration.

Also, don’t forget to visit my Amazon author page for some literacy fun! I’m especially proud of my coloring book, which incorporates the reading strategies I used with my daughter when she was just three years old. Thanks to those strategies, she’s now five and reads at a third-grade level! If you're looking for effective and fun ways to boost your child’s reading skills, check out the link provided.