For the better part of this winter, I chose not to exercise. For many people this would be a cop-out, for me it was a sacrifice. I love to work out. I feel more capable, more confident, more energetic, and more positive when I am exercising regularly. So deciding NOT to workout was difficult.
What made me decide this? Trying to schedule a work-out became so difficult and frustrating that I decided for a short time I needed to give it up. Our kids' activity schedule was crazy for a couple months, making evening workouts out of the question. My treadmill has been moved into the family room, making early morning workouts impossible. The kids fought like crazy when I tried to workout after school. Joshua still NEEDED mommy the moment he woke up in the morning. Chad needed some time with me after the younger kids were in bed. Trust me, I had examined all angles and I just needed to take a break.
In the past two weeks, I have begun to workout again. I feel like a part of me that was lost is found! It has been found, but still compromised. In order to exercise, I have to be up by about 5 AM. I can not run on the treadmill, which is my true love, as it is too noisy. I only have 30 to 45 minutes to complete my workout.
One thing I realized recently is that my kids have forgotten how to behave while I am on the treadmill or working out. I have never had a membership to a gym and the older kids were "trained" early on that while mom was on the treadmill, leave her alone. I am really, really good at being interrupted... EXCEPT while I am working out. Being interrupted mid-run makes me MAD. (Which is one of the reasons I decided to take a break! Joshua was not ready to be expected to leave mommy alone for 30 to 45 minutes. It was unfair and unrealistic to ask it of him. It made me crazy when he would interrupt me while I was running, so since I could not "play nice" I needed to take a break!)
So I have begun to "retrain" them. There was no school this morning, so I traded 35 minutes on the treadmill for a ride to the mall for the big sisters. I reminded them that while I am not proud of it, treadmill interruptions bring the worst out of me! They agreed to keep Joshua (and themselves) busy while I ran! They kept reminding Joshua that mommy is almost done, she can not talk when she is breathing so hard, just 10 more minutes... I kept my Ipod turned up and did my best to relax. In the end, I did have to get off the treadmill once or twice - but all in all it was one of the most relaxing runs I have had in months.
So... what is my point? Sometimes even good things have to be done in moderation (or put on hold) in order to maintain family balance. Many times we have to "train" or kids... give them specific instructions on what we expect of them... in order to do the things we love. Compromise is hard. I get bugged sometimes by "all I have given up" as a mom. But then I remember to look around and see that I have been given so much more than I have ever "given up." I am living proof that "the best of both worlds" means compromising like crazy!
Anybody have a favorite 30 to 45 minute workout video? It is time to build up my library.
