The Mommy Workout

Its a great idea to go to the gym every day, but sometimes you just don't have the time.  Luckily, being a mother means you get a great workout just by spending time with your kids.  On days that I don't make it to the gym, I still get a complete workout, albeit an unconventional one.  But that's okay, because I was never known to conform to any standards, and this includes exercise norms.

On non-gym days, I do the Mommy Workout.  Instead of a 60 minute kickboxing class, I spend at least as much time exercising my patience.  Instead of weight lifting, I flex my smile muscles.  Instead of doing bicept curls, I lift the baby up and down playing "swingy swing."  Instead of training for my 5K, I train my toddler to use the bathroom.  Instead of touching my toes, I reach down to pick up the laundry dropped on the floor.  Instead of yoga, I stretch my imagination.  Instead of mile repeats on the track, I have the kids favorite song on repeat on the CD player.  Instead of bootcamp drills, I do multiplication table drills.  In place of the cool down, I do story time before bed.

At the end of the Mommy Workout, I know I had a great workout because my muscles are sore, I am fatigued, and I feel a satisfying sense of exhausted accomplishment.  And I'm craving carbs.