Just do it! Starting a exercise routine at last.

Since giving birth to AA, my exercise regime has really suffered. Having two kids is so much busier, as day in day out, I go from my first working shift to my second mummy shift. It’s harder to squeeze time for myself. And this means, less exercise. As compared to previously, when I went swimming twice a week, and yoga at least once a week, my exercise regime now is downright measly.

Oh my! What happened?

I procrastinated. I've been trying to find a good yoga teacher or centre that I feel comfortable with. I had to stop with my previous yoga teacher because she moved the session to a different day and time, which clashed with the kids' enrichment class. I've done the occasional sessions, but not enough to say it's a routine. I've even tried a women's gym, but that didn't really click with me. Plus, the nearest swimming pool is rather far and inconvenient to get to. There's a running track around my neighbourhood, but you know, I don't exactly like running. So……

Banish all excuses

Right. All excuses. I was quite lax about exercising, and always used the kids as excuse. While there indeed is less time for myself (I can't even get a minute of peace in the toilet before both kids come and start knocking, continuously), I can’t ignore my own health.

Care for self before kids

I've done a health check recently, and while it's generally ok (phew!) I know that if I don't start taking of myself soon, I might have more health ailments. I feel sluggish, and feel the extra pounds. I told myself, I have to do something about it. I need to get off my butt and get my butt moving. I have to take care of myself so I can take care of my kids.

Just do it!

So last month, together with a group of mummy bloggers, I started on a Fit and Fab routine to get myself back in the pink of health.

I admit. My exercise regime is still nowhere close to where it used to be, but it’s a good start. At least in my opinion. After a long search, I’ve found a yoga place that I’m comfortable with, and have started doing yoga once a week there, at least.

It’s absolutely great to be doing sun salutations, warrior pose, tree pose, boat pose and all sorts of poses again. I love the feeling of the tension in my muscles slowly easing away, with every breathe, with every movement. I love the light feeling that I get after every session. I like how my mind is so much clearer and focused, after anhour or so of deep breathing and concentration.

10 minutes a day keeps the tension away

Every morning, I try to squeeze in 10 to 15 minutes of yoga. I find that it helps me to start the day with a more relaxed mind, and better prepare me for the craziness of the day. I tend to focus on postures that are a little more intense and work more parts of the body, like sun salutations, down dog, plank, boat pose and so on. At the beginning, I could only do plank and boat pose for about twenty seconds. But by gradually increasing my targets, I've been about to hold the poses for a minute or more. 

Run (walk) the blues away

I've also made myself go running. Eh… though it sometimes morphs into brisk walking. Hooray! I figured that, as much as I dislike it, at least it gets me moving. I try to run once or twice a week too, either around the track near my place, or near my mum's neighbourhood when we head over to her place on the weekends.

Call of the pool

As for swimming, I'm still trying to fit that in. DaddySay is so sweet; he tries to bring the kids for swimming so that I can swim too. But dipping in the pool with the kids is so different from swimming laps. 10 laps, 20 laps, as the water splashes over the body and face, it’s literally tension flowing out of every muscle. The sound of the splashing water also helps tremendously to calm the mind. Yes, from that, you can tell I’m a ‘water baby’, as DaddySay likes to call me. He, on the other hand, hates the water, and only goes in when he absolutely has to.

I’m only at the beginning of my journey to being and feeling fit and fab. So far, so good. It’s really comforting to have these fellow mummies around as support, as we cheer each other on via Instagram. Knowing I’m not the only mummy facing the ‘get fit’ challenge definitely counts a lot in pushing myself to persevere and persist on this journey. Thanks ladies!

Next up, I have Angelia from GrowingHearts123 to share her exercise journey.

At GrowingHearts, this mum shares her passion for holistic teaching especially through the Visual Arts to her children of 3. She used to run after kids and count that as exercise. Now she runs while the kids play and is striving to join her hubby in future runs.

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