Just for me!

School's out, I've got two months at home with my little one and finally the opportunity to do several things I have wanted to do for myself. It seems that sometimes my life has revolved around Mason and Tim so much that I forget about myself. So this summer I have taken on the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred challenge. I don't have to lose the 20 pounds they claim you'll shred in the workout process, but I just want to feel good about my body. Don't get me wrong, after Mason was born i quickly lost all 36 glorious pregnancy pounds (sense the sarcasm?) before returning to work, but the time to hit the gym every day was hardly there anymore. So while I've been home I've been doing my 20 minute workout just about every day.

To begin with I struggled through the first workout and then took off two days because I was too scared to do it again. I mean seriously how hard was a workout video supposed to be! I got my butt kicked. But after a couple days I did it again, and then again. I took off a couple days while on vacation, but even here, in the midst of homemade food three times a day, I've found the incentive and time to workout each day and have even moved up in my workout sessions to the next levels. And man, it feels great! I'm not losing weight, but that was never my goal. I'm feeling strength return in my muscles, endurance through the strength training, and I'm feeling fit inside. I love it. Besides, I've been taking more care of what I eat because I don't want to work out more and I want the working out I do to mean more because my body is growing stronger.

It's so important to take time to care for yourself as a mom. I've always known this, but it always seems easier to take care of others than myself. Now I'm focusing on taking better care of myself so I can better care for my boys, and be around longer to take care of them.

So if you read this, and you aren't working out, eating well, or just resting enough, then do it. If I can do it, you can too.