This has to be the first time in my life that I’ve utilized the overused cliché phrase of “I love you but I’m not IN love with you”. Scroll through my Facebook wall and it’s easy to see that there is a new love in my life. I can now tell you that the tears of joy I’ve experienced with breaking and setting new weightlifting records, or winning my natural bodybuilding pro card, do not compare to the overwhelming joys of becoming a mother.
Along with a baby comes new priorities and goals. Balancing time and adapting to a new schedule and routine, or lack thereof, influences the well being of all. Workouts have gone from being “our time” to becoming a family affair. The baby joins us when she isn’t napping, and you really just have to tell yourself “It’s happening, I’m going to get my workout in today”.
In our 20’s, fitness was life. The headphones were on with my favorite music blaring on repeat. I was always “in the zone”. I often wore cut-offs, bandannas, had chalk on my hands and would stomp and yell to get extra psyched for a big lift. Now there are cartoons on the TV, Tyler gets the pick of music most of the time and I’m being a goon trying to entertain a baby until she’s had enough. We try to have fun with it. If the weather is nice we load the baby up in the stroller or carrier and head out for a nice walk together.
I have undergone new programming changes to better fit my schedule on baby time, as well as continue to get enjoyable workouts in for me. I lift more efficiently by adjusting my DUP program cycles. I still workout 5 to 6 times a week, because I want to! The same can be said for my husband, Tyler, who has been training for his pro bodybuilding debut during this time as well. Small modifications to his daily routine and programming have allowed him to still be able to train to compete while putting family over sport.
Being able to adapt to the changes and unpredictable times that come my way, has bettered me professionally as well. I get it, I know there is never enough time in the day. There will always be something that needs to be done, someone that wants or needs something from you, or naps that could be taken. Not only in regards to time management, but I can also empathize because I know what it’s like to have to take the time to heal, know that you aren’t where you once were and have to rebuild again physically and mentally. I have the ability to better program clients who are on the road to recovery after set backs of their own, injury or surgery. Smart lifting and being able to make the changes needed to remain injury free leads to greater consistency. And greater consistency equates to greater progress over the long term than continuously working to overcome setbacks.
All in all, I like this new “mom life”. When fitness was life, I was never “enough”. With mom life, I am enough.
I personally know and train so many women who are in their 40’s and 50’s and competing in sport. I have clients in their 60’s who continue to be in the best shape of their lives. This gives me hope, promise and inspiration. I know that the sport will always be there. I feel like I went from being in a “selfish” sport to becoming a “selfless” mother. Family over sport and you can still have it all if you really want it.
