Would I Still Be a Good Mother if I Didn’t Workout?

Guest blogger, Judy Shriner, is a wife, mother and fitness professional

It’s a rhetorical question.

Any mother who has been blessed enough with fitting a workout into her daily routine knows that working up a sweat really does make us better moms. According to a 2012 review by Dr. Dawnine Enette Larson-Meyer, Effect of Postpartum Exercise on Mothers and their Offspring, keeping a workout regime is especially important for mothers:

“Published studies suggest that postpartum exercise has the capacity to improve aerobic fitness, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level, insulin sensitivity, and psychological well-being.”

I’m that mom –  the mom who believes so much in fitness that I put my money where my mouth is. With the love and support of my husband, I was able to bring a Stroller Strides franchise to my city. My “job” (I use that term loosely because my work really doesn’t seem like work to me!) is to bring moms together with their babies in tow, while helping them incorporate fitness back into their lives. I help connect like-minded moms in the community while empowering them with strength for motherhood. But it’s been a long journey to get here….

How could 7 pounds of anything change my outlook on life?

Three years ago I found myself pregnant and so excited at what was to come. While the birth of my daughter is still considered one of the best days in my life, what I didn’t realize was that an overwhelming sense of failure would follow. Some moms ease right into motherhood. Warming bottles or getting a good latch from their hungry infant is as natural to them as breathing.

For me, everyday was a battle. The rush of hormones after childbirth felt like I was a teenager again. One look from my husband and I would decipher it to mean, “Who is this chubby woman?!” My breasts ached from nursing and I thought it was my fault. My child was screaming and, again, my first thought was, “What did I do wrong?!” How could I not provide her peace when I helped create her?

While I did not suffer from postpartum depression, I did have an awful case of the baby blues. Postpartum depression usually sets in after the first few weeks and is often severe enough to hinder a mother’s judgment. This form of depression will lessen your chance of bonding with your screaming bundle of joy – which might have you questioning why you signed up for parenthood to begin with.

I have always been active and knew I needed to slowly jump back into getting fit. At first it started with me wanting to fit back into my pre-pregnancy jeans. After weeks of walking the neighborhood with my daughter in her stroller, I graduated to strength training and running. My new goal was merely to just run. The endorphin rush from working out was helping me mentally cope with the changes going on in my life.

On days I didn’t get to workout, I found myself quick to get frustrated. I was cranky, asking God for help every other second and could not find any patience within a 12-mile radius. I wanted to share the feeling of empowerment that working out gave me. I wanted to find other like-minded moms who wanted to get into a sports bra, out of the house and break into a sweat. Bringing a Stroller Strides franchise to Columbia, South Carolina did just that.

The moment I explained that our “5K” was really
a 5 MILE race…

Through Stroller Strides, I’m able to provide a 60-minute total body fitness class that moms (and dads!) can do with their babies. We power walk, run and have intervals of strength and body toning exercises. Upon meeting new moms in class, I found one thing in common: they were happier leaving my class than before they got there.

What really makes me smile is the fact that the kids who attend our classes always leave with a new respect for fitness. Those toddlers aren’t aware how holding a plank in proper form can help strengthen your entire body. But what they do see is their mothers holding a plank and laughing about how much they believe my “timed minutes” are longer than actual minutes. As mothers, we are helping shape our children’s lives by showing them fitness is fun. Dr. Larson-Meyer notes:

“In a handful of studies assessing the correlates of childhood physical activity, parental exercise was found to influence the offspring’s level or frequency of physical activity and/or physical fitness.”

What mother wants their kid to sit in front of the television all day? Referencing a 1999 study, Dr. Larson-Meyer explains why setting a good example is important:

“…of 129 obese and 142 normal-weight controls and their parents, Fogelholm et al. found that parental inactivity, assessed by 3-day physical activity records, was a stronger predictor of childhood inactivity and that this relationship was stronger for the mother’s than the father’s inactivity.”

We have all heard gym rats swear that working out gives them more energy; but there is so much proof behind their words. People who exercise on a regular basis have lower anxiety levels. Working out is their cup of coffee to help get them through the day!

In my experience, working out reminds me to keep faith that what I’m doing is exactly what I’m put here to do: I’m a loving wife, mother and friend. During the worst days where our time-out corner is a hot spot for a certain toddler, I’m able to dedicate a few minutes to myself to workout, which helps calm and energize me for the afternoon with an active kid.

Working out really does help me be a better mother.

For more on fitness, health and motherhood, be sure to visit Judy’s blog, Shriner Fitness, and follow her on Twitter: @ShrinerFitness!  And, if you’re in the Columbia/Lexington, SC area, click here to register for Judy’s Stroller Strides classes!

References

Fogelholm, M., Nuutinen, O., Pasanen, M., Myohanen, E., Saatela, T. (1999). Parent-child relationship of physical activity patterns and obesity. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 23: 1262–1268.

Larson-Meyer, D. E. (2002). Effect of Postpartum Exercise on Mothers and their Offspring: A Review of the Literature. Obesity Research, 10: 841–853. doi: 10.1038/oby.2002.114

Oz, M. & Roizen, M. YOU: Having a Baby. New York: Free Press, 2009.