Can you believe this is almost finished! Are you over it yet? I am a little bit, haha. I love the prompts, but I don’t like the obligation. Plus I think posting every day is just overkill, I’ve probably lost as many readers as I’ve gained! But it’s been fun.
So today’s post is a goal, and I’ve had a brief think about it. Really the one thing I’m most interested in is making exercise a regularity now that I’m not trapped under two babies all day long. I’ve got vague plans and goals for work-y blogg-y world-domination-type things sort of, but I’m keen to be more consistent with exercise as I can’t work or blog or take over the world if I’m dead!
Pre-children I was fairly reasonable with exercise. I walked often, I did tons of yoga, I occasionally did some strength training, and there were two boxing classes that I loathed with every fibre of my being, and vowed to NEVER do again. I did yoga right up until about 39 weeks pregnant with Abby, and I can say with great certainty that not having the time/energy/interest to do yoga for the last two years has been something I really am sad about. I miss it, and I can’t wait to get back into it properly. I don’t exercise to lose weight or be skinny or whatever, I do it because it’s healthy and I feel good after it. I usually hate getting myself sorted to do it, and hate it for the first and last 15 minutes, but it makes me feel so good. And it’s good for me.
So my goal next year is to walk 30 minutes nearly every day, yoga at least twice a week, and strength training 2 x30 minutes a week. That isn’t much, but it’s enough to keep me fit and healthy, and is achievable, which is probably the most important thing.
My plan for doing this is as follows:
Once Pepper sorts her shit out regarding overnight sleeping habits, and I stop being awake at 4am for an hour only to fall asleep three minutes before she wakes up for the day, and I wake up not feeling like I’ve been hit by a truck, I will go for a morning walk. It’s nice at that hour, it gives me a kick-start for the day, and it isn’t too hot. For a while there I would pop her in the pram at an ungodly hour (once it was 4.45, ugh) and walk down to the beach and back. But sleep is my main priority at this point, so I’m trying to fit walking in during the afternoon when it isn’t hot enough to melt a cat outside. So. Step one – 30 minute walk a day at some point, aiming for the morning. I have been a bit slack with this one lately.
Twice-weekly yoga: I have three yoga DVDs and have found some cool YouTube videos, so I’m happy to do this for an hour at home. My main problem is when I get an hour spare to do something, there’s usually computer work that needs doing that I can’t do when my inquisitive toddlers are around, or I want to just sit for a bit with a magazine and a cup of tea. I need to schedule it in properly and maybe looking at doing it at night. Classes outside the home are a bit of a stretch at the moment, although I went to a few recently. I will do it on Mondays and Wednesdays, when the kid/s are at day care.
Twice-weekly strength training: This I have been sort of doing on and off just while the kids are running around (and climbing on me) with stuff at home, but I need to prioritise it. Linda has made me a wonderful program that built on what I was already doing, which was really helpful. My main problem is that although I would normally do this in the morning, by 7am it’s sweat o’clock already, and hot as hades outside. That’s not enjoyable in the slightest. So I might put on the airconditioner on Tuesday and Thursday mornings while the kids do their morning craft and by the time that’s over, it’ll be cool enough to work my butt off (actually work it ON, I’m trying to get one! I have the flattest ass) and the kids can be cooled down nicely for morning tea after their outside play.
SO. Walk as many days of the week as I can manage.
Monday: yoga
Tuesday: strength
Wednesday: yoga
Thursday: strength
I mentioned yesterday we’re sort of just starting to work out a daily family routine, so I’ll have a better idea of how manageable these goals are. It feels good to see the light at the end of the tunnel of baby parenting, and be able to find a balance with a few more of my needs too.
Do you exercise? Do you hate it? Do you fit it in around the kiddos?
Lisa Mckenzie says
October 28, 2013 at 12:53 pmMake time for YOU hon cause if you don’t you will just let it slide and it will become normal do your yoga and maybe walk when you hubby gets home,I used to do that back in the day when I could walk ,it was my ME time.I can’t believe it is nearly November I am going to be 50 sob!
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 12:59 pmOh wow, that’s quite the milestone birthday! Are you doing anything special?!
Lisa Mckenzie says
October 29, 2013 at 4:30 pmI haven’t decided yet ,bad time of the year 2 Christmas parties in November and My daughter is having a housewarming they just bought a house so maybe not,I will do something though and yes it is a milestone one of am not too fond of xx
Veggie Mama says
November 7, 2013 at 4:34 pmIs it your birthday yet?!
Lisa Mckenzie says
November 11, 2013 at 11:49 amNo it is the 13th Stacey x
Lornie says
October 28, 2013 at 1:25 pmI’m struggling too, my 4MO seems to know I can do a spin class on a Sunday and is determined to wake up every other hour. By 8.30 a.m. (yes A.M.!) I am so tired there is no way I can get to the gym never mind sweat on a stationary bike for 45 mins. I need a plan like this and maybe some DVD’s to work out to. I am doing a daily walk, but as I want to get my ass back to something resembling pre baby I need to do a bit more. You have inspired me to get myself organised!
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 1:40 pmSquats, baby! Even if I can’t do anything else during the day, I’ll do some squats. But oh, I hear ya. I’m exhausted by mid-morning. I’ve started taking some vitamin B and making sure I’ve had a proper good breakfast. It makes such a difference x
Lornie says
October 28, 2013 at 5:26 pmI get vit b injections, helps a bit. I really need to have a routine in place 🙂
Veggie Mama says
November 7, 2013 at 4:34 pmOh I’ve never tried them, are they good? I want to. The routine (however flexible it is) has actually been really useful x
Lornie says
November 8, 2013 at 8:13 amI’ve got colitis and can’t ingest my b vitamins so I need them or I’ll be in a bad way, but I would ask your doc about them, great for a boost to your energy :). I’ve started doing squats each day… good call!
PhemiEology says
October 28, 2013 at 1:51 pmNothing like a “fresh start” is there Stacey? No matter what its for, a ‘fresh start’ is like the feeling that the sounds and smells of Spring bring after a Winter. *breaths in* ahhhhhh
Making my own personal ‘fresh start’ list right now actually! (got distracted
by your post…damn vegiemama ‘waterfall awesomeness’, testing my ‘less procrastination’ fresh start list item! LOL)
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 2:01 pmhaha I still love that picture so hard. My problem with fresh starts is I want to do them RIGHT NOW, but it’s just not doable. So I’m going to phase it in before next year. Damn.
PhemiEology says
October 28, 2013 at 2:27 pmI TOTALLY hear you, Ive got 2 jobs complete, a masters degree to finish and a multi-state move to Darwin (in december) to achive over the coming 6 -8 weeks… So Ya..I cant even really ‘start’ my ‘freshness’ just yet…cant only really start the LIST for it atm- most has to wait till after we move. But in mean time for sanity sake I have managed to start ‘more regular yoga’. So *tick* to that on my list anyway. 🙂
Veggie Mama says
November 7, 2013 at 4:33 pmhaha any start will do! We’ve pushed the move back to January, but it will still be exhausting and crazy. I’ll wait til after that, so I get acclimatised first!
The Plumbette says
October 28, 2013 at 2:17 pmI need to get some sort of exercise routine in place too. Its so hard when you have little ones to run around after and when I do have a spare moment I have a blogpost to write or emails to reply to. Maybe when Magdalene is 1 next February it willbe easier to juggle.
Veggie Mama says
November 7, 2013 at 4:32 pmYeah that first year of any kid (especially kid number two!) is a bit of a hassle. I’m really only seeing pockets of the day I can do it in now, now that Pepper is 13 months. Good luck!
Bec says
October 28, 2013 at 2:34 pmI struggle with getting regular exercise too! And pre kids it all just happened so easily I never thought I’d be the person saying it was hard to fit it in. I’m hoping to have a more regular routine happening by next year too, thanks for the ideas I hadn’t really thought about workout DVDs.
Veggie Mama says
November 7, 2013 at 4:30 pmI was doing them long before the kiddos arrived, I’m too stingy to pay for gyms and classes! Theyre so good, if a bit repetitive
missandmisters says
October 28, 2013 at 3:22 pmOh no, we really are coming to the end of this aren’t we? I have LOVED it! Although, I can see how it would be a little tiring keeping up with it all – I’m getting behind in reading them all, and I have the easy job, ha!
So with you on the exercise! I’ve found I get renewed passion to jump into running and jumping and stretching when my littlest starts getting more mobile… Naturally my enthusiasm signals another pregnancy – another nine months of lying on the couch and nerve pain and vomiting (often at the same time) – and puts the kaboosh on that. One day, I tell myself, one day. I’ll cheer you on in the meantime!
thelifeofclare says
October 29, 2013 at 6:31 amI swore that I’d do yoga the whole way through my pregnancy but it just hasn’t happened! I’m hoping that when school ends for the year that I’ll have a chance to get backs into it. Good luck with your goal!
HappyHacker says
October 30, 2013 at 10:50 amYou can do it Veggie Mama ! I just joined one of those 24 hour gym things as I was struggling to get there before other gyms closed for the evening. I only do 30-40 minutes of running (more like shuffling) on the treadmill every other day, but I already feel tonnes better. I swore I would walk the dog every evening once daylight savings hit, but even that is not happening till after dark. So too the gym it was. I particularly like Saturday mornings as I can watch WWF while on the treadmill, always makes for a good laugh. And then the other days I listen to an Anime podcast, which is at least a good hour and half long and incredibly funny. Good Luck Veggie Lady ;D