On a board helping people overcome eating disorders that I am a part of, a gal posted saying that she was on the verge of tears: She has three young children at home that she is homeschooling and simply can't find time to exercise. It sounded to me like she was suffering some guilt from this. She also stated that she is worn out all the time and concerned as to why this might be happening. This was my reply to her. I thought it might help some of my blog readers who struggle with similar issues:
I
normally just lurk here and don't post much, but I am a personal
trainer and feel compelled to tell you that you are officially off the
hook for dedicated workouts until your kids get a little bigger. If you
don't have time, you don't have time. There isn't much you can do
about that. How do I know? I also used to have three little ones-
Stair steps. For a while they were all in diapers. It was nutzo. You
can only do what you can do, and they need a healthy mom and you need
your mind WAY more than anyone needs 30 minutes of dedicated exercise a
day.
Also,
the exhaustion you feel? Totally normal in your situation. It's part
of being a mom with three little ones, so don't sweat it. That will
improve with time. It's just part of the territory right now. It'll
get better as they get older. I promise.
The
most important thing you can do is eat as good as possible. Diet is
most of the battle, anyhow. And if you have a few minutes to get a walk
or do some bicep curls with spaghetti sauce cans, it's a bit of a bonus.
Your situation is uniquely YOURS. You have to give the overall picture a good, hard look and be honest about what is best for your mental health and your families well being. I'm not saying come up with excuses to not exercise, but if you really, truly don't have time there is no point in beating yourself up about it. Just do the best you can in your individual situation with the idea in the back of your mind to get to exercise the minute life allows.
