Nightly Workout for moms with No Time

      I had my 2nd baby back in December and have not been able to workout. And it is killing me. I was so sick and busy during my pregnancy that I wasn't able to exercise during that time either. So, it's been over a year since I have been able to workout like I like to. I was hoping to be able to start working out as soon as possible after I had my little girl. But as soon as possible has never arrived. 

She's still SO CUTE though!
Always with her tongue out.

      My little girl has colic and so it makes it really difficult to even get my daily tasks done. For those of you that have never had a baby with colic, let me explain - she cries all of the time. Even though her diaper has been changed, she has been fed, and she is warm and swaddled she still cries. She can be peacefully sleeping and suddenly wake up screaming and crying like she is being tortured. She hates being laid down. She constantly wants to be cuddled and soothed. And even though she is 4 months old she still wakes up every few hours during the night. She gets gas bubbles in her lower digestive tract that cause her excruciating pain, and acid reflux that causes burning in her esophagus. And other people don't like to hold her because the crying is difficult to deal with. My husband has even expressed how frustrating it is for him. So, I have a baby in my arms nearly 24/7. And when she finally gets into a position that feels comfortable she doesn't like to be moved. So, exercising while I'm holding her doesn't work either. One day she will grow out of this though and I cannot wait for that day.

With her balloon and
Grandma's new baby chickens.

     On top of all that I have another daughter that is almost 3 years old. And she is a Very busy busy little girl. She doesn't like being alone either. She also had colic as a baby and so I think that she became used to always having someone around. My husband works extremely hard to provide for our family and so he is gone for 10-12 hours each day. He usually is not home until after 8pm and so I can't have someone else watch the kids so that I can squeeze in a workout. 

    

 I love to workout. It is my passion. It is my stress reliever. The gym is like my sanctuary.

Not being able to workout is literally killing me.

Watching other mothers get back into shape and enjoy their bodies turns me into a green monster.

Jealousy = green.... Ya you get it. I am trying to be happy for others and be happy for myself, but sometimes it is difficult.

     One night while I was lying in bed listening to the breathing on the baby monitor I started to think. I reminisced about the life I used to have and the person I used to be. Don't get me wrong, I lOVE being a mom and a wife. But I miss being carefree and being able to go on biking adventures in the middle of the night. I miss running off to the mountains to watch the stars. I miss being able to escape life with spontaneous road trips. I miss not constantly worrying about the well-being of two little people that I am completely responsible for. I miss the days when I didn't feel guilty for riding without a helmet or standing too close to the ledge. I would Never trade what I have now in exchange for that freedom, but sometimes I miss it. 

     That's when I remembered something I used to do EVERY night. I had a routine to help keep me in shape. Every night, no matter the location or the circumstance I performed a short exercise routine. It helped me sleep at night. When I first started doing it in Junior High it was only 3 moves - jumping jacks, push-ups, and sit-ups. By High School it had evolved into a 4-mile run, jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, elevated push-ups, V-snaps, dips, burpees, inchworms, leaning crunches, and squats. After college it had died back down to just burpees, push-ups, V-snaps, dips, and jumping jacks. The minute I got married I stopped doing it. I did it on the honeymoon and then became too embarrassed because I didn't want to be the insane wife so I stopped altogether. 

     One week ago I decided that I was going to start doing it again. Not only to help me start building back some muscle, but to also help keep my sanity. I don't get much sleep as it is so I decided to keep it short and limit myself to 3 moves each night. Even though I didn't crawl into bed until around 2am each night I kept to the plan and performed 3 exercises before going to sleep.

25 Push ups

50 Squats

25 V-snaps

     I chose these 3 exercises because of how many muscles each one incorporates.  Each one of these is a physical feat. When I am unable to perform these I get extremely frustrated because I can tell I am out of shape. Plus, they will help me get stronger so that I can perform daily tasks more easily. As a mom I am constantly needing to squat down to pick up toys while keeping my balance. I am also needing arm strength to pick up and carry my kids as well as all of their diaper bags and my purse. These are the perfect exercises to get me started.

     The first night I really struggled to perform the entire workout routine. The second and third nights were also very difficult. But I feel like I have already gotten stronger after one week. I can almost do all of the push ups without having to stop for a break. I can do about 20 consecutively right now. The squats I can do in one go, but they make my heart rate go up and I end up breathing pretty hard when I am done. And the V-snaps are the most difficult. I am still working on just keeping the correct form. I have to use my hands to help me finish the set. And I take 3-4 breaks in order to get through them. But I am getting better. If I keep this up I'll be there in no time. And I am so excited! All it takes is like 5 minutes of my day to get back in shape right now. YaY!

     Join me and see how you feel after 2 weeks!