My Family Is First...I AM My Family.

I'm not perfect, I make plenty of mistakes.  However, over the years I have learned lessons to keep fitness a priority in my life (Not necessarily health, I have/had my vices...that's another story) especially after having kids and dogs and jobs and house and all sorts of excuses to put fitness on the back burner.

I'm proud to say, though, that today I am healthier than I have ever been in all my adult life.  One of the major reasons is that I figured out in the beginning of motherhood that, no matter what, I had to build running into my life.   BUT, I didn't want to disrupt my family responsibilities.  How did that work, though, when it seems that our whole lives should be devoted to our babies and household?

Our family should be our top priority.  Our family should be the most important part of our lives.  But what many mothers fail to understand is that WE are a vital part of our family.  US, ME, MYSELF, I, MOM, COLLEEN.  It's just as important to make sure that I run as it is to make sure my sons have dinner to eat and clothes to wear.  It's just as important to make sure I have time in the morning to do something beneficial to ME (run, in case you didn't know), as it is to make sure my sons get to school on time.

My family comes first...I AM my family.  Mom guilt is Strong, man.  It has a tendency to make us feel like we need to sacrifice our own health because of all the other obligations.  Not true.   Mom is just as important as Child.  If Mom is healthy and fit and has a constructive outlet for stress (running, working out, whatever physical activity you choose) than the whole family is better for it.  There are many other layers to this, but this is the first.

So, as a working Mom I wanted to spend as much time with my little ones as I could, I realized I had to start working out in the morning.  Before having kids I exercised in the evening after work.  I knew after having Aidan that that had to change....morning was the only option.  That alarm clock HURT...it was physically painful.  But, after a couple months, the pain stopped.  It became easier to wake up and go to the gym or hit the sidewalks, and because my little one was asleep while I was out, I didn't feel guilty or feel like I was missing out.  It was something I could live with and knew I could make part of my day to day routine.  SO IMPORTANT.

Moms, you're worth it.  Your family (and YOU!) deserves to have the healthiest/happiest/most stress free person in their lives....not that this is the 100% solution...but we have to start with our bodies...Maslow says so.