I worked out two days this week!  I know it’s only Thursday, and I have a few days left, but I feel confident saying that I am not going to work out anytime between now and Monday.  I know two days a week is not ideal, but it is better than zero days a week, so shut it.  I am not going to preach about working out and how every person (mom or not) can find the time to do it because it’s important.  Quite frankly, there are times when I cannot find the time to do it and/or choose not to find the time to do it.  I’d rather sit on my couch with my hubby with a glass a wine (when I’m not preggo) after the kids go to bed than put on my gym shoes.  And, I cherish my sleep right now, so there is no way in Hell that I am going to get up before my kids to get a workout in.  There are three reasons why I am working out right now:  1) I want to be strong enough to pop this baby out in record time when labor starts, and I know working out while pregnant will help with that, 2) I am going to Nashville in a few weeks for my younger sister’s bachelorette party, and I want to have enough energy to keep up with all of her crazy friends while we bar hop (yes, most people train for a marathon or triathlon.  I’m training for a bachelorette party), and 3) I am due on November 2^nd.  My sister is getting married on November 5^th (I’ll talk about the drama of that in another post).  I want to do everything in my power to not look like a two ton galunta in her wedding photos since I will be a few days post-partum.  So how do I fit workouts in while working full time, taking care of 3 kids, being pregnant, and having a beauty business? 

First of all, I don’t beat myself up if I only work out one day a week, or skip a week or two.  Any time spent working out counts as a win because it is better than nothing.  Also, I am extremely lucky to work for a company that has a gym on premises AND I can sneak away during the workday to get a work out in.  I am rather busy at work, but if I can, I block my calendar for an hour here and there and type GYM in.  This way I treat it like a meeting that I need to go to.  Obviously, if I have actual work deadlines and things that I need to use the time for, I put that first, but I try to go whenever I schedule the time.

Notice I said I block one hour of time?  That includes, the workout and getting ready afterwards.  My workouts consist of cardio, some sort of weight training, and stretching.  Some days go really well and some days totally suck.  Today, for example, I felt great on the treadmill. Never once did “kill me now” come across my mind.  However, when I was doing some floor exercises, I thought my hoo haa was going to rip in half.  I was on a mat doing fire hydrants (you know, where you are on your hands and knees and you lift one leg up like you are a dog peeing on a fire hydrant?), and each time I lifted my leg up I had this major pain in my hoo haa.  Like it was literally going to rip in half from way up on the inside.  I decided that probably wasn’t a good pain and decided to stop.  I figured I’d be much safer if I just stretched for the rest of the time and not injure any other very important body parts.

I know a lot of people do not like working out during the day because it is a pain to shower and get ready afterwards.  Here is how I do it.  First, I do not wash my hair.  I keep it up on top of my head and do what I like to call a body shower.  I quickly rinse off, wash all the important parts including my face and my ptlb (pits, tits, and lady bits).  I slap on some deodorant and then get dressed.  Then, I put on some moisturizer, foundation, blush, mascara, and a lip sheer.

I take my hair down from the top of my head, add a few curls to freshen it up, and add a few spritz of sea salt spray to give it that beach wave “I woke up like this” look.  That’s it.  It takes a total of about 10 minutes.

Today, I did all of that from about 11-12.  When I was done, I warmed up my frozen meal for lunch and ate it back at my desk and caught up on all my emails that came in while I was gone.  I felt great and was ready to take on the rest of my day feeling strong and reenergized.

Do I work out every day?  No.  Do I work out the recommended 3 days a week?  No.  Do I sacrifice time with my kids, family, or bed to make sure I get a hardcore workout in.  No.  However, I am doing what I can to “train” for three things that are important to me.  I may not do it in a textbook perfect way, but I get it done in a way that works for me.