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We all want to live a healthy life but for most of us, that is much easier said than done. For me, I have always been active swimming, playing softball and later hitting the gym several times a week. Then my daughters came along. All of a sudden it was not as easy to stay on track with a healthy lifestyle.
Luckily for me while in Cleveland, I worked for a company that had an onsite fitness center. Every day, I would be in some type of 30 minute aerobic class. Either step or circuit which is similar to today’s HIIT or Tabata workouts. If it were not for that fitness center, it would have been very difficult for me to squeeze exercise into an already busy day while raising a family.
Fast forward a few years and my family had been transferred to Miami for my husband’s job. We went from help from a large extended family to the two of us. Gone are the lunchtime workouts and in their place, a super busy life schlepping kids here and there, fast food and weight gain. So when I write that I understand busy mom’s, dad’s, grandparents and other caregivers when they say they do not have time to exercise – I truly get it.
Staying active is something that I always find a way to make happen and you should too. Not only do I feel better physically, it’s equally important for my mental and emotional health. Chatting with a neighbor led to evening walks after the kids were in bed. Later a shift change, put my husband and myself on opposite work schedules allowing me to go directly from the office to the gym before heading home as my husband had picked up the girls from school.
You would think once the nest is empty, it would be easier to make time to eat right and exercise wouldn’t you? I call foul because for this girl, it hasn’t happened yet. Yes my daughters left the house and now both live nearby in Tallahassee but it seems my life never did slow down. From first building a business to now the stress of shutting it down, making time to eat right and exercise is still a challenge for me.
Fast forward and you will find me teaching fitness classes at Country Strong Gym. I am beyond grateful because fitness has always been a passion of mine. The time at the gym allows me to take care of my health but there is something even more important than that. It is my village. The people I see in class. The people I see at the desk as they come in to exercise. The people working out in the equipment room. Not only do they keep each other motivated and uplifted, they do the same for me.
When someone tells you it takes a village to raise children, they are right. It also takes a village to support each and everyone of us at various times in our lives as we try to live a healthy lifestyle. Find your village and embrace it. Your village will be what keeps you going when you feel like giving up. Have a wonderful week!
To your health,
Denise
