Walking the walk: Putting the ME back in mommy.

Today I accomplished an amazing feat: I left the house BY MYSELF, to go and do shopping FOR MYSELF.  That's right, an entire trip to the mall without a single purchase for either kid. Five years ago, I could never have imagined how rare this would become. Prior to Stroller Strides and the gradual process of reclaiming my own identity in the midst of the new mom whirlwind, it only happened once in a blue moon, despite the encouragement of my husband.

What I love about what I do, is that it is not just a physical fitness program. There are Stroller Strides t-shirts that say "Fit for Motherhood" across the back. I have always liked this, it is a clever play on the exercise component and yet there are so many deeper meanings.  Regular workouts that include cardio and strength training are critical for improving stamina and energy, and giving moms the muscle strength to carry their kids/carseats/baby luggage everywhere they go, to walk the halls with a sleepless infant or lift a toddler safely out of their crib. Improving sprint speed to catch up with a running kid hell-bent on a parking lot or a lake is no joke!  But the benefits are so much beyond physical.

Exercise gives us more patience to weather the trials of motherhood. Countless times in the last month I have found myself in a grocery store or other setting, while my kids are pushing all my buttons, doing "Three big breaths, and our final and most important stretch of the day: A SMILE" in my head, forcing myself to relax and breath deep, find a smile and be the best mom I can be.  I say this phrase to classes of moms every single day, and I love that it helps me live and love the rest of my day.

Another aspect of Stroller Strides that has also been life-changing for me - aside from being in better shape now than ever - is the absolute certainty that one day each month, I have a date with some of the most inspiring moms I know. Moms Night Out. These are magical words! Whether we are grabbing a bite to eat, heading for a hike or going to a yoga class, and even if we spend a good deal of the time talking about our kids - these are some fabulous opportunities to build a supportive community of moms. Getting to know each other outside of class is awesome. When we go out and everyone shows up in not-workout clothes with their hair done, we may hardly recognize each other. These events are a chance to reclaim a little of ourselves outside of our kids, to go by our own first name instead of "Baby's Mom".

So today, when I left the house BY MYSELF, I went shopping. I got some great deals (surprise sales at the mall, gotta love that!) on some very cute new shirts that I bought because I know I have some hot dates with some hot moms in the next few weeks. Tomorrow, I will get up early and leave again BY MYSELF to do a run with a friend who is also going to run BY HERSELF with me.

It's okay to give yourself permission to experience a little of your own company in the absence of your little ones. Going to the office doesn't  count, working moms! Make a date with a friend, come to a Moms Night Out (we will meet this Monday 9/12 at Organic Oasis at 7pm!) or just head out for a walk or run on your own - NO STROLLER - and don't forget to keep sight of the ME in mommy.

A very eventful weekend!

Whew. 

It has been an amazing week for me. After an outstanding, inspiring and ENERGIZING weekend of insane workouts with insanely wonderful women, my muscles are finally less sore and my brain can finally form some whole thoughts. 

Over Labor Day weekend I took a break from teaching classes to become the student, learning from the incomparable Farel Hruska, an amazing woman and mother of three who is also the National Fitness Director for Stroller Strides, Fit4Baby and Body Back. Have you ever met someone who just lights you up? Taking a class from Farel is like plugging directly into the sun.

Friday night I hopped on an evening flight from Anchorage to Seattle - wow, it is sooooo easy to fly without the kids - and was picked up by a fellow franchise owner from Maple Valley, WA. (You should really check her out, by the way - Kristy Fassio has such an inspiring story and is on her way to great things.) Kristy took me home to stay with her family and then drove in with me to Enhanced Instructor Training on Saturday. 

This training is for current Stroller Strides instructors, and it was a tremendous recharge of great energy, inspiration, new exercise moves and enthusiasm for this awesome program. We started off the morning with a Stroller Strides class. It was such a blast to be the student, to focus on the moves and soak in all the experience and enthusiasm of this group of women. We had so much fun that we added an extra half hour to class. There is no better way to start off a day! 

Our day continued with some business-oriented lectures and information sharing, fantastic sessions of indoor cardio moves and partner exercises, and demonstrating favorite exercise sequences to each other. If you have been to a Stroller Strides class you can begin to imagine that at this point I was just a tad bit sore... an hour and a half class (with nobody needing a snack, song, or potty break) followed by two more intense workouts a la Farel is nothing to sneeze at.

After a very deep sleep, I woke up Sunday to head back for Body Back training. Kristy, who is already a Body Back instructor and did not go to Sunday's training, drove me to an Office Depot parking lot to meet Codi Howell, another amazing franchise owner attending the training at 34 weeks pregnant with her third child, two days after her husband's return from Afghanistan. Did I mention that these women are an awe-inspiring group? 

And then - Body Back. 

Stroller Strides is a fantastic, challenging workout and it has been the key to my personal fitness. It is the only reason I am in better shape now than I have been ever before in my life, and the connections I have made to other women have changed my life. After completing 4 Body Back workouts in one day, I also know that there is no limit to increasing my fitness and I will continue challenging myself the rest of my life. I have never, ever been so sore; I have never felt so proud of accomplishing so much physical work in a single day. 

Just wow. The workouts are incredible, but it is so much more. The personal experiences shared by several of the moms in our group who have been through the program and are training to become instructors brought me to tears. I can hardly wait to bring this life-changing program to Anchorage. 

For me, the realization of exactly how much can be accomplished in an hour is a direct result of a couple of years working out AND entertaining the kids, taking breaks to offer snacks or play games, singing nursery songs while doing bicep curls. I love every minute of my Stroller Strides classes and cannot imagine a day without seeing these beautiful families. Exercising with the kids is FUN and makes the time fly by before you even realize just how many squats you have accomplished. Taking the kids out of the picture turns up the intensity of the exercise, and really allows deep concentration on finding your inner voice, the voice that knows you CAN do it.

Sunday evening, totally exhausted, I stayed with a dear friend from high school and slept until 10am. That's right, I SLEPT UNTIL 10AM. I haven't slept like that in about 5 years, and it was amazing. We spent the day with no agenda, no one to look after but the two of us, and it was the most relaxing day I have had in years. 

What amazes me is that even with so many wonderful parts of the weekend, the best was Tuesday morning, waking up after my late night arrival in my own bed, to the snuggles of our daughter sneaking into our room to curl up next to me. 

Possibly the most eventful single weekend in my life since the birth of my son two years ago, definitely the most sore I have been... ever. I returned home delighted to see my family, charged up for my Stroller Strides classes and excited to bring Body Back to Anchorage. Stay tuned, you won't want to miss this amazing program.