This fit mom reminds us to make ourselves a priority

It is time for another installment of “One Fit Mommy”! As I surf around the blogosphere, I come across fit moms (and dads too!) who inspire me to fitness. From there, I hunt them down and force them to tell me their secrets, which I then share with you!

Today’s fit mommy is Sarah, who blogs over at Free Woman Fitness. Sarah is personal trainer and a busy mom of one. She understands the difficulties in balancing work and fitness and believes that exercise is equally as important for the mind as it is for the body.

Please read on for more about Sarah and why she is definitely “One fit mommy”!

Q: Have you always been fit? What inspired you to live a fit lifestyle?

No!!! I certainly have not always been fit. I mean, I have never been more than 15 or so pounds overweight but looking back at how sedentary I was in high school and in college just makes me cringe. I also smoked cigarettes for about 6 years and drank… a lot. I can’t imagine how unhealthy my body truly was with everything I was putting into it. So now my habits are 100 times better and more consistent. I got my personal training certification after college, so I was working out a lot, but I still had some bad habits hanging around. They are really hard to break when it’s been your lifestyle for so long. Having a child has really motivated me to eat healthy and exercise on most days of the week. I need the release now that I’m taking care of someone 24/7. Working out is not an option for me anymore. It’s a survival technique.

Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?
Something is always better than nothing when it comes to working out. On days when I think I can’t get a workout in, I say “I’m just going to exercise for 15 minutes.” 9 times out of 10, once I get started, I stretch it to 20 or 25, if my 2 year old allows me to. There are usually 100 things to do during naptime, but on the days I tell myself, “you NEED this workout” and I get it done, it’s always a better day. Making yourself a priority is so hard for moms. That’s my biggest struggle. It won’t get done every day. But you have to keep telling yourself that it’s important. It’s your health. It’s your life. It’s your kid’s lives.

Q: How have your workouts changed since having kids?
I have to mix it up a lot more. I used to be so particular about my workouts, when I did them, what I was going to do. No more! You can’t be picky when you’re a mom, or exercise just won’t happen. Some days it’s an OnDemand workout or a DVD, some days it’s an evening jog. It’s actually a very effective way to workout because I’m always doing something different so I continue to challenge my body.

Q: Are you more of a cardio mommy or strength training mommy?
I used to be a total treadmill junkie. Now I’m a bit more into strength training and yoga. My favorite workout it hot vinyasa yoga. It’s a total mind and body release for me which is so incredibly necessary. I do still like to jog, but most of the time, it’s outside instead of on the treadmill.

Q: What is your least favorite exercise?
I have to say, probably push-ups. Like most women, I have great lower body strength, but I’ve had to work really hard to develop upper body strength. I can do push-ups, but I really don’t like to.

Q: Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?
Sometimes I have to just start without thinking about it. The beginning is always the hardest.

Q: Random question: what is your go-to snack food?
We always buy Pirate’s Booty. It’s healthier than chips or pretzels so I don’t feel bad eating it. My toddler loves it, too!

Thank you Sarah for being an inspiration to all moms!

Need more inspiration? Be sure to check out all the other fit moms that have been featured on Workout Mommy!

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