Today’s fit mommy is Jamie, who also happens to be one of my in-real life best friends! Jamie is a busy mommy to 4 girls yet makes the time for fitness and stays in shape with Crossfit!
She also has a great Etsy shop that you should check out –> A Forest Frolic
Please read on for more about Jamie and why she is definitely “One fit mommy”!
Q: Have you always been fit? What inspired you to live a fit lifestyle?
I’ve been fit for most of my life, playing soccer all through elementary and middle school and taking up volleyball in middle school and playing through high school and college. After having our third child, I stopped working out consistently and gained quite a bit of weight. When I couldn’t squeeze into my size 12 jeans and had barely any energy to keep up with the kids, I knew it was time to get my butt back in shape.
Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?
Make time! We are all busy and we can all make up excuses, trust me, I know 😉 You don’t have to work out every day and for hours at a time. Every little bit helps. If you can only get in 10 minutes, it’s better than nothing at all. If you can’t get to the gym or whatever, there are always body weight exercises, like push-ups, sit-ups, squats, or just take a walk. My biggest advice would be to get into a routine and make it a habit that you look forward to. Find something that you like and are motivated by…a class, a group or a workout buddy that will hold you accountable.
Q: How have your workouts changed since having a baby?
My workouts used to consist of a lot of sport conditioning and once I started having kids, I would go to the gym and do circuit training and spin or kickboxing classes. Sometimes I would leave the gym feeling like it was a waste of time and I didn’t know what to do while I was there, if there wasn’t a class and someone telling me what to do :/ Once having our fourth baby, I needed something more because I was getting bored with those classes every day, so I tried out Crossfit and have never turned back! I love every aspect of Crossfit and although it seemed intimidating to me at first, I realized very quickly that everyone is so encouraging and you can scale your workout to what you can do. At Crossfit, it’s the last person that finishes that gets cheered on the most and the camaraderie of the people you WOD with, is great! I love getting stronger and accomplishing goals, but seeing my box mates PR their lifts and workouts makes me so happy for them even more. I might be a little biased, but I would highly recommend checking out your local Crossfit box to experience the awesomeness that it is 😉
Q: Are you more of a cardio mommy or strength training mommy?
Strength training for sure (see previous question about Crossfit 😉 Although I do love a good long hike or bike ride and the rower.
Q: What is your least favorite exercise?
Omg, I hate burpees…and push-ups, hahahaha.
Q: Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?
My favorite time to workout is before the sun comes up, so I usually don’t have time to chicken out, because my head is still groggy from waking up. The later in the day it gets, the less likely I am to actually workout, so there’s that. Otherwise, I try and tell myself that I will feel so much better afterward, even if I’m tired and have other things to do. And I always do!
Q: Random question: what is your go-to snack food?
I try and keep peppers, celery and cucumbers cut up in the fridge (dipped in tziki…yum!) so I can grab that quick, instead of the kids pretzels and goldfish, which is what I would do if I didn’t have a healthy option. Also I love to keep baby bel cheese and boiled eggs at hand. If I’m hungry, but running out the door, I’ll grab a banana, apple or Clementine and I always keep my big cup of water full and with me wherever I go. At night, if I’m up a bit later, I crave salt and usually turn to popcorn.
Thank you Jamie for inspiring others to fitness! (and for putting up with me!) 🙂