I'm Lindsay Ferrier, a Nashville writer with a passion for family travel, exploring Tennessee, and raising kids without losing my mind in the process. This is where I share my discoveries, along with occasional deep thoughts, pop culture tangents and a sprinkling of snark. Want to get in touch? Use the CONTACT form at the top of the page.
January 5, 2009
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In January of 2008, I started working out on the elliptical four days a week. Immediately, I noticed a difference in my energy level. Within a few months, I was even getting up before my son’s 7:30am wake up time each morning and getting dressed and ready. I was sleeping better at night. I didn’t need as much coffee. And yes, I lost weight. 15 pounds, to be exact.
I kept up my 4-day-a-week regimen until September and then it all went to hell. I started homeschooling Punky and basically, the hours I had spent at the gym went instead toward figuring out how to be a good teacher to my daughter. As a result, my life began to change. I gained back seven pounds. I felt tired all the time. I had trouble waking up in the mornings. A lot of trouble. I couldn’t even believe there was a time when I managed to voluntarily wake up before my son, put on make up and get dressed. I lived on coffee. I was down, and didn’t really know why.
Then, a few weeks ago, I started putting together this post and in the process, I looked back over all I had written in 2008, I read several posts that reminded me what a difference the gym had made in my life. I saw pictures of myself from that time and actually didn’t cringe. I realized that I desperately missed that self, and resolved with the new year (like many of you, I’ll bet) to resume my 4-day-a-week workouts.
Well, I’ve been doing them for nearly two weeks now and already, I can tell an incredible difference.
Oh, the energy! The happiness! The ability to do more with less time! It rocks, and I really don’t think I can be the best mom I could be unless I take three to four hours a week to exercise.
I tell you all of this because I hope that if you’ve been on the fence about exercising, you’ll go ahead now, take the plunge and do it. Experiment with it- Commit to working out for one month and just see if you don’t feel 100 times better. I don’t do anything fancy- I just get on the elliptical for 45 minutes four times a week. But I really push myself when I’m on it. And it. Pays. Off.
Let’s just hope I’m not reading this post six months from now and wishing I had stuck with it!
This post originally appeared on Parents.com.
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