I Hate to Get Off Track

This week has been hell! Too many nights that turned into early mornings and too many days overflowing with things to do.

That said, the more pressing matter is what those extended days—and the lack of sleep that accompanied them—has meant for my "living fit" lifestyle. Being exhausted, at least for me, is often a gateway to not eating as healthy or as focused as I should or would be if I were being aware of my body and listening to it's cues. As I mentioned in the previous post, my kids being home for summer vacation has meant some schedule restructuring on my part because where I once had school hours to do things like cook, clean, exercise, and shop, I now have to do it all with them in tow.

Granted, I have zero issues with being with my kids 24/7, but you'd be surprised how much more efficient your tasks have to be when you're on full mommy alert—i.e. making sure they aren't in harms way, aren't wandering off, aren't touching anything needlessly, aren't in need of a potty break or suddenly hungry— and, for me, who is an admitted Type A personality, I don't do well with mass chaos. I can take it as it comes...so long as I know about it in advance.

But I digress.

I recognized that the week was going in the wrong direction as early as Sunday, but continued down the path of least resistance and managed to blow off at least one workout while half-assing a second; pair that with a few days of bad eating and, voila, living fit mommy isn't living so fit.

My goal is to not let the week end the way it started but rather to get myself back on track. I've certainly been down this road enough to know that sometimes it's the falling that makes the getting up that much more rewarding.

Where Have I Been?

It's been several weeks since the 'Living Fit Mommy' blog has received any of my attention and I must admit, up front, that I currently post content for more than one site. This blog was always meant to be the one with more personal insight into me as a married, mother of two, with a strong desire to have the body of goddess (no, I'm not kidding about that last point either. I literally do about 1000 sit-ups a day and exercise more than I likely should in an effort to reach my personal physical goal of being "too sexy").

But, egoism aside, and more seriously than that, I write this blog because I need a release from the daily dial of being completely overwhelmed by this world of mine. It's a state that I have found myself in more often than not over the last couple of months—due in large part to dealing with the death of a very close relative—and I could not juggle it all. I needed, as they say, "a minute". 

I'm not Superwoman, by any stretch, and my faith, patience, convictions, and personal views on life, love, and family took quite a hit after losing a loved one so dear and I struggled mightily to find my center again.

That's the edited truth of it.

Thankfully, my foundation wasn't built on sand, but on God, and that's a hard foundation to obliterate without decidedly making the decision to forsake all I know and walk away from His love completely.

And that, my friends, is something I will never choose to do.

That said, I've had to breathe and give myself a break from bearing my all here for a few weeks because, plain and simply, I couldn't handle the candid chatter without falling to pieces at my laptop.

But, I will be making a more concerted effort over the next few weeks to be more present here if for no other reason than I'm ready to try and come back to some semblance of normalcy in my creative life, too.

So bear with me and stick with me, I'm finding my way back. 

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Staying Fit Means Keeping Excuses To A Minimum

As a mother of two, I worked hard to get back to my pre-baby body after my pregnant one took over and—though I haven't one regret about the experience of being pregnant—it was a challenge that was both frustrating and character building at the same time.

So when I hear women say that it's "impossible" to look good post pregnancy, I find myself perplexed—call it arrogance, call it ignorance, call it an inability to empathize, but I feel it's just an excuse to not do better.

There are many women out there who managed to get back to a healthy size minus a gym or a trainer and despite the responsibilities of being a mother.

I choose to take a little time for myself, everyday,  to exercise. I do yoga, meditate, or play with the kids, but I make a decision to put my body into motion. I work hard at it not only to appease the vain side that exists to some degree in every one of us—let's face it, we all like to look great in a pair of jeans—but also to teach my children to 1) never neglect the Temple God gave you, and 2) to always remember to make time for bettering yourself—even if it means putting something or someone on hold for a moment.

Now, before the mommies cite me for being a bad parent, let me make this very clear: my kids are my top priority. They don't lack for anything as far as love, attention, and nourishment are concerned—nor does the hubby for that matter. But, in order to be that woman who can do it all, or at least appear to, I have to attend to me first, and that means feeling good about the skin I'm in.

Every woman deserves to look in the mirror and feel like a pretty girl—no matter what her age. Being fit—like it or not—contributes to that perspective, and you won't get fit by sitting on the sofa making excuses.

Am I saying you have to be a size 4? No, absolutely not, but I am saying that there is always time for you, so, take it and use it wisely.

Christmas Gift Conundrum: Five Thrifty Gift Ideas For The Harried Mom In Your Life

Let me warn you right off the bat, this isn't your average Christmas list. While I do emphasize these as great gifts for the harried mom in your life, some may disagree with the choices below.

That said, as a mom myself, I am more given to practicality than extravagance—even at Christmas—and I can appreciate receiving a gift that makes my life easier.

So, let's just jump right in:

1. A book of stamps.

Seriously! While I have joined the electronic age and pay many of my bills online, I cannot tell you how often I run across a bill that requires a mail-in (curse you country power company) and it is safe to assume that I am not the only one.

Even more, the mere thought of purchasing a stamp seems time consuming. The driving, the waiting in line...who has time?

Think about it.

2. Dish towels.

We're all cooks—good or bad—and we spend a great deal of time in the kitchen. A lovely set of dish towels from HomeGoods or your favorite retailer is practical and useful.

My mom gave me two sets last year and they came in handy during this holiday season when I've spent so much time playing chef.

3. A DVR or TiVO.

Okay, they can be a bit pricey, but sometimes you have to splurge.

A DVR or TiVO device will allow your superwoman to record all of her favorite shows and watch them at a later date.

4. A handmade coupon book.

The one thing a busy mom never has enough of is time. Every hour of the day is usually accounted for and little of that involves anything for her. As moms, we aren't likely to fuss about that fact much—it's in our nature to be Superwoman—however, there is always the desire for a little "me-time".

So, why not make a coupon book that offers small opportunities for just that—time. The book could be for as many different occasions as you like (although 12 is a nice start) and could include items like:

• A Mom's Day Out—minus the kids.
• A night off from preparing dinner or cleaning up afterwards.
• An hour for taking a relaxing bath.
• A Free massage

Be creative!

5. A journal.

The one thing most don't do enough is take note of our own thoughts.

Journaling doesn't have to involve a daily entry or even a long one. It's simply an opportunity for getting some of the stress of the day off your chest and decompressing.

It's also a great way to maintain mental health.

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