Is it me, or is every stay-at-home mom you know a gym rat? I've been one for about a year, and I'm in good company. At my local YMCA, by 9:15 each morning all the machines are filled up. The reason why: preschool begins at 9:00 a.m. and we head straight to the gym after dropping off our precious charges. Then we run, spin, lift weights, or torture ourselves with step aerobics for the three hours the kids are in school. Why? Is it stress relief? Is it a little "me-time"? Or is it to be able to say, "I'm a mom of three and I can still rock a bikini at the pool"? It's probably a little of them all.
Some of the moms I see daily really provoke envy. They truly are fit AND fabulous (while I settle for just "fit.") They can run four miles faster than me on the treadmill, all the while maintaining one of those perfect pony tails. As for me, my hair is either plastered to my head or frizzing in all directions. They have zero body fat yet still wear a C-cup. (That's all I'm going to say about that.) They are tanned year round, while I have hidden my pasty legs all winter. They sport Madonna-like biceps and abs with actual definition.
I wonder if stay-at-home-moms were always this fit and fabulous or is it a new trend? I doubt the stereotypical June Cleaver moms of the 50's and 60's were allowed to go to a gym, and I know they were discouraged from running marathons because their uteruses might fall out (really, I read that in Runner's World!) However, they did keep immaculate homes, cook home-cooked meals every night, and get "dressed up" for dinner before their husbands got home, so they were pretty fabulous nonetheless.
For many of us today, it's a little different. We are lucky to get a shower after our morning five-mile run, much less do the breakfast dishes. The husbands and kids are lucky to get a home-cooked meal two or three times during the week with all of the soccer practices, swim lessons, scout events, and church committments. My gym clothes ARE my regular clothes, so getting "dressed up" is a little tough.
I know my hubby sometimes wonders who this "jock" inhabiting the body of his formerly "normal" wife is, but I hope he realizes that I'm stronger, happier, and healthier for it.
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1 comment:
Today's blog cracked me up considering I am sitting here stinky with crazy frizzy hair from squeezing in my treadmill (ugh!) workout while Jacob was tumbling and Collin was happy in the nursery. The hair so true!! However I do remember a time you were on the elliptical next to me while I was DRIPPING sweat and you looked as if you had just showered and your comment to me was "Clearly I am not working hard enough!" Those were your pre-running days! Now check you out!
Tammy S.
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