Stability Ball Workout

Stability Ball Workout

It's time we tell eachother the truth about motherhood.

Have you ever watched an adorable, well-lit mama-baby workout and thought to yourself…

Sure. That’s adorable. But it’s gotta be a joke.

Mmhmm. I see videos parents doing yoga with they’re adorable, crawling baby in lovely, grassy parks, and I wonder HOW did they train their baby to not crawl away?

And I get it… Babies are adorable. I’m a big believer that if you find something that works for you and your family, it’s important to share it.

But this is where we, as moms, can fail each other without knowing it.

When we only share the good – the beautiful, the “blessed” moments, the magical my-heart-is-so-full moments – we risk suggesting that our life is free of the struggles, frustrations and crazy-making that every human on this planet faces.

We risk making other moms wonder where did I go wrong?

I’m guilty of it too – I know I am. My theory? I think that we – as women, as mothers, as humans – don’t want to complain. We think we can handle it on our own. We think that if we share the ugly my-kid-just-shit-everywhere-and-then-I-literally-cried-over-spilt-(breast)milk-days, we’ll sound like a whiner… and we don’t want to bring anyone down into crazy town with us.

But here’s the magnificent thing about being human: While opening up about what we don’t know, where we have fallen or failed, how we are less than perfectly positive 100% of the time feels awkward and (for lack of a more sophisticated word) yucky, the act of sharing our vulnerabilities connects us.

Doesn’t that make your heart break and soften all at once?

Our vulnerabilities connect us.

Vulnerabilities make us human. Vulnerabilities grow our empathy muscle. Vulnerabilites allow us to nod along, admitting to one another “I’ve been there.” Vulnerabilites bring us into deeper, more authentic relationship with one another.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but over the last 18 months of mothering my sweet Max, I’ve found that we need one another in this season of life more than we know.

Now what does all of this have to do with a workout?

Well, this is my real life. The lighting’s never ideal, I’m rarely in “real” workout gear, but moving my body makes me feel slightly more sane, and I’m passionate about sharing the elements in my mind-body fitness wheelhouse that work… in spite of a pants-less toddler who refuses to leave my side.

For that reason, I’d love to share my real feelings about working out with a toddler, along with the incredible total-body workout that you can do on and around a stability ball (clearly, with a crazy toddler in tow.)

…and as you’ll hear, I can completely nerd out about the fitness intricacies and the training techniques. Rather than boring you with all of that, I’ll share more in your workout Cheat Sheet email. That way, you’ll know a little more about the super sets, compound movements and advantages of challenging your balance, but I’ll save you from those details here.

We’re all busy. We’re all slightly crazed. We’re all in this together, as long as we’re willing to genuinely open up with one another about the truth the threads our journeys.

Here’s a little piece of mine.

Whether you’re a recovering type-A person, like me, or you feel like you could just use a little more structure in your self-care routine, I’ve created a helpful workout cheat sheet for you, so you customize this very workout with clarity, confidence and compassion.

8-months postpartum: wellness starts somewhere

8-months postpartum: wellness starts somewhere

The difference between these two?

One year.

Our bodies change DRASTICALLY when we have babies (DUH) but I have found that the shift within our MINDS can be even more significant.

Just in case you’re anywhere near where I was 3 months ago, don’t YOU DARE settle for “I guess this is just how I am now.” (As in cranky, tired, apathetic, giving up on myself, did I mention irritable?) HIDING behind cozy flannels, behind my exhaustion, behind my excuses was quickly becoming my new MO.

GOODNESS, the shift did NOT happen all at once, but it DID take ONE simple but CLEAR “I need something to CHANGE” moment. That made THE difference for me.

Start with nourishing food.
Or start with empowering workouts.
Or begin with a gratitude journal.

WHEREVER you start, just make sure you begin.

Because, life is too short, a year passes in a flash and the truth is: you DESERVE to feel your best. No matter what.

YOUR BEST might not mean feeling comfy in your favorite shorts or even silly side by sides like this… it might mean chasing after your daughter without feeling breathless. You know what that uh-huh thing is for you. And you have an inkling about how to get there.

And man oh man, if you ever need a friend on this journey, I am right here.💙 Just keep reminding yourself that you are CAPABLE of so•much•more than you give yourself credit for…