Thursday, July 14, 2011

mama-vation: what works for me.

i had no idea how hard it would be to resume "normal" life after having a baby.  before parker was born working out had always been a HUGE part of my life.  i even had TWO gym memberships.  one gym had awesome classes that i loved {anyone out there take Les Mills classes?  ahh, my FAVE} & the other had great equipment & a pool.  those were the days.

anywho, post-baby i found it real hard to get to the gym.  one of the gyms i belonged to didn't have daycare so i'd have to go while sam was around & when he would finally get home for the day, the last thing i wanted to do was run out the door to a spin class.  then the other gym did have daycare but it was 20 minutes away & i hated leaving my new baby in there with 30 other kids & two strangers to watch over him.  nothing was working & i was a very frustrated {out of shape} mama.

long crazy boring story short, when parker was about five months old i stumbled upon Stroller Strides.  now parker & i get to be outside together enjoying an instructed workout with classes six days a week with other moms & babies alongside.  we've met so many awesome moms through Stroller Strides & i feel like i'm back to my pre-baby workout-aholic self.

it is so easy to get up & get out the door when you know you're gonna get to see all your friends, all your kid's friends, & then hang out around the playground in the sun afterward.  i have said this so many times... every mom should do Stroller Strides.

the other day a photographer came & took some shots of us working out for the owner to use in her advertising.  and they make me happy.


doing a plank with arm raises... no big deal.


talking to my friend lindsey.  do you look this happy when you're working out?  you totally should.


it's fun for the kids too.  they get used to sitting in the stroller for an hour, i swear.  and sure there are days when they cry & fuss, but we're all moms & we don't mind.  it's awesome.  and afterwards, they get to get out & run around with other kids.  win-win.

why wouldn't you want a built in playdate 4-6x a week?


that's my leg.

if this sounds like a commercial, it's not.  i'm not getting anything for this.  i'm just extremely happy to have found something that keeps me motivated & in shape.  and that gets me out of the house {almost} everyday!  it's seriously a huge part of my life.

so there you have it.  my mama-vational schpeal for the day.  i kinda wanna do more fitness & health type posts from time to time since it's a pretty big deal to me.  is there anything you guys would be interested in hearing or seeing on the blog?  how have you managed to fit workouts into your post-baby life?  what works for you or what isn't working for you?

let me know.

and maybe spare a click or two?  then drop & give me twenty.  do it.
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

36 comments:

  1. I NEED this!! Thanks for the great post. I am going to look into this. Just this week my baby stopped having one of his nap times (definitely not by my choice) and this whole week I have not been able to get a full work out in. If I could do something while he is awake it would make life easy. Thanks again!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is awesome! You look so pretty and happy, those endorphines are flowing! Sounds like a great class for all!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a great idea! I'd KILL for something like that in my area but to be honest I live in a po-dunk town where most people don't give a crap about work out, especially young moms.

    ReplyDelete
  4. There is a "stroller bootcamp" class at my local Y but it's done in a sectioned off part of the basketball court and is kind of depressing. I wish there was something like this done outside here! Maybe I'd go ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. what an awesome post and even awesomer workout! I love this!! I want to do this!! Right now I get up way too early to go running before anybody else is up. I love the time to myself but stroller strides seems wonderful!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh My Gosh!! How fun for you! In my little area, I have a hard time finding anywhere to work out. I am at the point where I am going to do a small workout room in my basement.

    By the way, you look GREAT!! Very toned.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I totally relate to everything you said. I didn't realize how huge a part of a my life Stroller Strides was until now. Before when I've missed class it was because I was out of town or doing other things. This week I've been HOME with a sick kiddo...trying to squeeze in a short jog or a workout video and it is so not the same. I miss Stroller Strides, which is why I'm going to try and make it today, tomorrow, & Saturday.

    ReplyDelete
  8. i love this post! i've been reading your blog for months and this is my first comment, but i've been thinking this the whole time: you rock! seriously, what an inspiration...my little boy is 6 months old and i am having the most ridiculously difficult time finding motivation and getting back into the groove....i was doing so well before i got pregnant...i did my first 5K when i was 5 weeks and i pretty much haven't worked out since then...totally unacceptable! and gross! every time i read about you going for a run with parker, it makes me feel like i can get back on track again too...thank you for that!
    do you find it awkward at all to run with the jogging stroller? i move my arms so much when i run (not that i'd be able to RUN even a block in my current condition...oh goodness...) that i feel like it would be super uncomfortable. i guess like everything, it just takes some getting used to.

    thanks again for this post :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great post! I wish I didn't work so I could do something like this. It has become apparent that there isn't much out there for Mom's who work! In our area they only offer classes on Weekdays at 9am. :( I wish something like this was offered in the evenings or on the weekends. Would love to do it! Bummer.

    ReplyDelete
  10. go you amy! although, not going to lie - the stroller strides here is NOT cool. like, it totally sucks.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I went to stroller strides a few times in San Diego. They held it at SeaWorld, so it was double fun! It is a great program. You look incredible, by the way!

    ReplyDelete
  12. great post. i have said it before... i wish we had a stroller strides group in my town. we dont. lame. '

    hmmmm i wonder if i could get one started

    ReplyDelete
  13. This looks awesome, but I'm not kidding you when I say that there is NO FREAKING WAY Bennett would sit in his stroller while I worked out. NO WAY. He is the most energetic, wild, crazy, can't sit still toddler I know. Maybe if I had started it when he was really little- but no way would it work now. I think it looks like a really cool program, though!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. You know I love the Stroller Strides too. Ours even has a Luna Moms playgroup attached to it, so after class one of the moms usually plans a super fun craft. I get a workout, my kids wear themselves out AND get to do something creative and we make it home just in time for lunch and a nice long nap.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Awesome Amy! I have always wanted to try Stroller Strides.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Very cool! Makes we double glad we got out for our walk this morning...otherwise I would be feeling like a slug about now...lol

    ReplyDelete
  17. I haven't ever been (my kids are too heavy for me to push these days) but I LOVE the idea of stroller strides! It always makes me happy to see you guys in the park too! What a brilliant program!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I totally don't mind the exercise posts. I'm going to look
    Into stroller strides now! I could use it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh & now I'm motivated to get my booty out the door in the mornings and take Logan for walks in that expensive jogging stroller that I just had to have!

    ReplyDelete
  20. When you mentioned stroller strides a while back I thought about checking out the group in town. I never did though. And honestly I don't think Ryann would last that long in the stroller. Maybe she would surprise me, but I don't know.

    I did join a gym recently, that has a pretty decent daycare, and I'm loving it. That 45 minutes to an hour for myself has done great things for my mind and body.

    I don't have any particulars that I'd like to read about, but I'm really into health and fitness lately so I'd love to hear what you have to say!

    ReplyDelete
  21. You're such a motivator!!! I HATE working out, but always feel so much better when I do! We don't have stroller strides near me, but a new gym just for moms opened up recently! SCORE! I am going to ask for a membership for Christmas, 3 months post baby and think it will be perfect for me! Thanks for always encouraging us mamas to be the best US we can be!

    ReplyDelete
  22. That sounds awesome- I didn't realize what a great way it is to make friends and baby friends and play dates, aside from just the workout aspect of it. I am definitely gonna look into it!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Go you! After finishing p90x, I promised myself I would go to the gym every night when hubby got home. I've gone 4 times :(

    ReplyDelete
  24. Stroller Strides Moms Unite!
    Getting my BOB stroller to make this much easier. The stroller I have now is not cutting it these days with this workout!
    You look amazing by the way. Totally a great motivator!

    ReplyDelete
  25. i wish we had this! who knows maybe we do.. lol. i dont think braylee would sit through that. no way.

    ReplyDelete
  26. This is a great post! I was the same way...totally into fitness and nutrition before baby...and it's just been so hard to find time and motivation. A while back after reading your blog, I checked into Stroller Strides, but sadly there isn't one in my town. Hoping one gets started up though... Keep these kinds of posts coming...also maybe you could post about what you eat. You seem to be doing really well, and I know some of my issues are just my diet.

    ReplyDelete
  27. This is a great post, and such a cool opportunity that you have in your area. I would love to join something like this, but there is nothing in our area for working moms. Before having a baby, I never had to exercise. Now that I need to shed the last 5-10 lbs of baby weight, I have no idea where to even start. Maybe you can post some of the exercises that you do, how many miles you run, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  28. seeing you do this really makes me wish i had joined. you are so right about getting a work out, being outside, and having a playdate all rolled into one!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Daaang girl. I wonder if they do that around here. I would love doing that with Kingston. Then i wouldn't have a excuse to be fat anymores. haha

    ReplyDelete
  30. I love this post! Amy you are awesome and an inspiration! I wish we had something like stroller strides in Pullman. I would love to do it! It is so hard to find time to go to the gym and any way I can work out during the day with Andrew, I am game. Keep you the great work!

    ReplyDelete
  31. How neat is that. I need to find one.

    ReplyDelete
  32. i wish they had that close to me! that looks awesome. and a great way for the kids to interact and make friends too! it's a win win!

    ReplyDelete
  33. there are none in a 50 mile radius of me, :( bummer, it sound so much fun!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I have been looking into SS in my area. I work FT so the Sat morning classes would be all I can do. Question - does everyone have a jogging stroller? I still use the trusty Graco 4 wheeled stroller we got when my son was born. Would that work in a SS class? From the pics it looks like everyone has a jogging stoller. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  35. I did something like this when Mia was born but yours looks better, ours was at the mall. :)

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...