Before I start, I must admit that my "gym rat" days ended a long time ago. Still, I like to keep in shape. This is much more difficult to do since our little princess came around. Not that she gets in the way or that I'm not getting as much sleep as I used to, just being away from her and my wife for another hour is a little hard. My workouts typically take 45 minutes to 1 hour, add in my 2 hour commute (round trip) and time spent at work (8 hours) and that's 11 hours a day away from my wife and daughter.
I was taught early on by my mother to appreciate everything you have and to thank God for every day that you are alive. My beautiful wife and our baby girl are two of the most precious parts of my life. After work I look forward to going home to see them, going for walks together, eating dinner, and generally just enjoying the rest of the day with my family. The gym is usually the last thing on my mind. Now that my little bubby is walking, she runs to me as soon as I walk through the door as she says, dada, dada, and I get a hug and a kiss from the wife. Whats a Dad to do?
Not that I am obese but I have put on some weight during the last year (coincides with birth of the pigelt), how does one balance getting fit and enjoying family life?
Now after all the mushy stuff, another reason for not being able to work out is the sheer exhaustion that comes from raising a baby. No sleep, no time to relax, walks around the park, carrying her around the supermarket, chasing her around the same supermarket, picking up baby food, putting toys aways, taking toys out, explaining the intricacies of "Dora the Explorer", it will burn you out.
Being the goal oriented person I am, I push myself on those days when sleep is all I can think of, just because I love a challenge. Here is the workout I have managed to plan:
50 pushups in sets of 12-15
20 pullups/chinups in sets of 3-5
50 Bodysquats in sets of 12-15
I do these throughout the day just to keep the juices going, I know I won't build the most muscle this way but its better than doing nothing at all. Only on weekends with the baby watching can I do these back to back.
My goal is to get down to 200 lbs, I'm currently at 225, before our October Florida vacation. I had been eating much healthier but I fell off the wagon on the baby's birthday weekend. If you've been to a Spanish birthday party you know what I mean. Pork everywhere, rice and beans, cake, soda, chips, macaroni...excuse me while I grab a napkin :) But I'm back on that horse and I will ride it all the way to Florida!!
I do miss lifting weights, but if any of you have ever tried carrying around a baby after lifting weights for an hour, talk about "feel the burn" lol
Any parents or even aunts, uncles, sisters or brothers have any suggestions or workout tips ? How do you balance the two, fitness and family?
Labels: Personal