Workout Burnout in Motherhood

A deeper dive into the 9th principle of Intuitive Eating: Motherhood edition.

Being a mom can be a lot of work. Period. No matter what stage you are in. Growing a baby takes a lot of energy (hello...pregnancy fatigue) and running after littles all day can be tiring! Lack of sleep and a chaotic environment is a lot to manage. While there is no doubt that movement continues to show beneficial effects in many studies, working out in excess or for the wrong reasons (looking at you diet culture), can easily lead to burn out.

A few things to keep in mind as you plan your fitness journey:

1. Check your 'why':

Movement or exercise for the wrong reason can understandably get old quick if it has become another chore or task to check off on your never-ending "to-do" list. Which, in this day of age, where many people thrive on being busy and filling up every minute of our time with work, any time to ourselves to be active, should be filling your cup- not draining it.

How do you know if you are working out for the wrong reason? There are many ways, but one big one: excuses. Do they often come a little too often and too easily? Do you find yourself repeating "I'm too busy," "I don't have any free time," or "I can't get a good work out if I only have 10 minutes, I'll do it another day"?

If you focus on how good movement feels and how you feel afterwards (i.e.: more energy, sense of empowerment), you're more likely to continue to exercise on a regular basis.

Did you know that there is a higher chance of "workout fatigue" if you are working out for the sole purpose to lose weight or to look a certain way? You may be asking why, especially since these reasons are common motivators for many. Often times, when we do not reach our weight goals or do not see that instant payoff, it can be very discouraging. This may lead to giving up on whatever workout routine you chose to do because it's not working.

Which brings me to #2...

2. Find what sparks joy ✨

Think about it like this: children love to play! All day long. Surprise! That is a form of movement! When children are playing, they are not thinking about how much time it will take them to burn a certain number of calories or that bathing suit season coming up, they just care about how much fun they're having! Adults need to play more! Movement should be fun. This is our time as adults to tune into that inner child and find what movement sparks our joy. There is no right or wrong here. If lifting weights is fun and checks all of the boxes for one person, but another person loathes it, that is fine. Someone may love to play tennis or hike, someone else may prefer running or dancing. Cool! You do you.

Ideas for fun movement:

• Join a gym/find a fun class

  • Note: If you find that going to the gym is triggering for you or you often compare yourself to others, feel free to skip this one.

• Team sport

  • Did you play a team sport growing up? Join an adult league or organize a non-competitive weekly pick-up game.

• Adult dance class

• Workout from home

  • If this is within your budget, adding a few dumbbells and a mat to your home gym, can be an easy and very time efficient way to get a workout in. In your web browser, search free workout classes to find an online class or app that sounds fun to you. Another perk- variety! You can find almost any type of fitness class online.

• Mom Fitness Group

  • Stroller strides or Fit 4 Mom groups are popping up everywhere. Great opportunity to meet friends and you usually can take your children if need be.

  • Call up a few friends and organize a walking group (major perk if it helps your child nap 😃).

3. Dress to impress (yourself)

Dressing the part for any form of movement is not only safer, but also more comfortable. Nothing feels more annoying than clothing getting in the way or feeling uncomfortable. Find materials that feel good, wicks sweat away, and makes YOU feel your best. You can easily find quality, stylish fitness gear for an affordable price almost everywhere. Second hand thrift shops are also a great place to look- you may score some great finds with the price tag still on! Shoes also fit into this category. You may need to splurge a little more on this one as quality shoes are important and safer in preventing injuries. It may help to meet with an expert to be fitted for the right shoe for you.

4. Dig deeper ❤️

A disinterest in physical movement may be rooted a little deeper in us and that is okay. You are not alone.

Bad experiences with working out in the past or being teased as a child can absolutely take any positive feeling from physical movement away. Rebelling from parents, spouses, or friends who mean well, but have pushed exercising on you to better your health or "whatever xyz reason," is understandable. If you feel this is you, I encourage you to talk to your trusted health care provider.

• Friendly reminder to always check with a doctor before making any fitness changes and honor your body. This is purely for informational purposes and not to be used as medical treatment.