Since when did exercise become this huge luxury?

Since we had children.

Before I had Xav (BX, if you will) I was in the gym 4-5 times a week. Before work, after work, lunchtimes, weekends…it fitted comfortably around my job as a PR Manager.

I didn’t see it as a luxury. I saw it as something I did to keep myself fit and healthy – and do the right thing for my body.

Naively I thought it wouldn’t be that hard to get back into an exercise routine once he’d arrived.

Ha! Right. If I could, I would literally go back in time and laugh in my own idiotic pre-baby, less wrinkly face.

What I hadn’t counted on was the introduction of The Mummy Guilt into my life.

Mummy Guilt took over everything – the second after he came into this world.

How could I plan time to fit exercise in (which all of a sudden felt like the most selfish thing in the world) when he would inevitably need something and there were a squillion jobs to do?

It took me almost two years of trying and failing miserably to stick to a regular and meaningful routine to realise that I had to banish The Mummy Guilt.

It serves no-one and had eroded my confidence and sense of self.

I used to have so much energy. Granted, in my BX life I had about seventy times the amount of sleep I have now so that’s got a lot to answer for, but I craved the energy I used to have when I was much fitter.

I’m not overweight, but I’m a little heavier now than BX. I had never got round to losing those final few lbs.

Less energy and a serious lack of body confidence made me more stressed about many things.

It dawned on me that my family would actually be better off if I made time to – as I saw it at the time – be selfish and take time out to exercise.

Duh.

More energy, confidence and an improved capacity to cope with stress would make me a better mum and wife.

It’s time to banish The Mummy Guilt, girls.

We put our babies, families and all our other responsibilities first. But we matter too.

Putting ourselves first is easier said than done, but making that decision was a huge turning point for me and I’d highly recommend it.

I’m a work in progress.

Some weeks I fit more exercise in than others.

But since I made the link that it’s better for everyone and not just for me if I take time to invest in myself, it’s much easier.

I really want to get into the specifics of how we can fit fitness into any day, no matter how busy, but I’ve already rambled on enough for one post so I’ll cover that another time.

See you soon girls.