Parents Get Fit Too
Parents don't have to feel bad about getting fit as a fighter.
Parents, your training is not selfish.
I understand that, as a parent, you have a responsibility to your child or children. You protect them, you feed them, you make sure that they know right from wrong, and overtime you teach them to take care of themselves.
This is a huge time, energy, and financial commitment.
I'm sure that anything that is just for you can feel selfish or even as if you are stealing from your own children.
You are doing them a favor by getting fit and keeping yourself healthy. Your training is not selfish, I promise.
The Balancing Act
You already know that life is a balancing act.
Your family, work, and recover/relax time all demand a piece of your day. You know you have to go to work but you start to feel guilty or depressed when you don't spend enough time with the kids. Relationships suffer when quality time is not spent with the people you love.
Adding an exercise routine to this feels like it is impossible.
This is where the balancing act comes from.
Imagine you are a circus performer.
You are the person that has plates spinning at the end of the stick. Every section of your life is another plate to keep spinning. Eventually you will hit critical mass.
You will have to choose which plate to put down or risk all of them crashing to the floor.
This means that finding the right balance is about placing priorities on every "plate" (ex. family, your health, work). That on the surface isn't too hard but the kicker is that there is only room for one thing at each level. Family and work cannot be as important as each other because eventually you will have to choose between the two.
These priorities can change throughout the day but something always has to be in that top spot. Your top 3 may always be the same but they will need to change positions every once and a while so they can get the focus they deserve.
The question is, Are you ready to put your health into a top spot?
Games, TV, or something else can be moved farther down the list to make room for exercise. You just have to be willing to move them. Just Commit To A Little to get yourself started.
Role Model
You are a role model.
Your kids are always learning from you. They pick up your good habits and your bad ones. When they think about what an adult is, they will always think about you first.
You can show them that adulthood is slowly gaining weight, or getting weaker. Or, you can show them that it is possible to be strong, stable, and healthy well into their life.
Your children will grow into their own people but the model that you set for them will give them the base that they are starting with.
Is a healthy, active lifestyle the base that you want to give them?
The First Responder Mentality
I have never been on a plane but every movie has the scene where the person talks about what to do in case of emergency. "The exits are here and here and make sure to put your own mask on first before helping someone else put theirs on."
This is for a very good reason.
I have been trained as a Fire Fighter and EMT. One of the many things they drill into you is that your job is to help others not become another victim.
If you rush into a situation or put someone else's mask on them first you risk becoming someone that needs to be saved instead of saving others.
You can't show your child how to exercise in a safe way if you don't exercise. You have to have the knowledge and experience to pass your knowledge on and at some point your kid is going to stop listening to you on the subject if they only ever see you sitting on the couch.
More Up Time
Your stress level, mood, and so many other things are connected to your activity level.
There are many people that spend their time looking into all the benefits of exercise and activity. As I'm sure you are already aware, they are plentiful.
The obvious could include improved energy, strength, and weight loss. These are just the physical but there are also a plethora of mental and emotional as well.
This combination of physical, mental, and emotional benefits make it so you can be there for your child more than ever.
The Mental and Emotional Benefits Of Activity and Exercise
Studies have found that activity and exercise has a positive affect on peoples mental state.
In the short term, (meaning after just one workout) people tend to feel as though they have been productive. Their mood improves, making them a little more positive, and confidence spikes a bit.
A little activity makes us happy and, even though it can be hard to get started, we often have more energy after the workout.
You can feel like you could take on the world and this is often after just a short workout. 5-15 min.
In the long term, (meaning consistent exercise for 6+ months) these benefits are multiplied. For some, regular exercise works as well as medication to fight depression and anxiety. Others build up the confidence to do things they never thought possible, like feeling confident in a bathing suite or trying new things with their children.
Imagine these benefits work even half as well as I describe. Wouldn't increasing you activity and exercise be worth it?
Can You Keep Up?
Sometime your kids need you to do it with them.
My cousin has redoubled her efforts to become fit and healthy because she wants to be able to try the new things with her 2 daughters instead of encouraging them from the side lines.
How much more will your child like soccer if you were out there practicing with them? Would they try a cool ropes course if you could get yourself up there with them? Even if it was for only a minute. Wouldn't you enjoy the family vacation more if you could swim with them instead of reading on the beach?
Can you keep up with your kids or grandkids? Are you the cool mom, dad, or grandparent?
You could be if you were fit as a fighter.
Conclusion
In the end it is up to you, mom and dad, to decide on where you want to put your priorities. Life gets better when you are fit but not everyone is ready to make the changes needed to get there.
Just keep in mind that your children are learning from you. Where your priorities are is what they will consider normal. Lead by example and be the role model on purpose instead of letting your old habits make the choice for you
You can learn more about the Fitness Journey by reading the article.