Efficiency and the Mother Athlete

Strength Training
Core work
Eating right
Sleep
Icing
Self Massage
Stretching


All of these things go into making a strong athlete.  When it comes to being a runner, I speak for myself when I say that it is so darn easy to get to point where all I'm doing is carving out the time for my mileage.  If I don't have an injury and I'm trying to fit in a certain amount of miles per day/week, I tend to forget how important it is to do all of these other things.  They all take time.  But when I cut out one or all of the things from the list, my running eventually takes a hit.  


As a busy mom to three kids (what mom isn't busy?), I have to do a TON of MULTI-TASKING if I want to be good at my job as a mom and still make the other plates in my life stay spinning....my plates of :


athlete
wife
friend


and more.  


Even eating right takes work.  It means slowing down enough to make sure that I'm feeding myself and not just eating off of my kids' plates.  It means taking the time to put together a salad with lots of greens and protein instead of just grabbing whatever is easiest.  


I know that with summer here, some things slow down a bit but at the same time, having three kids HOME and not in school, means less alone time for me and more ON time as a mom.  So that means being creative with how I fit in these important things like strength training, core work, etc.  I can only take so much time during my day that I devote to exercise so I'm determined to find ways to fit this stuff in WHILE doing other things.  


Today has been pretty successful with this mommy/athlete multi-tasking.  Although I don't want to be multi-tasking all the time, it does serve its purpose when I have a 9 mile run and long overdue core work and strength work to fit in on top of normal house stuff and making the kid/summer/fun world go round.  If I want to end up with some down time, then I have to find ways to fit in the other stuff.  Here are just a few ways I fit it all in today so that I now have ME time for icing, rolling my foot, and writing this blog while my kids have their "quiet time":

It isn't often that I have time to myself to just sit down and write in the middle of the day.  This is usually my running time but things worked out perfectly today and I was more efficient than usual.  

• While folding laundry, I played a game with myself.  Fold 4 things; Do push ups; Fold 4 things; Do ab work; Fold 4 more things....you get the gist
• Lunges down the hall while I pretend to get my son.  He thought it was a game.  I got some nice leg work in.  Win win.
• Do more ab work while lifting my son on my legs and doing read aloud to my kids (goal is to get through a chapter book a week for summer read aloud).  
• More read aloud while doing various Jillian Michaels' moves that I have in my memory.  
• Make a lunch for kids to eat as picnic on the front lawn where I can see and talk to them while on my treadmill starting my 9 mile recovery run.  Then they were free to ride bikes, use their spray bottles, and play with friends in the culdesac while I finished my run.  I admit, I was interrupted several times so my 9 miles took way longer than it should have.  But overall, it was fun for all.  And I still had a part in conversations, watching my kids play, etc. 
• Now my son is down for a nap and my girls get their designated t.v time where they get to watch a couple shows on Netflix.  And I'm taking care of the nutrition part by drinking my Nuun All Day and eating an ice cream sandwich.  Oops, I mean I'm making that salad right after this.  

So many people ask me "How do you do it?!" or my favorite (which I also wrote a post addressing):  "Where do you find the time?!!"   Yes, I'm a mother of three kids and yes, life gets busy but when something is really important to us, we usually find a way to make it happen.  For me, it means being creative with how I plan my day.  There are many days that I'm flying around like crazy and don't get it all done but most days I'm 

                    EFFICIENT.  

Now that summer is here, I can fit in my treadmill time when the kids are playing next to me or with their friends outside where I can see them.  This is awesome.  Even doing dishes can be a multi-tasking chore....calf raises, butt squeezes, squats in between unloading dishes, tricep dips on the kitchen chairs, dropping and doing push-ups after tasks....these things don't have to be done in isolation.  

So now, I'm off to make that salad and still have time for a shower before my precious quiet time is over and it is time to get dinner ready for everyone and still have the evening for quality family time.  I'm making it all happen and this makes me feel happy at the end of the day.  Accomplished.  Healthy.  Fit.  Balanced.  Efficient.  

How do you make it all work?

Where do you find the time to do the things that are important to you?  

What do you cut out of your day to make sure you take time for the things that make you a stronger, more fit, healthier, happier YOU?   

Amanda