2016-08-11

Since becoming a mom, lots of things have gotten shorter in time. Trips to the grocery store, showers, sleep at night, dinner and meal prep. It’s funny how my workouts used to be an hour long and now I’m happy to get 30 minutes.

Part of my workout inspiration is honestly working off the summer treats like ice cream. I’ve been obsessed with FOMU lately which is plant based ice cream made locally. My favorite flavor is the malted cookie dough but recently I also fell in love with S’Mores.



Sure, it’s still loaded with sugar but being vegan or plant or plant based makes me feel like it’s a more nourishing and health minded choice. If you haven’t tried a plant based ice cream made with a coconut base, you really ought to try it! FOMU is sold in many grocery stores in New England, including the small market Ring Bros in Dennis where I’ve been most of the summer. Be warned though that the good flavors are at their brick and mortar stores.

Another piece of my workout motivation is having the strength to lift, hold and go up stairs with Tommy. I challenge myself to use the 15 lb dumbbells as he was 22 lbs at his check up 4 weeks.

With the exception of the 3 weeks after Tommy’s birth, I never go more than 2 days without exercising. From new moms to seasoned gym rats, I get asked what keeps me motivated or inspired to stay so active. Here are my favorite tricks:

Sign up for a class. I use ClassPass to bounce around the city trying new classes, usually the ones with childcare but pre-Tommy this helped me get my butt to a studio by a specific time or else face monetary consequences. If you don’t show up, you lose a class or are charged $15. This is also particularly helpful in getting you to work harder than you would on your own.

Jump start your day with a cup of Joe for added intensity. I don’t know about you but when I have extra energy all I want to do is jump around whether it’s dancing or going for a run. The last thing I want to do when I wake up groggy is go for a run but a cup of coffee in the morning helps. I always use a nut milk like Silk’s Unsweetened Almondmilk. I never drink dairy, especially before a workout as it gives me cramps.

Follow a workout program. From marathon training to even Kayla Itsines’ Bikini Body Guide. I’m not a huge fan of the BBG for how many awkward crunches there are but to have a solid program to follow everyday helps give you guidance in what you should be doing. Showing up to the gym without a plan is a great idea for being busy without actually training properly. When it comes to half marathons, triathlons or shorter races, a program gives you specific workouts and make the time spent sweating so much more efficient in reaching goals.

Have a healthy date with a friend. Instead of going out for cocktails, take a class and then hit up a new healthy spot to grab lunch or dinner. This is similar to the workout class thing but with a friend, you can try a free fitness class offered in the city together or go for a run. I have a few girlfriends who I do this pretty regularly with. One of our favorite spots is Whole Heart Provisions, a vegan restaurant out in Allston. There is something about working out that makes me want to eat more veggies.

Visualize reaching your goals and acknowledge why you want to work out or eat healthier. Do you want to lose weight for your own self esteem? Whether it’s for health or vanity, we all need a little motivation. Don’t be ashamed to say you workout because you like to eat ice cream. Own it. I worked extra hard today so I could enjoy a cone myself. Do you want to build strength to lift your son out of his travel crib? <- this may be me right now… or maybe it’s to live to be a healthy, happy grandparent, disease free in 30 years. Visualize what life will be like to reach those goals. Now think about what life will be like if you don’t. This should be motivating and if it isn’t, maybe you should take a rest day <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/72x72/1f609.png" alt="

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