Sunday, June 13, 2010

Day 290 or Training for the Olympics, Mommy Style

If you are looking for a hardcore, cross-trained workout routine, one need only look at the mother of two young children.



Aerobics -- Chase after a potty training child while she runs giggling through the house with no pants on. Repeat 3-5 times daily.



Weight lifting -- Carry children who are clearly of age to walk themselves. Start with younger child and work up to school age child. Be sure to switch sides during carrying to ensure a balanced work-out. Add piggy backs, monkey hangs, and upside down swings, as desired.



Calisthenics -- Lean down and pick-up laundry strewn throughout the house. Be sure that clothing is placed far enough apart to require a unique bend-down ensuring multiple bends at the waist and several steps between. Note: Toys, sippy cups, or other childhood accessories may be used in place of clothing, as appropriate. Hallways are especially effective for this exercise.



Cardio -- (For those parenting in the multi-level home) Run up and down the stairs. Sources of this activity can include but are not limited to the following: 1) running to children who are screaming incessantly due to an unending need for food, drink, or dispensation of an argument with other sibling, 2) discovery that any item needed regardless of its owner or home location will always be on the other floor, and/or 3) discovery that said item once retrieved was nonetheless left behind as one of the previous two events happened during its retrieval and thus a round trip on the stairwell is required yet again to retrieve the item.

For full cross-training effect, an obstacle course of laundry baskets, toys, and other misplaced household items is suggested. Repeat daily.

Olympics, here I come!

(I once heard that an Olympic triathlete was hired to follow a two year-old for a day to test their endurance levels and he gave up after a couple of hours. And that's what we moms do everyday. Maybe we need to start our own games.)


P.S. Now that my husband is safely positioned in the Arctic -- a big shout out to my Canadian friends, my husband is now in your Northernmost region -- and I have survived my first full week back to teaching, I am getting back to my real life. You know the bloggy world. I should be around catching up with you all soon. :-)

14 comments:

alicia said...

Yeah, I agree. I think I was in the best shape of my life when my little ones were toddlers and I still had to carry them and lug all that crap around. lol

F said...

So he is there already? goodness, that is far! Glad to hear that teaching is going well, too.

I totally get the workout routine but why am I still overweight? OH yea. Three musketeers mint. ahhhh. three musketeers mint.

Look forward to seeing you soon!

Melani said...

your post cracked me up! I forget all that stuff...it does take a lot to run a household and add a few other kids in the mix ( I babysit 2 that are the same age, give or take 6 months, of my 2 young ones) and I am going all dang day long! but I love it and wouldn't have it any other way!

tattytiara said...

When I decide to get pregnant the first thing I'm going to do is start training for the Iron Man competition. I figure winning that would be a good baby step toward being physically prepared for motherhood.

Nicole @ WhenDidIBecomeMyMom.com said...

Spot on! Esp the giggling, running toddler...

Formerly known as Frau said...

It's true I was more fit when my daughter was a toddler than ever. Have a wonderful week!

Adoption of Jane said...

HAHAHA I love your workout!! Mine gets sidetracked by telling my tween.. hey you bend down! LOL!

HeartsMakeFamilies said...

I so agree with everything here. Yup Olympic here we all come

chitra said...

Traci
i am back too.i hope all these exercises keep you in good shape:)

Stephanie said...

Thank you for giving me one more excuse to avoid the gym! Being a Mama is enough:)

Tired Mom Tésa said...

Ha ha! So funny and true. They do wear you out don't they? And there should be a gold medal at the end of each day too.

Betty Manousos said...

Hey, Tracie, you're awarded!
Pls come visit me when you get a chance!
B xx

Unknown said...

the lean down and pick up method has wrenched my back out of whack on more than one occasion. but you are right---having kids = good workout, albeit unintentional.

Tiffany said...

No kidding to the Olympic workout!! And good luck while your husband is gone. That is so hard!!