If you don’t know, I have three young daughters and am married to the man of my dreams 🥰 I know, it’s gross. He is my rock, and we are relentless in our effort to raise our girls with kindness, confidence and bravery as their measurements for self-reflection. The girls don’t care that I prefer cauliflower over rice, or protein in my pancakes. It doesn’t occur to them that I’ve been to the gym and had coffee, plus an hour of ME time before they even wake up. When I choose to have a different plate of food, it’s not a thing because we don’t make it one. The criteria for meals is, everyone needs a balanced plate, which includes all the macronutrients (a word that is familiar to them) because each one serves our body in a different, but essential way. We regularly revisit conversations about nutrition, strength and how it relates to them as kids vs. us as adults.
It’s just part of our family vernacular.
When I weigh my food, the conversation is always framed in an abundance mindset - it’s not about measuring a small portion, rather the opposite. I need ENOUGH to support my body and performance goals - and so do they! You think mom just walked into the gym and busted out pull ups one day?! Hell no! I worked for months and put all the essential pieces together so I could earn that badge of honor. It’s called grit. That was a goal and I crushed it. They are proud of me. When I workout at home, they join me. Every time I walk down our basement stairs to ride, walk or practice my deadlift form, they follow. I know they are watching. They have monkey bars, a ninja course and gymnastics equipment set up, and we pump the music. It’s actually a freaking beautiful sight. The laughter, pride and support for each other is a memory I hope they never forget.
So for anyone questioning my ethics or awareness regarding how my choices translate to their internal dialogue, consider this: my ability to be the best mom I can, requires me to take care of myself. Yes that means prioritizing fitness, and along with that comes demonstrating what genuine pride, happiness and confidence looks like. They deserve to know that a person isn’t defined by lifestyle.
You’ll notice ‘health’ or ‘fitness’ don’t have top billing in our dialogue. That’s because they’re supporting characters to our family’s starting lineup. Kindness. Confidence. Bravery. Questions? Ask away. I know this is a polarizing topic and want to address it fairly and openly 🖤