So my two months at Curves had ended. I tried (ahem! errr — really hard!) to stick to a regular 3x a week schedule, but unfortunately due to the erratic holidays leading up to the last few weeks of my membership, I really wasn’t able to complete it. And of course, there were the children. I know, I know — excuses nonetheless. But I am a mother, I suppose it’s really what I do.
It’s a shame though because Curves was a good program to begin with. And I do know a few people who have actually lost weight and inches by going at least 3x a week! So congratulations to them. 🙂
The key they say, is consistency. They really had to prioritize and make time to go 30 minutes every other day (at least). In fact, Curves had a 30 day 30-minute challenge for all their members. The goal was to go to Curves 3x a week, and on the non-Curve days, you’d show you had to exercise for 30 minutes. It could be anything from running, to chores, to playing with the kids. That actually made sense to me, and is (should be) easy to do. Thirty minutes without taking too much out of your daily routine… It’s like jump-starting your body and getting the energy to flow. A variation of activities will surprise your muscles, work different parts and burn calories. The idea is to burn more than you consume anyway.
An inspirational poster on the Curves wall.
Speaking of which, consistency in diet and sleeping habits compliment a good workout program. My problem was (is), that Jamie still wakes up for various reasons during the night. And again, it’s only when the girls are asleep that I get to churn out productive output. Hence, it is a struggle to maintain this supposed “balance”. According to my brother, my body is overcompensating for the lack of sleep and so I tend to store rather than burn. Hmmm… maybe in a few months (or years?!).
I did however, feel more energetic after my workouts. Coming in tired from a lack of a good night’s rest, I would leave after 30 minutes feeling energized and ready to take on the day. It was enough of a boost.
Checking your heart rate for ten seconds will tell you how much effort you’re exerting.
In a simple way it showed the girls that I was doing something good for myself. It was hard to leave them at first for many reasons (especially a very clingy Jamie who would wail and bawl when I’d walk out of the room), but I remembered what I wrote down when I first walked into the Curves studio. One of my motivations to workout was to set a good example for my girls in doing something for themselves, and in taking care of themselves. With the limited amount of time that I have, exercise is a form of me-time, and doing that (and gaining more energy in the process), actually meant having more energy for them later on. All in all, it was a benefit to them in the end. Eventually they seemed to understand and accepted this as part of our routine.
So maybe I couldn’t finish Curves the first time around, but it helped me make a good start towards a healthier lifestyle. Hopefully that’s something I can continue throughout this next year.
Thank you Curves for accommodating the SoMoms! If you haven’t yet, check them out at the 2nd floor of Serendra, facing Market! Market! or at their Eastwood branch. 🙂
