I keep hearing about how people don’t have time to workout like I do. And I keep getting asked by the guys I workout with – if I will talk to their wives about coming to CrossFit. Seriously people — do I have to share my story over and over again?  You DO Have time if you CHOOSE to make it work and commit to finding the time. And for those wives – or moms – you are doing no one any favors by getting stuck in a rut of being a MOM and not taking care of yourself. You are important to your family and you should make yourself just as important as they think you are – which means asking for help if you need it so you can get some fitness in. ASK FOR HELP — It’s ok to ASK FOR HELP — from your family, from your neighbors, from your friends if need be. I learned this lesson when my husband was going through his cancer treatment and I had no choice but to lean on others.

There I was – no family locally at all (and I mean at all). My closest relative, my Mom, lives in NJ. I work full time, I have 2 elementary aged kids, have a house — all the same pressures that everyone around me has — and my husband gets the Cancer diagnosis. First, thank GOD I had my fitness outlet because I dont know if I would have had the mental & physical grit needed to take on the challenges that were to come.  But secondly, I feel great and found my passion for healthy and fit living. It has also introduced me to an amazing community of fellow athletes — many just like me — working full time, families to raise, their own crisis es to deal with — and they are making it work too.  I am no different than the 15 other athletes who join me at o’dark thirty in the AM all week long and there is room for you too.

Do you remember when you first met your spouse? Yeah, young and full of energy. Well is it fair that you aren’t completely like that anymore and for most of us, its because of our own un-doing? You are now immersed in the world of suburbia and for those women out there — being a MOM.  But who says it has to be that way? You are still a PERSON and should put yourself up on the to do list! Too many women forget that they have hobbies, interests and yes passions that need attention. You lose that, you lose yourself and then you have to ask yourself – Am i the person my spouse married? Now, I know we all grow and are hopefully an enhanced version – improved with experience and age – but the essence of what made you fall in love is still there – or is it? Food for thought?

I am not advocating you drop your family responsibilities but how about taking a good, hard look at how your family is run and see what can be shifted, re-assigned or even – gasp – dropped to make room for some ultra important ME time? Who knows – you may just find the spark that sets a whole new fire for your life!