UPDATE: I’ve started a health and fitness site, Muscle Made Simple, where I’m sharing more inspiration and tips for working out! Facebook is a place where I receive a lot of messages from friends and family – mostly mom’s, that first, congratulate me on my journey- “You’re an inspiration!”, “You look amazing!”, etc. They then go on to say they want to work out, but they don’t know where to begin or when to even fit it in. I get that. I totally understand. I have 3 kids and work full-time. Mom’s are busy. But you have to be a priority in your own life.

When my kids were younger and I needed to be at all of their extra-curriculars, I would go to the gym during lunch. It wasn’t ideal, but it was the time I had available. There were days where I wanted to get in cardio and I knew I wouldn’t be able to, so I woke up at 5am and got an hour in before work.  You need to want to make the change and to make fitness a part of your routine. As soon as you do, the excuses will melt away. It’s just another check box on your to-do list for the day… but with so many positive benefits:

Warning: Exercising frequently can cause an increase in energy, good moods, fat loss, an improved immune system, and a dramatic reduction in stress.

My kids still have a lot going on. Some days I have to pick my son up after work at 4:30, run to pick up my daughter from drama at 5, run home, feed them dinner and get to archery for 6:30. We don’t get home till 8:00 and then it’s homework and relaxing before bed. That night is a rest night from the gym for me. I plan around it, because guess what? Taking rest days is also important for your body. It needs time to repair itself in between hard gym sessions because you don’t build muscle in the gym. You’re simply stimulating the muscle to grow after you leave the gym while eating and resting.

To reach my goals, I need to lift heavy shit, repetitively. But honestly, any movement that doesn’t revolve around the couch is good, so get up and start moving. Start with 20 minutes a day, if that’s all you have. When my kids were younger and part of rec sports, I would exercise during their practices – typically concentrating on cardio and core. If my son had soccer, I would trail run for 45 minutes on the hill near the field. During my daughters track practice, I would run the track for a couple of miles and then do some core. Not ready to run? Got a bum knee? WALK! Get off the bleachers and do something good for you.

Stop with the excuses and get in the gym and transform your body!

So stop with the excuses. If you’re serious about wanting to become a healthier you, or you want to start transforming your body, you need to stand up and make it happen, because nobody else can do it for you.

Stop with the excuses and get in the gym and transform your body!

You got this, mama! I promise, you can do it. It’s not about motivation. It’s about making it part of your routine, your lifestyle. That’s when you’ll see the changes start to happen. If you need someone to hold you accountable, send me an email, stop by my Facebook or Instagram  and leave me a comment. I’ll be happy to give you a kick in the rear to keep you going. 😉

Tank top pictured above is from Amazon. I have multiple colors and absolutely love the way it fits!