One goal that Keith and I have had during his leave is to get into better healthy lifestyle habits. We are trying to get into a good exercise routine while we are here to motivate each other.
One problem I have had with getting into a good exercise routine during the deployment has been knowing when to time it.
For a while I was walking during nap time. But that plan has run into a few snags, one being that the girls are not napping anymore. Another is that I have to take a second shower after walking and that is just a bit of a pain sometimes. Nap time is also a good time for me to get housework done or just rest myself. So, it has been hard to keep up with walking at that time.
My next plan was to walk in the early morning before the kids woke up. But there are several other things that have to be done in order for this to happen. I need to have my quiet time before I exercise or the day just gets too busy and my time with the Lord is pushed to the side. I really yearn and need to have a quiet time in the mornings to have a peaceful, centered day. It is also imperative for me to get a shower before the children wake up or it’s hard to work that in later.
The working plan has been to wake up at or around 5 am, have my quiet time of prayer and Bible reading. Then I would walk for about 30-35 minutes starting around 6 am and then shower afterwards. This plan works as long as I go to bed early and wake up when the alarm goes off in the mornings.
We’ve exercised each day that Keith has been home, except for Saturday and Sunday (our days off). The ultimate goal is to get up early in the morning and do our exercise then, but that hasn’t happened every day. It is so nice to know that Keith is around to watch the kids if I am not able to exercise or shower before they wake up.
And it has added to his understanding of the prediciment I’ve had.
On Thursday, Keith decided to get his shower while I was walking on the treadmill.
During that time, I had to call MC in to help Will out of a chair. Her way of helping him was to turn the chair over, allowing him to fall out. And right as Keith was coming out of the bathroom, we both noticed Will sitting on the couch with a bag of chocolate covered donuts in his lap.
Keith said, “Now I understand why you can’t walk with them around.”
That is, after we got several pictures to capture the moment.
This week I have been tackling my exercise program, or lack thereof. To see what other moms are tackling, visit Tackle it Tuesday at 5 Minutes for Mom.