Women's health: Motivation vs. discipline

Let's be honest, when do women, especially moms have time to exercise? Many women will claim, they don't have time, so they simply do not exercise, which poses health risks of all sorts. And that is just unacceptable.

Hi, I am Emilie Crews. I am a mom, personal trainer, nutrition coach, among many other things (wife, chef, chauffeur, housekeeper, dog walker, gardener, volunteer, the list goes on). My passion is to find ways for women, especially moms, to feel empowered to make time for exercise and for self-care. This is a rising topic among women, but it is still NOT talked about enough. Many women who are mothers are riddled with guilt when taking time for themselves, in any capacity. We are constantly needed in some way; there is always something to do, and it's exhausting. So how do we find the balance between being healthy and continuing to be stellar moms?

First off - stop making excuses! FYI - I am as direct as they come. (Why beat around the bush when you can cut straight to the point?) Stop making excuses for not taking the time to exercise. The laundry can wait. The dishes can certainly wait. And at some point, you have to ask yourself, are you just avoiding exercising altogether? It shouldn't feel like a chore. For some people, it definitely does. When I work with my clients, I try to heal the relationship they have with their body so they 1-start to love it and I mean ALL of it; 2-take care of it, by yes, pushing it a little and making it sweat! And 3-nourishing it with healthy food, instead of the nearest thing you can find, (day-old donuts from Friday morning's special breakfast your husband brought home on his day off). These are all ways that I teach my clients a different mindset. One that empowers you to say, "I am taking the next 30 minutes to do this for myself". And in turn, your partner and children will benefit because you will feel better about yourself.

So how do we actually do this?

One size does NOT fit all. For example, I am a full-time mom and a full-time employee. I commute to work three days a

week, and I am currently pursuing my undergraduate degree. My schedule is unique to my life. Yours will be unique to you. Therefore, you have to look at your schedule and decide when and how you will incorporate movement into your life. The key is to BE CONSISTENT. Commit to something feasible! For example, I try to walk at least 2 miles on the treadmill, 3 days a week. The other thing I do, because I have a bad shoulder, is stretch for 10 minutes to loosen my joints and make me feel less, well, old.

Still listening? You're probably thinking, "But how? I have no motivation."

Here is the thing: motivation comes and goes. You cannot solely rely on motivation to exercise, because she will drop you like a hot potato whenever she feels like it. It's about discipline - the ability to control your dislike for exercise and overcome it by accepting that it's good for you—the ability to pursue what you need to do, despite temptations to abandon exercise altogether. Think you can manage that?

Try this next time you are struggling to move forward in the right direction. Make a plan to take action, and if you cannot physically start moving (perhaps even to put on your walking shoes), count down from five. Count down, put all your doubts aside, and move your butt.

I learned this method from the Mel Robbins podcast. Mel Robbins' podcast is great to listen to if you are reading this and looking for inspiration. Check out her episode for more about the countdown method: "Motivation Is Garbage."

The countdown method is helpful for individuals who procrastinate or lack motivation or discipline. It's one of those things that seem so simple, there's no way it can be that impactful in changing your behavior.

Try it out and see how you feel. What have you got to lose?