Fitness on the Go Contest
Written by Jill // November 16, 2009 // Uncategorized // 34 Comments
Have a baby and can’t squeeze into those tight jeans anymore? Give us your best excuse for not working out. Three readers with the most innovative answers will receive personal training for 3 months from Fitness on the Go (in your own home, of course). You will blog for UrbanMommies each week, and the ultimate winner (a combination of weight and body fat lost) will receive over $1000 worth of prizes and the chance to write for UrbanMommies. See our Contests page for rules and regulations. Deadline to enter: December 31, 2009. www.fitnessonthego.ca
C’mon girls, let’s hear the excuses. Click on the title bar and comment on this post.
Jill Amery is a mom of 2 monkeys/stormtroopers and Editor and Publisher at UrbanMommies Media. Though she's based in Canada, her palette is mostly French and her fashion sense is decidedly Italian. When taking a break from her busy travel schedule, she can be found hosting complicated dinner parties or surfing ebay for obscure vintage gowns.
34 Comments on "Fitness on the Go Contest"
I am a new granny & I love your site. I could use some fitness help too! Have to keep up with the little ones.
Why don’t I work out? It’s a reminder I’m overweight!
Dust is collecting on my Wii Fit balance board and the exercise DVD’s are now coasters. I need more than my conscious to get my butt into gear. Help me out Urban Mommies! I need to lose this mummy tummy and stop resembling a strawberry muffin! (I’m a red head :)
Why don’t I work out? Because I’m so tired after running after my two year old. I know they say that the more you work out the better you feel – but after a long day with the boy all I want is a glass of wine and fine meal and America’s Next Top Model. How depressing. This program could really help motivate me. Pick me!
2 part-time jobs, part-time graduate studies, and a 3-year-old. Need I say more? Guess which aspect of my life is “on hold” until I either graduate, cut back to one job, or my daughter grows up and moves out?? Yep, exercise, even though since I started school (and turned 30 – which is the real cause?) and spend most of my time sitting in class, at the computer, or on the bus, I’ve been feeling pretty crappy. Please please please help me out!
Hmmm, let’s see…why I should be sincerly considered? I am a better mom, daughter, sister and productive employee when Im working out! After a long day at the corporate office I come home to my little one where I magically transform into my other role. Trying to keep this all afloat ‘on my own’ would make me a very grateful and ideal canditate. :)
I don’t work out because I feel like I never have time to myself with a 3 year old and being 4 1/2 months pregnant. After work I need downtime which is usually consisting of food and tv.
Why am I still fat? Because the part of me that cherishes the good cheese or a glass of shiraz with pizzazz after a long day bathing, feeding and dealing with the poo of two tazmanian devils (while wearing a variety of accessories, including food and bodily fluids) is – literally – bigger than the part of me that isn’t too sleep-deprived to get on the bloody treadmill.
Sigh.
(Do I want to get my groove back? Oh, SO much).
My excuse for not working out? Because breastfeeding is supposed to burn an extra 500 calories a day! Why would I need to work out? What’s that you say? My son is formula fed and my milk never came in? Crap, that’s right, there goes my perfect baby-related-I-shouldn’t-have-to-work-out-my-current-weight-is-not-my-fault-and-is-definitely-not-from-me-being-lazy excuse. I guess my real excuse then is that it is obviously far more important for me to beat my mom’s score in Bejeweled Blitz on facebook than it is for me to workout. Priorities, it’s what being a mom is all about.
My excuse for not working out is actually a mathematical word problem. Try writing the equation for this one!
A woman has a full time job where she is responsible for the building, the program, and the 36 people who show up every day. She has one husband who runs his own business, “part-time”. She has two beautiful twin daughters who are also monsters, and only attend daycare 3 days per week. She has an aged dog who is deaf, and is the same developmental age as the twins, making it, for all intents and purposes, a household of triplets. Added to this are two cats. One who likes to howl outside the babies’ room just after bed time. The other who likes to yarf up hairballs and leave them all over the house. This woman also runs a catering business, laundry business, and cleaning company, all from and in her own home. How many pounds per year does this woman pack on due to exhaustion and emotional eating?
My biggest excuse for not working out? If I did too much of that AND breast feed I would probably lose weight. What if my baby didn’t recognize me? A shame really.
Why am I not working out?
I ran out of wipes and had to clean my baby’s butt with my workout plan. I was in a pinch…what’s a girl to do?
Seriously, though – my goal is to run the Victoria Marathon next October. If I want that dream realized I really need to get this out of shape Mom body of mine moving. A personal trainer would be a huge asset for getting my huge ass set for 42 km of sweet sweaty glory.
I’m ready…bring it on!!!!!
MAYDAY MAYDAY! MOM DOWN!!! I am writing to you from the floor of my kitchen, as I lay sprawled here on the cold, sticky, food flecked tiles, trapped under a laundry hamper. My wimpy unexercised arms simply collapsed from the massive weight of the hamper, and I cannot get up. With the help of a personal trainer, surely I would be not be in this dire situation. But I will make the best of it by whipping out my Palm Pilot and entering a contest while waiting for help to arrive. What’s my excuse for not working out? Simple. I ate most of the MEGA box of full size Reese’s Peanut Butter cups I bought from Costco for Hallowe’en. Uh, and I am almost finished eating my kids’ Hallowe’en goodies as well. As a result, any exercise-like movement in my “stretch” lycra gym clothing would cause the seams to blow apart. Working out buck naked is not an option at most gyms near my home. Now, please call 911 and don’t forget to warn the ambulance attendants to be careful because my floors are covered with small, sharp toys.
My self motivated husband wakes up at 4:45am to be at the gym everyday by 5am just to rub in my face everyone can find time to work out. But does he take the kids with him – No! Stay at home moms needs day care just to work out with 2 kids, 20 months & 3 years.
I want my body back after giving it to these beautiful girls. My favorite pajama pants from Banana Republic just split after my daughter climbed on my back while I was on the computer. My only excuse is that I prefer my size 6 jeans to be a trophy in my drawers instead of something to wear besides the mom uniform lulu lemon pants.
BOYS, BOYS, BOYS!!! How does one get a little mommy only time to work on the ever expanding waistline. I should be 90 pounds soaking wet with all the running around I do but alas no. Catering to the 7, and 5 year olds hockey, taekwondo, swimming and playdate schedule oh and lets not forget the beautiful 2 month old surprise baby who has had 2 colds and spit up on virtually every piece of clothing I own. Here I am visualizing myself on a spin bike, in a weight room, or even on a walk in the neighbourhood when I awake to the reality that my schedule has been over taken by BOYS, BOYS, BOYS! Gotta love them…is my fit body a dream, I need my muscle and hussle back to keep up with these boys and show them some GIRL power:)
Schedule too full with kids schedules, family time, two on call jobs, trying to launch own business, learning to be a writer, too tired at end of day after chores all done. too exhausted to wake up early and do it before we start our day. No down time!
I run a home-based drapery making business so the available space in my basement that could have been used to work out is inundated in metres of fabric, lining, scissors, thread, ribbon, sewing machines, and an ironing board. When I’m not in my basement creating window works of art, I’m running after my 16-month-old sweet, but oh so demanding son! I really need a personal trainer to kick me in the butt!
After having my second child 6 weeks ago, the spare time that I have I’m doing laundry. On days, when I think I could go for a quick run, it does nothing but rain!! Welcome to Vancouver. I guess I should be used to it by now. I don’t have the time to get in my car and get to the gym for a decent workout. I’d love to get to a mommy and baby workout but my newborn does not stay asleep in the car seat once the movement stops. She needs to be held or rocked to sleep. A personal trainer would be a great help as then they could come to my home while the older one is at preschool and the baby rocks in the swing! If only I could fit into my prepregnancy jeans and stop waering leggings! Oh and did I mention it’s Christmas party season and I have the get into some slinky outfit for 2 work parties! Please help.
Well, here is my current workout plan as a single mom. I have a friend who comes over once a week. I babysit her tazmanian devil, feed him dinner with my own daughter while she works out. Then she comes and does the same for me for one hour. Then I spend one hour cleaning up the disaster the two kids made in my house. All of this has to fit in the time frame of 6:30 when I get home from work and 10:30 when I go to bed. The exhaustion I experience the next day has nothing to do with my workout. I can only manage to do this one day per week so the impact on my weight loss is minimal. If I could afford regular babysitting so I could duck out for 45 minutes 3 times a week I can’t imagine what the results would look like.
Lack of money, lack of time, no license, 3 boys 7 and under … how many excuses do I need? No motivation, lazy and unhappy with myself. I need someone to help push me, I need a reason to try harder. Extremely overweight and concerned about my health and my happiness which all concerns my 2, 3 and 7 year old boys. Ashamed of how I look and can barely look people in the eyes as I walk around feeling they look at me disgusted. I need help, and this sounds like a good way to get it.
No motivation, my 19 month old keeps me going so having at training at my house I would have no excuse, money is another of course as I am a mainly a stay at home mom now.
I feel that i don’t have enough time in a day. I commute 1 hour each way to work and when I get home I have to cook dinner, clean up and put my little guy to bed..wheres the time for me to workout in this schedule? I’m not sure.. but I do need to desparately get back to my pre-pregoo weight so i can wear some of those jeans i have that are hanging in the back of my closet.
Actually, I have an excuse FOR working out. It may not win me the prize… but boy do I feel better!
Today was a bad day in our home. Starting off with a 41 minute tantrum from my 3 year old, I managed to dress my 2 children in semi matching clothes to go outside in this beautiful sun to take Christmas card photos… all the while tears are flowing from all 3 of us! I get them, the camera, the tripod, and all the props loaded in the car and ready to go. Except… the car had a dead battery! Unload with an even more tempermental 3 year old and think “lets go for a walk” I pull out the stroller and there is mold all over it!(left from the major rains we’ve had) URGHH. Clean it, better moods all around. Take photos (only a few tears)Eat lunch, time to nap… I said time to nap! Nope, that’s not happening and the crankiness continutes. Babysitter cancels for tommorow morning, I can’t wait for my husband to get home! He gets in I think ” I’m going out for a chocolate chunky chocolate cake of chocolateness all by myself, no I’m going out for a glass of wine all by myself, then I think NO that won’t help me at all, I’m going for a run all by myslef.” SO I DID! Now I think I will able to cope with tommorow.
Honestly, I’m only thinking of my 4 year old daughters self esteem when I don’t work out and put that extra cookie in my mouth. What kind of a role model would I be if I worked out all the time and ate like a rabbit? Showing her that image is important and that you have to have a flat tummy to be happy? No, I don’t think so….I prefer to stay in my fat pants and ensure my daughter’s future happiness.
NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please help me fit back into my happy pants!!!! :)
My best excuse right now is that I am 37 weeks pregnant with my first child…need I say more?
Once baby arrives (due date Christmas Eve) I am extremely keen to get back into shape and fit into the $250 Citizens from Holts that I barely wore before becoming pregnant in March… no more stretchy waist bands!
I love writing so I would love to blog regularly about my progress and hopefully be an inspiration to the many other women who also wish to get back into shape following a pregnancy!
Tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow I’ll find time to work out. Although I think that tomorrow I’ll be a little tired and my feet will hurt from standing in the shoes I’m wearing now that I’m back to work and there is the crunch between getting home and getting the kids to bed. Ok.. the next day – oh, wait, it’s errand day and I don’t have time and then I have to make dinner and take care of the kid’s bath and do the laundry and clean the kitchen and… ok. The day after that. For sure! I can do this. But what if I lose too much weight? What if I get back to my long gone super awesome body? Well, then I’ll have to buy a new wardrobe and I can’t afford that. And then if I buy a new wardrobe and I’m really in good shape, things probably won’t fit in the waist, so I’ll have to pay a tailor to take it all in. Oh dear. It’s just too complicated. And I’m pretty sure if I start exercising I’m going to have to cut out chocolate and I can’t do that. Good Heavens, that’ll never happen. And I can’t find anything to wear to exercise in, anyway, so why bother. I don’t want to sweat in my ‘good’ clothes and you can’t wear the ‘mommy at home’ stuff in public. Besides, working out takes away from my time with my little ones and now that I’m back to work I need to spend more time with them. Yeah, I’m a much better wife and mother this way, right? Saving money, spending time with the kids, making dinner, doing laundry – yeah.. that’s it. I knew there was a reason I didn’t join a gym.
I’m a mom of four kids – 2.5 year old triplets and a four year old. After working in a career for 10 years I am now a 35 year old stay at home mom and it requires a tremendous amount of energy to care for the kids. Just dressing them to go outside in the winter takes 20 or 30 minutes!
I like working out and know I need to; however, I have been struggling the past few months. As they do not all nap anymore, I do not have a moment to myself from 7:30am – 8:30pm.
I need to workout in the morning as I am physically exhausted each night and the evenings are the only time I have to accomplish actual projects (and my part-time job). When I workout I have to be up by 5:30 or 6am (depending on the length of workout). Since the children have been born I’ve only been able to work out in our home. I can try to do it but it means I lose precious sleep because I am usually up until 11pm or midnight (working on my job, making freezer meals and more). In the last few months, I’ve tried to start the routine again, only to end up getting sick or having to care for sick kids after 3 days into my workout routine. Then the cycle starts all over again. This prize sounds amazing and I would love this opportunity to look after myself so that I can feel better about myself and take better care of my family.
Carpe Diem, Seize the Day! HOW? I bundle up 3 kids to get my 5 year old to Kindergarten, have a 2 year old potty training (there are GREAT days, and “Oh great, I get to scrub the floor and do more laundry” days), all while breast feeding my 2 month old that seems to think it’s perfectly reasonable to keep Mommy up until 5AM! So, if I get a moment, the thing that I seize is a chocolate and mocha to re-energize. For me, exercise is walking at a 2 year old’s pace while pushing a stroller, which isn’t melting away this tummy! In a day that’s filled with preparing meals, cleaning up, playing, grocery shopping, more cooking, dishes, diaper changes, breast feeding, and MANY loads of laundry; that little chocolate treat sure helps my short term mood and energy, but obviously isn’t helping me become a “Yummy Mommy”. I can’t seem to find the time or energy to work out. I do have an elliptical trainer; however, it’s the most expensive laundry rack I’ve ever seen! “Seize the Day,” I wonder when that day will be . . .
My excuse for not working out has nothing to do with the lack of hours in the day or even lack of energy. Instead, my attempts to work out are sabotaged by a screaming 3 year old every time I try to put my yoga or Pilates DVD in. “I WANT MY SHOW!!!” Unfortunately, Dora has not released a butt and thigh video yet. So I have succumbed to working on my other hobbies which include anything crafty such as quilting, creating works of art with my toddler, making sock monkeys and sorting buttons by colour…oh yes I really did and incidentally it burns very few calories. A decade ago my dancers’ body was toned now after giving birth to my second daughter 3 months ago I can’t quite manage to squeeze my jeans around the tire that has formed around my midsection. So please help me get my body back! It will give me a good excuse to sew a new workout outfit and matching quilted workout bag!
When I was an oblivious person, I had a nice bottom. Now, because of my attempts at conscious living, I have the bottom of a rhino.
All this inner work and living in the now fooled me into accepting my lack of outer work and the mountage of poundage.
Save me from myself.
Sadly, eating holiday pound cake doesn’t qualify as weight lifting, and marathon grocery shopping trips do not equate to a marathon worth of cardio. (who knew?)School, toddler, work, house work, and a hubby with an unpredictable work schedule gooble up anything that even resembles free time/me time making it nearly impossible to get to the gym. Help me kick my butt into gear! A personal trainer would not only give me fitness tips, but act as a bodyguard for my exercise time!
I don’t work out because my husband works really long hours. I don’t work out because I’m afraid that my baby will catch something in the childminding at the community centre. I don’t work out because the WII game with WII Fit that I bought is in the basement and I’m afraid the baby will wake up while I’m in the middle of it. I don’t work out because I don’t fit my work out clothes! I don’t work out because I want to do it with a friend and haven’t found the friend to do it with. Oh, and I haven’t used the three sessions I purchased from Fitness on the Go because its only three sessions and I don’t trust myself to get the momentum I need from only three sessions. I need some accountability and some motivation. I suppose the biggest problem is that I am afraid that I could get very fit and healthy but still have a huge gut because of the split muscles in my abdomen. This is called diastasis recti and not enough people know about it. I have only found one physiotherapist who can work with it and I am worried that I will need major surgery to feel like myself again. My back hurts, my shoulders hurt, my knees hurt and feet hurt and this is just from sleeping. Oh and I haven’t even gone back to work yet I should be using this time better! Please help me get on the road to being me again!
I don’t think I have an excuse as much as a classic case of procrastination. I always seem to put it off until tomorrow which then turnes into next week, month and year. The truth is my daughter is turning two and I still look like I am pregnant. The only thing missing is the “healthy glow”. Although I don’t beleive in New Year’s Resolutions, I need to start living now. PLEASE HELP!!!
I don’t work out because the room that has the treadmill is the same room that has Aiku (our rabbit) and so it smells like bunny poop. I’m too lazy to change her litter box more than once every other week, so I’m also obviously too lazy to exercise, right?
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