Growing Families, Maintaining Priorities

    I mention growing families because as of Wednesday, February 1st, we've got a new member of our family; Ashlyn Wolf D'Elia. Yup, another girl! Needless to say we're extremely excited with this new bundle, and are also very thankful that Joli's pregnancy and delivery came off without a hitch. Phew!
    Cupid must've been in the midst of a full scale assault back in April/May of 2011, because there are a lot of babies being born right about now. For some, it's the first child, but for many others, it's their second or even third. The addition of a new child to your life, regardless of whether it is your first or third, is an expansive and consuming commitment. Many priorities are upended, or at the very least temporarily suspended. Alas, this is no surprise to a parent. I do, however, urge you not to fully submit to the circumstances. It is still possible to be an effective parent or spouse while still maintaining a reasonable focus on your health and fitness. In fact, I'd argue that an uninterrupted focus on your fitness will make you an even better parent/spouse. If you agree with the sentiments above, then it ultimately boils down to, as usual, a matter of time management.
    It's helpful first to understand your role. If you're the new Mother, then your obligations to your baby, especially in the early weeks, are significant in number and intensity. Bonding, milk production, breast feeding, pumping, feeding schedules, sleeping schedules, recovery from child birth, being a spouse, keeping your home organized, in some cases continuing to earn a living; the list could easily go on. If you're the new Father, you'll likely share some of the same responsibilities, but there are a handful of obligations you are simply biologically unequipped to handle. No worries, you can still contribute in other meaningful ways. Do the grocery shopping, help with the laundry and home maintenance, spend QT with your other children, and above all, be positive. I'm learning quickly that the ability to project a positive and calm demeanor onto your family goes a long way toward mitigating the inevitable stresses of having a newborn/infant at home.
    Yet sometimes, no matter how well executed our efforts at keeping it all together are, we still succumb to breakdowns, stress and anxiety. This is exactly when exercise becomes restoratively essential. We've been training clients from Fairfield, Southport, Westport, Easton and Norwalk since 2003, and one of the more consistent excuses we hear from people is that they cannot find the time to exercise, to which we've consistently responded, 'make it.' If one wants something badly enough, or if the consequences of your actions are essential enough(a mother breastfeeding a child), then time will be allocated. If you believe, as we do, that exercise is a necessary and constant ingredient to a healthy and balanced life, then you WILL MAKE TIME. Perhaps some greater creativity will be necessary, and in that, there is help!
    If your available time is sporadic, or of a short duration, then you'll likely need to modify your existing workout model. Spend 20 minutes doing vigorous cardiovascular work outside or on a machine, followed by 10 minutes of fundamental exercises like push ups, dumbbell squats, medicine ball lunges, planks and upper body work with resistance bands(chest presses, back rows, bicep curls or triceps kickbacks). You will be amazed how in this short amount of time you've managed to work up a terrific sweat in addition to effectively fatiguing your muscles. At 3x/week, you'll be able to maintain your fitness until your schedule allows you to return to more vigorous, longer and more targeted workouts.
    We have always believed that balance is the stabilizing column that allows our bodies and minds to perform all that is required of us, and to periodically absorb the body blows that life hurls at us. As our families grow, so do our responsibilities to others. But never forget your responsibility to yourself. In order to be a rock upon which great things are built, you've got to keep yourself healthy and strong. Keep your focus, and remain positive. The next phase is just around the corner.

-B