Um, Can You Maybe Do that in Your Head?

I've been a little on the grouchy side lately which makes me a bit snarky.  I think it is the cold weather and maybe some of that seasonal disorder thing because I HATE the cold months...I cannot put enough emphasis on HATE in that sentence either. 

Anyway, was in the gym yesterday, in the little room people rarely use for floor work or medicine ball, kettlebell work and I was alone until this other guy came in.  He was probably in his late twenties to early thirties and he is a regular, but has always struck me as a little bit odd.  So I am working with a kettlebell and doing 15 reps per set of swinging the ball from between my legs, to straight up in the air, when the dude lies down on the floor to do crunches and begins counting....OUT LOUD.  Seriously?  Am I invisible?  Does he think no one else counts? 

So I did the only thing I could do.  I counted out loud too.

I think he got the picture.

I do a lot thinking about this workout thing and how not enough women (and men, but that is a discussion for another day) make the time to do it.  The reasons, I believe have to do with who we are.  We are the caregivers in our families.  We are generally the reason there are hot meals on the tables and clean clothes and food in the fridge.  We are the house cleaners, the ones who run children to the doctor's and pets to the vet.  When the kids are sick, we are generally the ones who stay home from work to care for them.  All those things are in our nature and who we, as women are.  We have always been the caregivers.

Yet the same rules often do not apply to ourselves.  I have even had moments of feeling guilty of all things.  "I have time to work out but my husband works long days and doesn't have the time."  (Again, another discussion for another day).  Why do we feel this way?  Often the majority of the things we do every day, do not draw a paycheck, but how unhappy would the other people who live with us be if we didn't do those things for them?  Our contribution to the family unit cannot have a price attached to it and yes,there are women out there working full time and still having to do all these things and my hat goes off to them, because there is just as much work involved. 

So what happens when we don't take the time to take care of ourselves?  We are given one body to get through this life and this isn't about weight by any means, but about health.  We are so busy giving most of the time that we feel guilty being selfish when we want to go to the gym or go for a walk or run or go cycling.  Chances are, our spouses or our kids are not going to say "Mom, you've been working really hard making our home a nice place to live, so why don't you go do something for you?", so we need to take that time for ourselves.  We aren't being selfish; we are attempting to keep ourselves healthy so we can keep on doing all the things that we do.  Making ourselves a priority is not something we like to think about, but in this circumstance, it is something we need to do.  If our kids or spouse was unhealthy, we would try to do what we could to help them.  We would take them to the doctor or try to prepare more healthy meals or whatever it took.  So why are we any different?  Let's be realistic.  In my house, when the kids are sick, I am here to take care of them.  When the husband is sick, I cater to him a bit more (despite him having the grouchy) and try to make sure he has what he needs.  When I get sick, the kids go to school and the husband goes to work and I have to take of me.  Shouldn't I be doing this all the time? 

So stop feeling guilty about taking care of yourself.  It benefits not only you, but everyone else in your family. 

Oh and Susan, yes!  Would love to meet you both this year!  We have to work that out!