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What does the title of this post remind you?
Finding a ‘Needle in a Haystack’?
As a mother of two below five years, that is how it feels to me – Finding time for a fitness activity!
For the third consecutive year, I am participating in Saffola’s health campaign in association with Blogadda. Certainly, bonding with brands over the years has added a subtle warmth to blogging. Marriage, Love & Hearts!, posted in 2015 talks about activities that couples can do together for their physical and psychological well-being. Little Steps for Longer Lives, posted in 2016 is about the little things I do as an ever-busy mom to stay healthy.
As a sequel to the last post above, here’s yet another to share how I find health benefits in my simple everyday routines. If you didn’t know, what has added to my life after the last post, is a B-A-B-Y! Yeah, with the coming of the second child, the little time that I thought I can spare for the ‘Me’ has been entirely robbed. Of course, six months past the baby’s arrival, the ambition of waking up at five in the morning to practice Pranayama and yoga did spring up, as it did with the first. However, needless to mention, I could get nowhere near my ambition amidst the haystack of piled up chores. Yes, yes, yes, I have written all about it all through my blog, I know! So, let me quickly tell you the silly ‘work-outs’ I get to do with two kids around.
Squats: Technically, I operate most of my day’s work with my right hand with little for the left to support, because the latter has to hold the baby 🙁 Her curiosity to learn what and how mom cooks makes it uninteresting for her to play on the floor, leaving me with no option but take her on my hip while cooking. I give her a piece of carrot to munch; she flings it onto the floor; I bend down to pick it up. I make her hold a spoon to work on her fine motor skills; she flings it onto the floor; I bend down to pick it up. She accidentally grabs an onion from the vegetable basket, gives me a quick naughty look before flinging it onto the floor. A-N-D I bend down to pick it up! She now knows it is a funny game; well, funny to her. Eventually, I bend down (with she still on my hip) a number of times a day to pick the things that she likes to fling down. Earlier, I was doing it the easy way – bending down forward. In time, I restyled it to my advantage by making it an one-arm squat 😆 Every time, I have to bend down to pick up something, I stretch my right arm forward, do a squat, collect the thing, pull up all my strength to get myself up. Yes, a new game to her!
Sit-Ups: Playing ‘Sainthadamma sainthadu’ is a popular fun activity at home. Sometimes, it’s the big brother on my folded knees while I lie down, sometimes it’s the baby sister and yet sometimes it’s the baby sister on top of the big brother. And I make the most of this activity to do leisure sit-ups while the siblings giggle their tummies out. Sometimes, I sing along or giggle and laugh out along and the sit-ups become all the more fun and hard, giving me an efficient work-out.
Piggy Back Rides: I don’t know into what kind of exercise regime piggy back rides will fit, but if you’ve ever crawled around with two kids on your back, you will know the kind of work-out I am talking about. It’s a real challenge! To step your palms forward, to step your knees forward with a load on top and at the same time to take care that the giggling loads don’t topple over is a real challenge. Every time the elephant halts for a break, I try and push myself to do a couple of more rounds.
Climbing: When my son and I come back from school, he feels enthusiastic to climb up the stairs to get to our home at the fifth floor. When I frown and look longingly at the elevator, he would give me an offer: “Amma, let’s have a race. Let’s see who touches our gate the first.” Definitely not an inviting offer, yet I compete with the little champion to work-out my heart though it is only for a matter of a few minutes.
Brisk Walks: I await evening times as much as my children does. For my son, it is outdoor playtime and biking time while for my baby, it is the strolling time. To me, it is the time to breathe in fresh air and a brisk walk while watching my baby observe the outdoor settings with curiosity. As long as my baby agrees to sit quietly on the stroller, I can enjoy this phase of brisk walk for once she begins walking, I will have to run 😆
I am joining Saffola #ApneTareekeSeHealthy initiative and sharing my ways of being healthy in association with BlogAdda. Saffola believes that health is not difficult when you adopt your own ways of being healthy. Saffola partners you in making your push towards health easier – be it heart health or fitness. With Saffola, now choose an oil for your way of being healthy!