Vitals:

Name:  Amanda Wright

Age: 30

Married: 9 years

BMI: normal

Offspring:  Isaac – 4.5, Morgan – 2.5

Occupation: Mom

1) What does it mean to be fit?

Definitions are tricky!  I see myself as a “fit” person, and believe that fitness is a whole package of attributes including cardio stamina, strength, flexibility, physical and mental agility, and emotional fulfillment and stability.  I honestly believe in order to maintain a high level of fitness people have to work at it every single day.  I’m not talking strictly about physical exercise.  That’s a given.  You need to work your body, but also exercise your mind.  Fuel yourself with real food and clean water.  Never stop engaging and challenging yourself and learning new things.  Be creative.  Make the whole process a game and have FUN with it.

2) Have you always considered yourself fit?

I played volleyball through high school and at UCC and in retrospect was only in average shape.  I was a slacker when it came to the weights and cardio regimen, and really had no clue how to work out effectively or balance my diet to compliment my lifestyle.  So, after several years in the “real world” working full-time at a high-stress sales job at a certain call centre, I was in horrible fitness slump.  I had an AH-HA moment when I went to buy a pair of pants (this was back in the good old days when the chain stores at the mall maxed out at a 13) and couldn’t find a single pair that fit.  Changes had to be made!

To begin, I quit my job and went back to school.  Walking from Dufferin to TRU and back every day helped considerably, and I joined the badminton team.  Then my Mom convinced me to try an herbal cleanse with her.  That got me thinking about the dietary side of fitness.  I learned about food and portion control, and got to know my body and what it needs to function and look the way I want it to.  After my year back at school, I worked for a weight loss company and learned how help many different kinds of people achieve that balance and get results.

Aside from weekly volleyball and badminton, I started getting into a regular exercise routine (primarily a combination of Pilates, light jogging, and free weights), when we started trying for out first child.  I trained for it like an athletic event.  And it was FUN.  I experimented and found what I liked, what worked, and I had a wonderful, glowing, active pregnancy… But when Isaac arrived, I struggled.  I was physically, mentally, emotionally exhausted, and not enjoying my new life as a mother.  My doctor said I could definitely take some wonderful, proven drugs with X side effects, but then he suggested trying just one hour of completely solitary exercise per day and taking every third night off “baby duty” to recharge my sleep battery.  To take proper care of Isaac, I had to take care of myself.  I discovered yoga, which I had always been a little apprehensive about because of all the stereotypes surrounding it, and I was hooked.  I felt self-connected.  Just one hour to get back to ME… my body, my thoughts, releasing all the new mommy stress through movement.  And the yoga was the tip of the iceberg.  There are so many interesting ways to work the body… I highly encourage people to experiment with all forms of exercise.  There really is something for everyone!

3) How do you set your priority to have time for fitness?

Fitness has become an extremely high priority for me.  It has become my vice.  It keeps me SANE.  Some days, when I am at my wits end, I will literally be waiting at the front door for my husband to get home with my iPod loaded and my running shoes on, and then I just run away… then I run back.  And nothing beats coming back home to your family.  My husband is extremely supportive of my efforts, because he understands that as the stay-at-home parent, I pretty much set the emotional tone for the entire family.  I am SO worth the time and effort.  If I am fit, I am fulfilled.  I am thankful.  I am positive, optimistic, and more receptive to their needs and open to exploring and trying new things.  Fitness is HUGE for us.

4) What are some of your challenges and rewards when keeping fitness a part of your life?

I have 2 very active kids under 5, neither are napping (grumble), so if I haven’t gotten my workout in by the end of their day, I have to fight the impulse to pour myself a glass of wine and fall into a couch coma.  One of the rewards of keeping fitness a regular part of my life is that I know at those times that if I just suck it up and DO IT, I will feel a million times better than if I hadn’t.  Another challenge is money.  Other than a few odd jobs, we are a single-income family, so memberships, the number of trips into town, childcare if Peter and I want to play something together, etc. can add up.  Thankfully there are about a million ways to work out for free without leaving the house.

5) What is your biggest desire in setting a positive example for your kids?

My biggest desire is that my kids will actually follow my lead when they come to the age where they start making their own food and lifestyle choices, spend their own money, etc.  I can’t force them.  I can only do what’s best for me.  You can’t force anyone into making life choices unless they accept that the choice is in their best interest.  To this day, neither one of my kids has successfully chewed and swallowed a piece of leafy greens that hasn’t been pureed and hidden in things, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop encouraging them to try them.

About your Author | Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a Kamloops lifer. Born at RIH, she is happy to be raising her family here. Married with three wonderful children with another due in June 2013, Elizabeth is also teacher and enjoys working with parents as she learns more about this "Mommy gig". Elizabeth is passionate about parenting and enjoys networking with other parents. She has been running KamloopsParents.Com since March 2010.