Career path of the Day: Personal Trainer

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I am so not an entrepreneurial type (I'm a librarian for goodness sake)but I find myself occasionally day dreaming, considering schemes where I could manage to work from home (but not having to sell any type of plastic product).

Today's idea came at 6am when I was at the gym (all the 'great' ideas come when you're not quite awake and the reality of the demanding offspring aren't actually there). I thought I could start a business as a personal trainer to mums. I put on loads of weight during all my pregnancies and really mostly managed to fluke losing it through good genes. But I have been consistently doing regular exercise for the past 8 years. So I could have some good before and after shots for my brochure.

I do genuinely feel lots of passion for mums getting into exercise. Not obsessively in a 'I need to look like Posh Spice' kind of a way, but mostly because it has kept me sane in the midst of raising a multitude of small children. If I exercise and the rest of the day is terrible and unproductive (in a short term kind of a way - not in the long term glorious project that is parenting of course ...) then I can at least look back and feel like I achieved something, something good for my body (makes me stronger and a more energetic mum), something good for my head (time on my own when I'm just focussed on trying to not die from either exhaustion or embarrassment) and something good for my anger management (hard to believe I know, that I would ever get frustrated with my offspring since both they and I are of course perfect. Hmmm ... Not quite!)

I would love to share the positive impact that's had on my experience as a mum. I enjoying chatting to mums, hearing their stories and would love to encourage women to learn to get into exercise as a way of managing the stress of parenting.

But you should see me as I huff and puff my way through classes at the gym - I'm no celebrity trainer.

Comments

Karen said…
I've become more of a convert to the benefits of mums exercising as the number of children in my house has increased. Definitely a big sanity saver for me.
And now a necessity as well if I'm to prevent type 2 diabetes in later life.
I love swimming laps (although I don't do it very well). Lots of thinking time as I stare at the black line going up and down. But walking is going to have to do for the next few weeks at least.
November 18, 2011 at 10:37 AM
Helen said…
I have become a convert too - more as a necessity for my mental health than anything else, after a bout of depression when my youngest was two. I've never really struggled with losing baby weight either - like you, good genes (as well as breastfeeding).
November 21, 2011 at 8:27 AM
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