August: Motherhood & Movement Edit
A look into creating sustainable fitness routines in different stages of motherhood
There’s this unspoken default in our brains that says once you become a mom, you should automatically put yourself last. Then the guilt sets in when you choose differently.
Your time belongs to everyone else. Your energy belongs to everyone else. Your body becomes something you're expected to ignore because "that's just motherhood."
I don't believe that.
Yes, I've had times when I rushed home from the gym when my daughter woke up earlier than I expected. Sometimes I've felt guilty for getting dinner with girlfriends instead of being at home. But I realized quickly that was an unhealthy expectation that I placed on myself. Not one that truly benefited myself or my family at the end of the day.
Taking care of yourself is part of being a healthy, whole person—and your kids deserve the healthiest version of you. You deserve the healthiest version of you.
That means protecting your physical health. Your mental health. Your confidence. Your energy.
And yes, I always say this: it's okay to want to look good, too.
As moms, we're still women. We don't stop deserving to feel strong, confident, and sexy in our own bodies simply because we have children.
Fitness has never been about chasing perfection for me. It's about showing up for my life and taking pride in the power I have to be the best me that I can be.
You Can't Pour From an Empty Cup Forever
Motherhood is physically demanding.
When you're constantly running on empty, eventually your patience gets shorter. Your energy disappears. You stop feeling like yourself.
For me, movement has always been one of the fastest ways to reconnect with myself.
After a workout, I'm calmer. I have more energy. I feel at peace knowing that I took care of myself, instead of harboring resentment and playing the blame game because I didn't.
My daughter deserves that version of me. My husband deserves that version of me.
And I deserve that version of me too!
Discipline > Motivation
One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is believing they'll suddenly wake up motivated one day.
Motivation is fleeting.
Discipline is what carries you through the days when you'd rather stay on the couch.
There are still mornings when I don't feel like working out.
I go anyway.
Not just because I’m chasing a certain body (although I do have some muscle mommy goals) or because I never skip workouts. It’s because movement has become part of my lifestyle. Built into a schedule.
It's a non-negotiable.
The same way I brush my teeth.
The same way I make sure my daughter gets to school.
I don't wait until I "feel like it."
Find Your "You Time"
Every mom's schedule looks different, which means your workout routine should, too.
The point is to build something that works for your life.
What worked for me in one season of motherhood didn't necessarily work in the next, and that's okay.
Here's what fitness has looked like throughout my journey.
Newborn Days (under 1)
When Shai was a baby, I was breastfeeding around the clock, and my days revolved around nap schedules and feeding windows.
I worked with the time I had. Most of my workouts happened while she napped. We spent a lot of time outside on stroller walks and stroller runs, and I loved quick HIIT workouts in the backyard or driveway. They weren't elaborate, but they kept me moving during a season when consistency mattered far more than perfection.
📷 11 months pp. Breastfeeding + eating well + consistent workouts helped me drop the 40 pound weight gain from pregnancy. I was very cardio intensive at this time. Had not discovered heavier weight lifting yet. Miss those abs
School-Year Routine
Now that she's in school, my schedule is much more flexible.
Most of my longer workouts happen during school hours, which allows me to make it to a yoga class or strength train at the gym without feeling rushed. I've learned to take advantage of the hours that naturally exist in my day instead of trying to squeeze workouts into already busy evenings.
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📷 School year routine is a combo of yoga sculpt classes, weight lifting, and jogging after school drop off. That leaves me a decent amount of hours to work before she gets out of school
Weekends
Weekends look different, and I've learned not to put unnecessary pressure on myself.
My biggest goal is simple: move my body.
Usually that means going for a long walk or a 15 min sprint sequence. If I want a gym workout, my husband and I work together so we both have time for ourselves. He usually takes Saturday morning, and I take Sunday morning. Because my longer training sessions happen during the week while Shai is in school, I don't feel like I have to "make up" workouts on the weekend.
📷 Sunday morning runs
Summer Break
Summer requires another adjustment.
Since Shai isn't in school, I usually work out earlier in the morning before she wakes up. If that doesn't happen, sometimes she'll come with me to an outdoor fitness class or the community gym. walks with her in a her wagon are still a go to when its not too hot.
It's not always the same routine, but it doesn't have to be.
The goal is simply to keep moving.
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📷 Mommy and me yoga classes throughout the years
I bring all of this up because I've never had some magical extra hour in my day.
I simply learned to work with the season I was in.
Some seasons meant stroller walks.
Some meant living room workouts.
Some meant early mornings.
Some meant squeezing in a class while my daughter was at school.
None of it was perfect, but all of it was effective.
If prioritizing your health is important to you, don't wait for your schedule to magically clear up. Build movement into the life you're living right now—even if it looks different than someone else's.
Because the routine you'll stick with isn't the perfect one.
It's the one that works for your life.
You don’t need the “perfect” routine
Fitness is not all or nothing. For the average person it’s about sustainability.
Be real with yourself and the phase of life you are in now. Don’t aim for building the "perfect" workout routine you saw online if it doesn't fit your life.
Find the fitness that works for YOU.
Real life happens to all of us and sometimes the unexpected happens.
If you can't fit in your optimal dream workout, what CAN you do?
What if it happened at home?
What if it was a stroller walk?
What if you lifted weights in your living room?
What if your kids joined you?
Movement doesn't stop counting because it doesn't look like someone else's routine.
The routine you'll stick to is the one that fits your life. Not the one that looks the best on Instagram.
Ask for Support
If you have a partner, this matters.
Your workout time shouldn't be treated as something that's optional if everything else gets done first.
Have the conversation.
Protect that time.
Support goes both ways, and taking care of yourself shouldn't come with guilt.
If your support system looks different, get creative.
Maybe it's trading childcare with a friend or using your apartment gym.
Maybe it's walking while your kids ride their bikes.
There isn't one right answer.
There is only the answer that works for your family.
Your Health Deserves to Be a Priority
No, you can't prioritize everything.
Life doesn't work that way.
But your health should always be near the top of the list.
Because when you feel stronger, healthier, and more confident, every part of your life benefits.
You don't stop being a person because you became a mom.
You are still worthy of care.
You are still allowed to invest in yourself.
And taking care of yourself isn't taking anything away from your children.
In many ways, it's one of the greatest gifts you can give them.
A Gift From Me to You
When I was in the postpartum stage, I relied heavily on short at-home workouts while my daughter napped. They weren't fancy, but they kept me consistent during a season when consistency mattered more than perfection.
I've put together one of the 15-minute movement routines that helped me stay active during those early years of motherhood. It's simple, realistic, and designed for anyone who needs help getting started or is simply short for time. I still use this as my bare minimum on the days when I can't make it to an hour sculpt class or spend 1.5 hours in the gym
Download your free 15-Minute HIIT and remember, you don't need more time, you need a routine that fits your life.
XO, Shay Jones