It's OK To Start With A 10-Minute Walk

Moms That Move

I was so excited to see that my friend Emily Kane of milkmakers, a company that makes delicious organic lactation cookies to help breastmilk supply, has just kicked off a realistic campaign - Moms That Move - to get busy moms moving and taking care of themselves.

I know how important it is to take care of myself, yet here I still am struggling with getting started. In this state of mind, I watched Emily's video about why she launched Moms That Move. 

The Conundrum

What really resonated with me was her same point about the conundrum of knowing how good exercise is for your body and mind, but feeling too overwhelmed to be able to get yourself on track. The video goes on to show her running a marathon, BUT she started by doing 10 minute walks around the block. Now THERE'S a bite-sized goal I can commit to. 

As I watched, I felt like a load had been lifted off my shoulders with the realization that it's actually OK to start with a simple 10 minute walk. I had been beating myself up, and creating my own roadblock by only picturing my pre-motherhood days of rock climbing and long yoga sessions.

Give Yourself Permission

Just being given "permission" to start small dissolved the guilt and freed me up to think creatively. While doing deep breathing with my daughter Hadley in the dark to help her put herself to sleep (yes, I am sleep training a 4 1/2 year old!), I could also be doing simple yoga poses. And doing 10 minutes of yoga in the dark has led to neighborhood walks. And that's good enough for now. I can already feel the shift in my energy level and sense of well-being.

You don't have to run a marathon, or even a 5K, to be taking care of yourself properly. Just do what you can in small, bite-size pieces and trust that you will feel the benefits. Just as HadleyStilwell clothes help breastfeeding moms feel good and look good, so too will even small chunks of exercise spill over into all aspects of your life.

So thank you to Emily for dislodging the obstacles that were blocking my path back to exercise. Join Moms That Move with me and let's follow each other's progress, find new ideas, and get moving together! 

Moms That Move Events:

• January 19 (9-10am Pacific Time): Moms That Move live Q&A on the milkmakers Facebook page, featuring lactation consultant Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC, and nutritionist Ashley Besecker, RD, CD answering questions about physical activity while breastfeeding, proper nutrition, and many other topics related to breastfeeding, nutrition, and healty living. By the way, Renee is the lactation consultant who worked with me on Milk Notes.

• milkmakers is asking "What are we doing to get moving?", "How are we going to get started?", "Why is being active important?". By answering these questions with photos, video, and/or stories on the milkmakers' Moms That Move page, moms (and dads, too) can enter to win a $300 gift basket, including a one-hour consultation with nutritionist Ashley Besecker, RD, CD, an iPod Shuffle, a Fitbug with one-year membership, a subscription to Shape magazine, milkmakers cookies, and more.

These breastfeeding moms are warm, comfortable, and fashionable...everywhere they go!

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