 If anyone knows how challenging it is to fit in mom duty and work, it’s me. I am not alone in trying to juggle it all too. I use to spend HOURS in the gym, but that is just not possible anymore. It also isn’t necessary. My progress may be slow, but it’s still progress that I am making. I weight train on average four times a week and I do about two focused cardio sessions a week. One thing I work on are daily walks since being at home or at work can be pretty sedentary. I include my baby in my walks and cardio sessions with my Bob jogging stroller. I also have a super supportive spouse who knows how important my fitness is to me, so together we support each other getting to the gym or out for a jog in the park. Why do I feel weight training is so important? Well, have you ever seen a mom on her own? Moms carry a ton of stuff! Daily I have to manage carrying my baby, who just keeps getting heavier. I have to pick up my big jogging stroller. The best is when I carry the groceries, my son, and the diaper bag all at once up a flight of stairs to our home. For me, making time for fitness is survival. I have to be strong to keep up with my boy! Are you a busy woman? Working mom? Recently postpartum? Need support figuring out how to fit in workouts and all your other responsibilities? If so, reach out. I can help you get in the best shape of your life without spending hours working out or eating the same thing day after day.
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It takes a lot of courage to show up day after day and just be real. I have to say, being yourself is a whole lot easier than trying to be someone you’re not or trying to please others. So here I am: a lifelong athlete, turned mom in her mid thirties, working a full-time career and managing a small coaching business. My life is simple, but I love it. There are people with more than me and people with less than me, but what I have I generously give. My family is my numero uno, and all day, everyday I hustle for them. This photo is great at showing the real postpartum me. I could have asked for photoshop on my waist, but that would be sending the wrong message to all the moms and busy women out there doing what they can to reclaim (or find) themselves and manage their fitness. I know I have miles to go in my journey, but each step I take is walked by me and no one else. Nothing feels better than owning your life and your choices. Keeping it 100!   One thing giving birth has taught me is that we control so little in life. As much as I would like to believe I control, really I don’t. I use to try to control too many details in my life. Prior to giving birth, I read about 10 books about natural child birth, so I could have my birth-plan go to plan. Guess what? Nothing went as planned. I have found most things don’t go as planned, yet somehow everything works out as it should. I laugh off so many life events now. Since having my child, I stress less about certain things and I adjust to change much better. I am adaptable with change, and I still work hard to be consistent with diet and exercise. I may control little, but I there are things I can manage. I think some powerful things motherhood has taught me is to expect the unexpected and to do everything with a positive attitude. Everyday life has a surprise in store, so it’s best to greet it with optimism.
  Click to buy the best protein powder on the market. Use the code MSBFIT for a discount at check out. I saw this great post recently which got my spouse and I talking about bodybuilding and what it has offered to our lives. Both my fiancé and I have spent majority of our lives as competitive athletes, but it was bodybuilding that really showed us something unique and inspiring about ourselves. This is what I have learned from bodybuilding and why I love it. 1. To do something great with yourself, you have to be willing to commit a significant amount of time, you must be patient, and you must be willing to be uncomfortable so you can transform. 2. Compete and train throughout your life because you want to improve yourself not so you can get approval or acceptance from others. No trophy will make you love yourself. 3. Know that the journey is going to be hard, but it’s going to be worth it, so never give up. 4. You are going to meet some amazing people along the way, but you will also meet a lot of shady dark people. Make sure you are in the light and stay with those who shine. 5. You will not win at anything if you have a negative mentality. First you have to conquer your own mind. 6. The journey is far more glorious than the end result. 7. The little things really make a huge difference, but at the same time don’t get hung up on superficial details. 8. Simplicity is best. 9. Don’t horde your knowledge. Share with others what has been shared with you and never once think that there is only one path. 10. When you think you’re done you have really only begun because there is no such thing as perfection. Keep growing and learning. 11. Don’t let success or failure get to your head. Your ego really is not your amigo. 12. When it’s all said and done make sure you’re happy. Everything I said is true. If you find my list to be uplifting and is something you want to be part of or mentions things you want to be part of your life, then reach out! I would love to share with you the world of weight training and how to make your nutrition work for you. All it takes is a click of a button to start a whole new lifestyle. Come on, JOIN ME and start feeling better than you could have ever imagined.  Whether you have a gym membership or not, you can always train. Click the links above to start creating your own at home gym. Fitness is something that enriches your life. Use my affiliate links to help build both a home gym and the body you want.
These bands are great. I use bands to help me sculpt my glutes, even when I train at the gym.  One thing I have learned since becoming a mom is that we do not own our children. I found this personal revelation profound. Even though my child is my child, his life is still his own. This realization was presented to me when I had to go back to work and leave my son with someone else to care for him. Even though my son is very tiny and very dependent on other adults for his basic needs at this juncture in time, he is still an individual being having his own life experiences. He will continue to grow and continue to have experiences whether I am present or not. This realization has been a big part of self growth, after carrying him in my body for 9 months.
When I came to realize all of this, I was able to truly see the power behind non-attachment. This does not mean I am not attached to my son. I very much care about him and his wellbeing. In fact, it's my main priority. What I mean about non-attachment, is the understanding that my son was blessed with own life. He was blessed with his own soul. He was blessed with his own mind. Yes, my son came from me, but he does not belong to me. He belongs to himself in the big scheme of things. One day he will be a man. He will have his own life story. I will simply be a character in his life. It is my hope that I make positive impressions on his life. It is my hope that how I raise him nurtures self-love, self-confidence, self-respect, and much happiness. Yet, in the end, my son's life experiences are his own. The day I sat with this realization was the day I also had to embark on a new journey with trust. It was also the day I had to let go of certain levels of control. Since my son is not an object, but his own entity, I realized I can't and won't be able to control all aspects of his life. It was a scary thing to swallow for me, but it was also freeing once I looked deeply at the great teacher of parenthood. I say it is freeing because it reminds me that in the end, I am just doing my best, trying my best, and learning my best each day. Daily, I am learning to trust that those who come into my son's life are doing their best and trying their best. And one day, it is my prayer that my son only allows people into his life who love him the best and treat him how he wants to be treated. Motherhood is proving to be my greatest life teacher.  One of my biggest motivations to weight train and cross train all these years has been my desire to be physically able for my kids. Even before I had a baby, this was one reason I stayed fit. I did this because I always knew I was meant to be a mom even if it required having to wait extra long. I believe our daily actions prepare us to receive our future. I believe in manifestation, so in a sense I created myself as a fit mom years ago. Now excluding occasional injuries, which all athletes face, I am so happy to be able to play without worry of being out of breath. Shoot, I even use proper athletic stance when picking up my boy or toys off the floor. I love that I’m already raising my son to see fitness as normal and to see his mom as a strong woman. I want to normalize athletics in my house, regardless of gender. Being an athlete has been one of the best parts of my life and it’s what connected me to my life partner from day one.
How have your brought fitness into your family's life? Comment below. I am dying to know! I am not going to pretend that I enjoy being a working mom. Honestly, if I could have the world my way, I would be home with my son till he was school aged and I would just write blogs and coach. However, it’s not a perfect world. I tell myself pretty little lies daily to ease an inner pain of being separated for my sweet boy. I tell myself to be proud that I can provide for my son by having a great job. I tell myself be thankful you have a career that has great insurance, lots of time off, and a job where I don’t work nights or weekends. All of these things are true, but it doesn’t mean I can’t feel a secret sadness about being away from my baby boy. I am lucky my son gets to be with his paternal grandmother where he can see his primos and receive love from his tias during the week. It doesn’t mean I can’t miss him. Even though I’m at work and focused on making a difference for other people’s kids, I still worry about my own child constantly. Thoughts like, is he napping? Is he having fun? Is he okay? Is he happy? What is he doing? Someone told me that the day you become a mother is the day you worry for the rest of your life. I think it’s true. I have only been back working full-time for four weeks, and fortunately I have an amazing spouse and extended family helping to raise our son, but it’s not easy. It’s hard going from a recent 24/7 mommy to just getting to hold my baby for a few hours a day. It’s hard trying to fit everything in and being comfortable letting certain things go that my former self use to fixate on. Finding balance as a new mom is a transition, and I know I’m transforming into a working mom. People who say hire help should be careful with that comment because not all people live a life with that much disposable income. Instead, I think moms should say to other moms: take it one day at time; do what you can; be willing to let things go; it will be okay; you’re doing great; it’s okay to cry; don’t be so hard on yourself; be willing to take breaks; spread your chores out; it’s okay to miss your baby; you’re amazing! To all you working moms out there, I am so proud of you because I know it ain’t easy.  Are you a mom? Would you like support from a trainer who has been in your shoes? If so, you should contact me for a FREE consultation. I would love to support your journey and help you reclaim yourself. We don't have to find our balance alone. I surely do not do everything alone. I feel it's important to have people in our corner, helping us to achieve our goals. Reach out at anytime!  I have worked very hard over the course of my life to care for other people. I have always had a maternal spirit. My desire to help others has also taught me that you can’t give from an empty cup. I have made self-care a priority in my life. Now, for many moms putting yourself first can come with many negative opinions from outside sources. Some moms get told they are selfish if they make time to workout or go to a spa or have a lunch date with friends. But why? Why shouldn’t a mother be able to care for herself and to do things that rejuvenate her spirit? I feel when a mom has some alone time to focus on her needs then the entire household thrives long term. In my household, we support each other in ways that allows our cups to overflow. Happy mommy, happy baby, happy daddy, happy home (feel free to tweak for your family dynamic). I have worked hard to not only live a fitness lifestyle, but help people transform into that lifestyle as well. One of the biggest road blocks for many people, especially single parents, is affording personal fitness coaching. I know first hand how tough it is to make it month to month, especially as a resident of the Bay Area (the most expensive place in the states). My coaching packages come with not only amazing prices but unbeatable care. My ❤️heart goes into each plan and I provide tons of attention and extra goodies to all my athletes and transformation clients. If you are tired of trying to give from an empty cup then consider signing up with me as your personal fitness lifestyle coach. You won’t regret the journey. I guarantee it.  There is no transformation that actually feels good. All transformation requires you to go through pain. Not only does your body have to physically endure levels of discomfort, if not great discomfort, but your mind has to really push itself to a new level of thought and perspective. The most uncomfortable moments of any transformation is right before you break past the precipice. To go to the next level, to transform into that new person, you have to push through this invisible wall that requires immense strength and courage. When I think back to my bodybuilding pursuits, it was always the moments when I felt like I had nothing left to give where the real change happened because I pushed myself both mentally and physically to another level. When I think back to the gestation phase of my pregnancy, the hardest was toward the end when I really had to push through physical discomfort and the fear of the unknown of labor. Likewise, the beginning of motherhood was incredibly painful, as I morphed and transformed into a new woman. Transformation takes grit. It takes patience. It takes vision. It takes bravery. And it forces you to be more vulnerable than you ever could imagine. Going through a transformation is a ton of work, but what happens on the other side is beautiful. I can’t help to think of butterflies when I think of total change. Butterflies can’t tell us what it feels like going from a caterpillar to living in a cocoon to flying freely with colorful wings. From an outsiders perspective, it is inspiring and mesmerizing and gives us hope and inspiration that if God could design a creature to undergo such immense change then we, as intellectual beings, can also undergo profound change as well. To transform simply requires you to stick with something without giving up, knowing that things will get slightly worse before they get better, and that the journey is the most incredible part of any change. The victory is not necessarily the end result, but what it took for you to get to your destination.  “The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new,” Rajneesh. I am a new person down to how I use my seconds in a day. Now everything I do is to make sure I have plenty of time for cuddling and playing with my son. 4 a.m. wake ups for 5 a.m. workouts is how I’m able to spend an entire evening with my son after a day at work. He is now my long walks and jogging companion too. I never want my son to look back on his childhood and question if he was loved enough or held enough. I want my son to know he was my biggest priority and that’s why I worked so hard to make everything else work. I want him to know that because of him, I became a better woman. Are you a mother who would like support with fitness and nutrition? Would you like someone to keep you accountable, and design a plan for you to feel your best? If so, you should click the link above to schedule a FREE consultation for your POSTPARTUM fitness coaching program. It doesn't matter if you had your baby three months ago or 30 years ago. You're still a mother who has specific needs that I can support you with. I look forward to helping you come your best version
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AuthorI am a new mother who has her hands full! I juggle not just my coaching business, but I am also a full time educator. I also teach yoga in the Bay Area, and I mentor first generation college students. 
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MS. B Fitness offers fitness-lifestyle coaching for women. Brenna Mora Rodriguez helps women gain and maintain lifelong fit and healthy bodies, through personal training services, books, guides, and inspiring, educational newsletter and blog articles. Website content copyright © MS. B Fitness Coaching. All rights reserved.
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