Fitspo is, well the stuff that floods our Instagram feeds: the sweaty gym selfies, inspirational fitness quotes, and nutritional shake hocking. I can admit that, no, not all of it is that bad or that sensationalized. However, the internet can certainly be a polarizing place, especially when it comes to those that “lift” and those that don’t. Personally, I’d rather spend my time doing any of a thousand different things than working out all day every day. In fact, there are so many are the things I’d rather be than a fitspo mom, and while I'm not saying you can't be all of the following things at once, I know I certainly can't.
Of course, I'm not knocking fitspo moms. In fact, if anything, I'm in some serious awe when it comes to the mothers who can fit a gym session into their daily routine. You all are incredible, and I can only imagine the wonderful endorphins you get from lifting heavy things and putting them back down helps with all things motherhood. Parenting is stressful, and the gym is a great place to get rid of that stress.
It's just that, well, we humans come in various shapes and sizes. Some of us have fast metabolisms that allow us to shed weight simply by staring at a scale. Then there are the rest of us, who can’t seem to shed any inches no matter how hard we try. Some of us have health issues that get in the way of our fitness goals, while others have mental health issues that block us from going to gyms (or even having the energy to workout at home). Basically, fitness comes easy to some, harder to others, and some folks just also don’t give a damn about it. I fall into the latter two. That’s why I spend my free time doing lots of things that don’t necessarily involve physical activity. While I do squeeze in a few minutes a day for squats or planks or yoga, I can’t in good conscience devote too much time to it because it will take away time from all my other interests, including the following:
A Netflix Mom
Alright, so this isn’t the healthiest pursuit. However, as a writer (and hopefully as a future TV writer), I see my streaming television addiction as research. Some might not get my unhealthy obsession with Gilmore Girls or the X-Files, but someday it’ll be my name on the screen and then it’ll all make sense.
A Mom With A Semi-Clean House
I have to hand it to moms who can keep a clean home and do a bunch of other stuff, because I just can't. I mean, I can use cleaning as my cardio, but I have a tendency to get lost in small details. Like, say, vacuuming the corners where the carpet meets the wall until I’m certain every speck is picked up. I also use cleaning time to watch TV, so yeah.
A Working Mom
OK, so we all technically work when we are mothers. I’m speaking more in terms of working on someone else’s schedule, and receiving a much-needed paycheck as compensation for my efforts. I know that the day I finally go back to working full-time, those few minutes I sneak in the daytime for eight minute abs will probably go by the wayside.
A Traveling Mom
While I don’t get to travel nearly enough these days, I do appreciate the occasional trip away, with or without the family. Now, plenty of fitspo moms travel. Some even get their travel paid for them, you guys. Talk about living the dream. However, for me travel usually involves relaxing on the beach with a coconut rum drink or getting pampered at a spa or chilling at a bar. No fitness necessary.
A Mom That Enjoys Her Veggie Burgers And Fries Guilt-Free
If you’re going to be a fitspo mom, you’ve got to eat “right," right? And by "right," I mean staying mindful about not eating food that’s too fatty or deep fried or sugary. I’m actually trying to teach myself to eat better lately (because i’d like to make sure my son has healthy eating habits), but that doesn’t mean I don’t still indulge in a slice of pizza here or a veggie cheeseburger there. No, I don’t feel bad about it one bit.
A Well-Read Mom
I am not a well-read mom. This list isn’t “things I am other than a fitspo mom," you guys. It's things I'd rather be. So, if I had a ton of spare time (the amount it would take to turn my soft, curvy self into a fitspo mom), I would much rather spend it catching up on all the books I started but never finished or reading to my kid.
A Super-Social Mom
I love going out and I love being around other people. I don't really enjoy huge crowds, mind you, but sitting at a bar or a park or a mall, just people watching, makes me happy. You never know what’ll happen or who you’ll meet when you’re in the company of others. Sure, you could say I could totally work my way toward being a fitspo mom by joining a gym, but first I’d have to actually want to hang out there, and it’s just not for me.
A Creative Mom
I fully regret not having indulged my creative side more when I was younger and child-free. These days, I would kill to have time for an art class, or to take photography seriously as I once did. So if it were between taking a cardio kickboxing class or spending time in the dark room, I would certainly be all about that photo-life.
A Mom That Loves Herself At Any Size
At the end of the day, I don’t like the idea of sacrificing a bunch of time and energy (and pizza) just so I can show the world my “fitspo.” I don’t care that I don’t have a six-pack. I don’t care that my butt isn’t super firm (honestly, I like my ass just fine the way it is., and while I could do without the flabby arms (I’m working on it!), I still like who I am and what I look like. I try to make sure my son understands that, too. I think we can all agree that moms should love themselves at any size, and that’s worth way more than 5,000 likes on Instagram will ever be.
