Family Fitness & Funny Moments

Exercise and parenting—two things that require energy, patience, and a good sense of humor! As a mum of an only child and a part-time working parent, finding time to stay active can be a challenge. But in our family, we’ve turned exercise into a fun, shared activity (with plenty of hilarious moments along the way). In this episode, I’m sharing some funny stories, the benefits of moving together, and why family fitness is more than just staying in shape—it’s about making memories.

I hope this episode brings a smile to your face and inspires you to find a fun way to get moving with your family. Remember to like, subscribe, and share!

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:03

Hi there and welcome to the Family of One Child podcast. I'm Four Comment, a wife, a part-time working mom, and a full-time believer in making the most of every joyful and sometimes busy moments of raising an only child. If you're ready for real stories, plenty of laughter and parenting tips, you're in the right place. So let's dive into this adventure together. Hi, yes, my name is for your girl, the number four, your friend. If you're wondering, did she say for the number? Uh-huh. You have a friend, and she's the number. Okay, so today's podcast is about exercising. Look to your right and look to your left and look up down and look. Yeah, exercising. Why on earth are we talking about exercising? Well, one, once I tell you my stories and funny things, you I either might inspire you, like I am way further ahead than this woman, so I am on the right track. Or you're probably thinking, you know what? I can take that one step because if four can do it, so can I? Or maybe you're thinking, no way, Jose. So I'm hoping though, this and these stories will inspire you as a mom that has an only child doing your best. So my husband and I and daughter, we go to the gym Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I found this guy, I think maybe six or seven months ago. I was going for a stage. Every now and then I've always gone to a gym once in a like you go through life and then you're like, yep, back to going to the gym. But I typically, when I go to the gym, I like to have a trainer, and boy, I've had a variety of trainers, and there's this one funny story. I remember one trainer, she was a lady, super nice, and um, she went to open her arms out, like uh, you know, both arms out, both shoulder length, and she was stretching, and I thought that meant this was the end of the exercise, was to give her a hug. So I leaned in to I lean right up to her and give her a hug, and she was like, No, it's not a hug. That wasn't a hug, it was to put your arms out and stretch your arms, and I was laughing so much, and she looked so confused. Let's just say she did not pick me up to be another client of hers when she um went somewhere else to another location, and I was going around telling people if someone raises their hands up to the side, shoulder length, both hands open wide, does that mean a hug when you're doing an exercise? Like coming for a hug? And everybody said, No, that does not mean a hug. They want you to give them a hug. And I was like, Oh, oh my goodness. And I remember there was another exercise. Okay, another one, yeah. So she like, nope, pay. Let's get your session over and you can move on. And there was another one where I had this like college student, or depending if you're in UK, European, it's a university student, and I um I thought, you know, I'll give this kid a go. He looks like he's gonna help me get on track. Well, you know, you pay your money for whatever sessions, and he started out the good half an hour, and I need him to help me stay focused, and then he's like looking around like he's got something else to do, and he's supposed to help me because I know I have a list of things, and I'm like cycling away, and I know my time's up, and then I'm like waiting for him to like give me something else, and lo and behold, he's like, Okay, just do this, and he walked off to help another person, and yes, she was a lot more fitter than me. She looked like she could also be a trainer. I don't know, and I was like, Oh my goodness, so I only stayed with him for like I think I had like two sessions. It was like, forget it, I'm done with him. And there was another trainer, and he was hardcore. I mean, this guy wasn't another level, but he pushed everybody, like you know, he pushed everybody like you. If you come here, and he didn't, it was one of those gyms where you don't have any mirrors, and it was I think it was a strong man gym, yeah. And it's where you go because you want to do your best at the national, international level. I don't know, but I've never been to those gyms before. It's like nothing like I don't know, pretty. It's just uh I guess where I imagine if you're a dude and you want to pump iron and you are determined to get to the Olympics, or I don't know, maybe Olympics has w mirrors, but these guys or these students that go, they mean business. And I was like, well, as long as you have a toilet and it is clean, I will keep coming here. So, and then what I loved about that particular gym, everyone was very encouraging, and so you could tell by the body types and the attitude. When they saw me, they were like high five, so they were well, you know, just really polite. And majority of the guys, and they would just be treated you like, hey, good job, keep going, keep going, no matter how much noise I was making. Like, oh my goodness, not only am I gonna pee my pants, but I'm gonna pass out. But they would high five so you can do it, and I love that about those kind of gems, so um, very, very encouraging. And I didn't feel even though I looked way out of place, I felt like I was part of the community, and I feel like that's part of the person who is the owner or maybe leading it, they're gonna keep including you. Uh, if they have a good attitude and they like build community, those who they train and mentor, if they pass that on, you know, it's gonna welcome a lot of people. So if you are a mom and you are a trainer, just keep in mind, you know, be kind to those and seem I I'm sure there's I just know if you have a client and you open your arms and it's shoulder length, she's gonna think maybe it's to come in and give you a hug. Be kind to her because I was that woman. Okay, so now I found this guy, he was in the navy back in the day, and yes, I can say his name Chris, because I don't think he's he's definitely not gonna listen to this podcast. And if he is, hi Chris, he is one oh my goodness, this guy cracks me up. You know how he cracks me up because the first day, um, okay, so we're with him Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the days that you are not with him, you are supposed to exercise at home. So we tried it for like a few minutes, and I was like, mm-mm. So we exercise with Chris from 6 30 in the morning to seven o'clock in the morning, 6 30 to 7, but we have to get up around about 5 o'clock, ideally, because it takes about half an hour to get there. So 5 o'clock, get up, 5 15, 5 30, 5 45, 5 50. I'm kind of like, hey everybody, we gotta get up, we gotta get up, get dressed, get out, and so yeah, Tuesdays and Thursdays, I tell ya. And Olivia's like, Mom, why, why? I'm like, but we can't leave you by yourself, darling. You're eight years old, and your father and I'm gonna go. So always wondering why do we do this? And anyway, so Chris is like, on when we first started the first week, he goes, and he knew because you're supposed to enter in what you do at home, right? So he can see, and obviously, he's not seeing anyone doing anything during the week, uh, Jeremy and myself. And he's like, Hey, how's the exercise going at home? And I'm like, mm-mm, it's not going anywhere. And then he looked at me and I'm like, Chris, my soul is wondering what is going on with my body, and my body is like, what are we doing here? And the only thing, only part of my body that's happy is my spirit. My spirit is happy, and he was like looking at me like, huh? And I was like, So I decided to say it a little bit louder. My soul is not, my soul is confused why I'm exercising, and my body is wondering and crying, everything inside me, and the only part is my spirit, because I have that wonderful, awesome spirit, and he was like, So let's get back to work. He is so funny. So every now and then he'll be like, Tim, or lift this or do that, and I'm like, my soul is wondering, and my body is, and he's like, I'm sure he's thinking, can you just say yes or no? Why do you have to go on about my spirit and my soul, and my body has left, and my soul is wondering, where can I go back to be trying to bring all three together in alignment to be happy and loving. Oh, we're getting there, we're getting there. My body, my soul, and my spirit. Oh my goodness. I tell you what, but I decided that well, it wasn't me, it's actually Jeremy. He wanted to do this as a family, it's because he said he wanted to support me, and I was thinking there's so many other ways, like spa treatments, foot massages, buffets, you know, someone come and make my bed. Like there's so many other love languages, but what I do love about us going together is one, he can drive, and it's a 20-minute drive to the gym. So Olivia and I have a power nap. I mean, as soon as we get in the car, we both go to sleep. Yeah, and I can get those power naps on like Donkey Kong. I tell you what, mamas, you find that strength and you go to sleep. So that's what I love about it. And also, I love it that we're there as a family now. We are the only ones that he has trained as a family. Usually he said he'll either get the child or a parent, or sometimes, you know, the father and the child, but never like the mom, dad, and the child. So we are the first family that he has trained together, and also of the age, because Olivia's eight years old, typically his uh clients or customers, they're like teenagers and up and older. So, way to go, our family, and we high-five each other, and depending on what the exercise is. Now, here's the thing: depending on what it is, so if you're thinking of taking your little one, and there was one time where I felt like I just looked at her Olivia's face, and I was like, She's not enjoying it, not because um, you know, it's hard, I think there's there's an exercise, and it's just way too much for her in that way, and she's trying her best. And I said to her, Are you okay? And she just looked at me and and she just shook it off because that's what she does. Um, you know, she doesn't want to be dramatic like her mom sometimes in the gym. And I said to her, That's okay, we're gonna because usually when we do an exercise depending on what it is, we'll all do our own thing. Like he gives us, like, okay, this here's other three things you do. You just do you just go at your pace. And so Jeremy and I were just going at a pace, and we kind of forgot to you know oversee her, but she was like has lightweights, I mean, next to nothing, she can do it. But then there's one part of this, I think Chris might have just pushed her just a little bit more, like that one more lift or one more lift, and she just you know, she's a go-gun and she wants to do it, do it. And then um I said to her, you know what? No, it's because I realized if I'm doing something, the whole thing, what's the point? If you're doing something together as a family and your child is not enjoying it, then what is the point? Or if my husband wasn't enjoying it, or me, uh okay, so I'm not enjoying it, but not to the fact where it's a different kind of not enjoyment. So I said to my husband, I don't want to cut coming to the gym if it's making Olivia upset. Like we can't do it as a family. When you do something together as a family, all got to be getting something out of it. Like you're supposed to leave with something awesome or a good feeling, not like you're depleted and now you just feel absolutely horrible because that's not the thing that you want to keep doing. If it keeps emptying you out every day, and the purpose of being together, grow together, learn together, well, it's not a good family activity. So you might want to just think about certain family activities that you do together. I'm not saying all have to come out like a hundred percent fulfillment, but you gotta really ask yourself, why are you doing this together as a family? Like, why did you even start? And for us, it was we wanted to be healthy together, we wanted to enjoy together, do something, but we also wanted to encourage one another and feel good about ourselves and in each other. And so after why I saw Olivia and I was like, no, I think her and the heart for me, the heart is more important at this moment. Like, I mean, I talked about my soul the first day was like gone, the body's like, what is going on? What why are you here exercising at this ridiculous time in my heart? But I'm a lot further ahead and certain, you know, with this with Olivia, so I just know like, okay, but for her, when I saw her, like she was about to cry, I said to Jeremy, I'm going to tell Chris, hey, um, you know, I think we're pushing her too much, and there's certain exercises, and yeah, it's good for us. But and I said, Jeremy, you and I are her parents, and we really need to go back to kind of like the first love of what we want to do. We want to make it fun, but we also want to make it like a little bit that there must be a good balance. And so he said, Good. And then I went to I'm a mom, and you know, we're her parents first, and we know best when we get trainers, and it's like this with her horse trainers or teachers or anyone. One, I tell Jeremy, and he knows too, and he tells me we're both great. We are her parents, and we know what's best for her. We know because we raised her, we pray over her, we have a community, and we are chasing her heart, we are wanting to grow her the best that she can be, you know, just absolutely to uh just to love the way that she is and love God, but also just appreciate. I mean, that's what I mean. And so when someone tells me, uh, I don't know, I'm like, no, I mean, you just know, and you know, as a parent, you have that gut feeling, you have that instant, like, I know my child, and I feel like this would be a better way of approaching that situation, but you gotta really step out because sometimes I'm like, you know, they may be right, but the timing was off or how they did that, so it must be a teamwork. And when I told Chris the next day, like, Chris, it was too much, so we're gonna blah blah blah. And because she didn't know how to tell you, and he was so kind. I mean, as much as I give this guy like Chris, he he was like, Yeah, okay, why don't you tell me? He goes, Oh, sure. And I was like, Well, hey, because he said, you know, I don't have any kids, and he cracked it because that I know of. But he was like, Yeah, our debt, I understand, I get it, and that's why I love about him is that he is willing to work with us and build that partnership with teaching the whole family together. And I notice in the exercises now, it there's a good balance of everything. We all do it together, we're all moving, but I'm sure if you got another family, he would cater it. So always look for people if you're bringing in them to train you and you're doing something together as a family or your child, you want to make sure that they have that talk where they cater for everybody, and that's really difficult. I mean, because he could have said, Well, no, this is how I train, this is what I do, but you can always modify like me. I can I can modify a lot of things, honestly. And maybe I have that gift of modify, I didn't modifization. Is there even a word? I don't know, but yeah, I can like well, we can tweak it a little bit, and if you have someone who's willing to tweak it to help the other person move and get going to learn and grow, that is where the money is. We'll keep coming back and keep giving you money. So he is awesome. So when you're looking and you're exercising, if you want to exercise with family, it may not be at the gym, it may be just something that you all like enjoying, going for a walk, going swimming. I don't know, it could even be something like in the moving park, going to the park together. It could be like playing the balloons, you know, getting balloons, throwing the ball outside, it could be going doing your gardening together, it could be just find something that and it may be like well, I don't know if I enjoy it, I don't know, give it a go. But you want to make sure that everybody, when you finish the activity, is getting something fun out of it. Because if you're not having fun, then you're not really learning. Because if you're not having fun, you're not laughing, you're crying. If you keep doing the activity and you're crying, and someone's crying all the time. Well, then I would consider doing a different activity. No, I just want to say you can do it, you're the mom that is doing the best you can with the time that's given, and have fun, you know. Um, just have fun and continue to love on yourself, you're doing the best you can. Like I said, you're a wonderful mom, you're a wonderful person to the community, and say kind things to yourself. I mean, I'm slowly like there's certain tops that I can wear that I couldn't wear before. Do I have a long way to go? Well, who are you comparing me to? Do I love myself? I sure do. I sure do, ladies. I sure do. I'm the best man for my child and the Best wife for my husband. So I just want to say thank you for listening to the podcast Family of One Child. And you are amazing. Give yourself a 20 second hug, be kind to yourself. Okay. And remember if you want to have a friend, be a friend, but start with yourself. God bless, and I will meet you in the next episode. Bye.