Venus is back!

Our Strollnetics role model Venus has returned with a new post!

We’re excited that she’s back on track (or back on her feet) after months of procrastination. We all know how easy it is to drop fitness habits and how hard it is to find the motivation to start again.
Venus is our hero as she has managed to get back to her daily walking routine and lost 5 lbs without even noticing it!
Read this post to find out why she abandoned fitness AND why she came back again…

The best-laid plans

Well, we have all been there. I think moms can especially relate. We have a weight loss goal so we make a plan. We think the plan is great but, more than that, we think it is doable. Then life happens. School starts again or work gets busy, a child gets sick, or there’s some other kind of random schedule change. Moms know that the simplest thing can not just throw a plan slightly off course but throw it right out the window!

Snow way I’m going out there!

The plan I made last summer was totally doable at the time. However, as the seasons changed, other factors weighed in. One was the weather. New York City had an extraordinary amount of snow! When it was not snowing, it was really cold. OK, I feel silly writing this knowing that Lena lives in Latvia and I can’t even imagine the winters she has seen! At the same time, I am conscious that we are all different and should not be too hard on ourselves. But one thing I should do – and can do – is encourage myself to start over.

New beginnings

Spring came once again and New Yorkers could not have been happier. Little by little I started taking my son out in his Joovy again. I realized that it was much easier to start over than I thought it would be. All I had to do was try again. Right away I remembered why I loved it. We enjoyed being outdoors, and we were spending time together while I was doing something healthy for myself. Unlike returning to the gym, I did not have to worry about being judged. It was just the Joovy, Esai and me. I felt great.

Back in the swing of things

As the weather got warmer, I went out more and more. Now it’s almost August and since I started in May, I’ve made a habit of walking with the jogger 3-4 times a week. I would say to anyone who has stopped and started again, taking the time to get reacquainted with the weight and handling of a jogger is certainly key. I feel totally comfortable and confident once more and can’t wait to start incorporating Strollnetics exercises into my walking/jogging sessions. I also look forward to the challenge of sticking with my walking routine right into and all throughout winter.

The greatest lesson

This time I will definitely ask for more advice on how to handle the stroller in the snow and I will be more forgiving of myself when it proves to be difficult. After all, what kind of challenge isn’t difficult? It’s said that we learn our greatest lessons from our failures, and true strength is measured in how we overcome our failures. In that case, I will embrace the parts of this challenge that are difficult, knowing that they will only make me stronger – and that nothing proves strength more than the willingness to try again.