Why it's important for moms to train in front of their kids

Our parents are the first people we love and look to for guidance and support. They are our first teachers who taught us how to walk, talk, our beliefs about money, other people, what it takes to be successful, ourselves, and how the world works originate from what we saw and heard in our home.

Picture a world where going to the gym, eating healthy food and working on becoming the best and fitter version of yourself is “normal”. Now take a moment and think about how much your own personal values stems from your early childhood teachers. As an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and Certified personal trainer, I myself have noticed a pattern with my younger twenty something year old clients who sees the value of hiring a good personal trainer simply because they grew up watching their parents do the same. 

Take a moment and evaluate your early childhood environment and exposures.  How much of your diet or your ideas of being active are the same or have changed?  For example, if you grew up having a bowl of sugary cereal for breakfast, do you still consider that as a go-to choice today? Or have you learned to make healthier choices that do not spike your blood sugar in the morning? 

Staying active at any age helps to promote overall health. Parents should model healthy physical activity behaviours by being active themselves and also interacting with their children in physical activities like strength training at home, bike riding, walking and active play.  Parents also need to be aware that their daughters need to spend just as much time and energy being physically active as their sons.

Building a healthy foundation is important for raising children to be healthy adults. But also teaching them the value of hard work and delayed gratification when you consistently show up for yourself. Children are naturally active, and by encouraging this with fitness guidance will create lasting habits.

Carving out time for yourself as a mom to work on your own fitness can be very challenging. As a personal trainer I have to condone all of my mom clients who have the courage to fill their own cups to train with me while their toddlers are present by their sides.  The fun part is sometimes we get to include their child as the weight for goblet squats, overhead presses and hip thrusts. It’s honestly so amazing to watch these children being exposed to a home gym environment, having fun and see their parents striving to become healthier and fitter versions of themselves.