It took me years before I decided I was worth it. Carving out time for myself felt selfish and decadent. I started slowly when my youngest started preschool with resuming exercise after nearly a decade of doing nothing. At first I had to justify exercise. It was for my health. It made me a better mom because I was more calm afterwards.
And, I had to start slowly. I was in no shape to tackle anything too aerobic. Climbing two sets of stairs was strenous for me. I started with beginning yoga. Then kickboxing. Finally boxing. Boxers really are the fittest athletes on the planet!
My Top 5 Mom Indulgences (to carve out time for myself)
1. Private Boxing Lesson 30 minutes is enough for a good sweat and learning some sparring technique in the ring. And nothing feels better than hitting the sweet spot of the pad with boxing gloves!
2.Lunch Dates with My Husband Spending time with my husband sans kids was my next indulgence. Our easy fix since we now both work from home is to eat lunch out. We sometimes say we are “screening” restaurants to bring our kids to. See? It’s not easy to indulge without guilt!
Who knew that a New Orleans style Po Boy sandwich shop would open in our New England suburb? I feel so lucky. The Po Boys here are amazing! I think my kids would like it too!
3. Dark Chocolate My latest discovery is this particular chocolate bar. Strangely, the dark chocolate versions are better than the milk chocolate even though I am usually a milk chocolate type.
I love the bits of crystallized ginger embedded throughout. The best part? My kids do not like dark chocolate so it’s all for me, me, me!!
4. The Mindy Project I spent a happy weekend binge-watching The Mindy Project. I swear that the writing seems to improve palpably with each show.
It was a slow love affair. I started off with her book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and Other Concerns, which was hilariously funny. I don’t watch a lot of TV but if there is one comedy to watch, I would try to convince you to watch this one. The writing is Emmy worthy and has Seinfeld longevity.
5. Quaker® Chocolate Chip Cookies The packets are perfect to slip into my purse for a quick snack. I love the crispy texture of these chocolate chip cookies and the oatmeal is a healthy addition! It’s perfect with a cup of tea! Of course, my kids love them too so we have to either stock up or duke it out. Good thing I am the only one boxing in my house!
What is your favorite mom indulgence and do you find it hard to carve time out for yourself too?
Quaker® Chocolate Chip Cookies allow me to be indulgent while still providing the power of Quaker® oats to fuel me for whatever the rest of the day might hold.
Share how celebrate your me-time and go to Everyday Health for more fun stories.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quaker®. The opinions and text are all mine.
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
