Healthy lifestyles, motherhood are a perfect fit

These Miami Valley women have found a way to make fitness and family life work

It’s hard to stay in shape with young kids. From the busy schedule to shedding stubborn baby fat, it’s tough to find time for yourself amid a life of new responsibilities.

Metabolism, stamina and energy levels start to decline for women in their 30s, and coupled with childbirth — which can leave young moms no energy for themselves — staying fit can seem next to impossible.

While doctors recommend simple workouts and stay-at-home exercise options (like workout DVDs), it’s also important to gain the support of family and friends so that a healthy lifestyle is easier to achieve.

It’s possible, because some women have made it work, including five Dayton-area moms who are fit and proud of it. There are no secrets here: Every workout routine, every approach to losing weight and every lifestyle is different. But the demands of motherhood and the drive to succeed remain the same.

Bobbie Cheatham

27, Miamisburg

Bobbie Cheatham was always a runner. In high school, she ran cross-country and even until she was 7 months pregnant, she ran. Now, with two daughters — 4-year-old Molly and Allie at 18 months — Cheatham is still going strong.

An auditor at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Cheatham finds time to work out at home by running on an elliptical machine, biking, doing yoga and lifting weights.

But it’s running that provides Cheatham with her best workout, especially when she’s pushing her double jogging stroller down the Miamisburg bike path with Molly and Allie inside.

Her daughters contribute in other ways as well, whether it’s doing lunges together, sitting on mom’s stomach during butt lifts, or merely keeping up with two kids younger than 5.

“They help me work out by adding to the weight,” Cheatham said, laughing.

During their runs, Cheatham says she and her daughters will visit her husband, who plays softball and soccer near their Miamisburg home. But when it comes to working out together, Cheatham says Chris usually begs off.

“He says I would kill him,” Cheatham said.

Cheatham keeps herself motivated by mixing up her workouts as much as possible, and taking breaks if a certain routine becomes too monotonous. But she doesn’t stay sedentary long.

“I really enjoy staying fit, and even though I take breaks, I can feel it if I stop for too long.”

Jennifer Leen

36, Centerville

Jennifer Leen has devoted her life to helping other achieve wellness. For herself and her three children — 7-year-old Sophia, 5-year-old AJ and 3-year-old Gavin — maintaining balance and a healthy lifestyle is second nature.

Yoga, being outdoors, swimming and bike riding are all parts of Leen’s workout routine, but for Leen, staying fit means taking care of the body, soul and mind.

“I think part of staying fit is just to balance exercise with a healthy lifestyle,” Leen said. “You can’t have one without the other.”

A former yoga instructor and now the wellness coordinator for LS Benefits in Centerville, Leen said losing stubborn baby weight is about rejoicing in the miracle of life.

“Love what you have done,” Leen said. “In time, (the weight) will come off. The kids are part of your experience.”

According to Leen, it’s OK not to have the energy to exercise everyday. It’s more important, Leen said, to do what’s right for your body.

“Motherhood can become a complicated experience if you let it,” Leen said. “I try to listen to my tuition, then go with that.”

This includes maintaining a natural diet and including her active children in her workouts.

“I’m lifting about 25 dumbbells every five minutes,” Leen said. “They’re my best personal trainers.”

Carla Rush

30, Centerville

Carla Rush has little time to get to the gym. A former social worker and stay-at-home mother of one, Rush has devoted her time to her 2-year-old, Sophie. However, even this busy mom has found time to stay fit everyday.

“I don’t know if it’s easy, but if you carve out smaller segments of time for yourself, you can do it,” Rush said.

After having a C-section, Rush immediately set to work slimming down. Now, Rush’s workout includes morning walks with Sophie and her dog, 20 minutes of crunches and lunges, and the occasional workout DVD.

“Even if I have only 20 minutes, I’ll do something,” Rush said.

And even though it’s hard to get away, Rush also goes to the gym on the weekends and attends Zumba classes one night a week, a workout routine that incorporates Latin dance.

Her eating habits are also important. Training herself not to eat off her daughter’s plate, Rush said she tries to have fruit on hand for cravings, as well as healthy lunches — like chicken salad with tomatoes and cucumbers — prepared ahead of time.

Rush said pregnancy and motherhood makes her more forgiving of her body, but said working out gives her the mental energy she needs to keep up with Sophie and makes her feel even better about herself.

“In all of this, it’s important to remember yourself.”

Velvet Swartzel

38, Englewood

Seven years ago, Velvet Swartzel worked in architecture and was the mom of one. Now, the mother of 14-year-old Shane and 2-year-old Jayden, Swartzel is in better shape than ever thanks to yoga and pilates.

Swartzel has taught yoga and pilates for seven years now, teaching at YMCAs, local community centers and Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton.

At her classes, Swartzel said she sees a lot of young mothers.

“Pilates is really good for rehabilitating abdominals,” Swartzel said.

Getting into yoga, though, involved overcoming several preconceptions.

“I used to think that (yoga) was kinda wussy,” Swartzel said. “Instead, it is really challenging and a really wonderful core workout. ... In fact, my older son (who plays football) thinks yoga is hard.”

Swartzel introduces variety into her workout with jazzercise and walking.

“Walking is really good for you,” Swarztel said. “It’s much better than people imagine.”

Whatever the workout involves, it is important that new moms take care of themselves.

Swartzel said after being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, she immediately had to adopt a healthy lifestyle and eating habits.

“Diets only work so far,” she said. “In fact, (diets) end up being a stumbling block for a lot of people (looking to get fit).”

This lifestyle also includes setting aside time for yourself.

“Even if it means getting a baby sitter, it’s really important to get that time away.”

Chrissy Weaver

37, Beavercreek

After Chrissy Weaver had her second child, she knew something had to change. She never had problems with weight, but after giving birth to now 5-year-old Benjamin, she weighed 160 pounds (heavy for her petite frame) and the weight wouldn’t come off.

Now, Weaver has dropped nearly 60 pounds and is an accomplished figure competitor, placing in several national qualifying competitions since she began in 2007. Unlike body building, which emphasizes large muscles, figure competitors work to maintain an athletic and toned body.

It’s difficult work: Besides working at Sycamore Primary Care, Weaver balances a home life and is working to become a physical therapy assistant at Clark State Community College. Then, there are her workouts.

To maintain her muscle tone, Weaver lifts weights and does cardio four days a week, maintains a healthy diet and once a month meets with a Cincinnati trainer who works specifically with figure competitors.

For Weaver, the lifestyle shift was difficult but worth it.

“It was hard, but it’s easy now,” Weaver said. “It makes me much happier to be healthy and keep up mentally.”

To ensure that everything gets done, Weaver said it’s important to be organized and maintain a consistent routine.

“I tell everybody I live by an Excel spreadsheet, but I really do the same thing everyday.”

Taking care of two children is another challenge. Weaver said she works out in the morning and relies on her husband to help out with household chores. But mom’s work ethic may be rubbing off on her family: Her 5-year-old recently received his first set of dumbbells.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-0633 or lhouser@DaytonDaily

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