Every now and then, someone asks me if I exercise regularly in order to maintain my girlish figure (HA!). This question does not usually come from a mother of small boys. She would not ask such a question because she knows. For those of you who aren’t in the know, here’s a small sampling of my daily “exercise routine” at the gym… er… house:

Stair-stepper: 50 reps up, 50 reps down (at least)

Weight lifting: 30 to 40 lb dead-lifts (of the boy variety) – 50 reps (on a slow day)

Leg Presses: 30 to 40 lb weights (of the boy variety) – 30 reps (did I mention PER BOY!)

Cardio (Including, but not limited to):

• Running (aka chasing)
• Aerobics (aka bending, twisting, lifting (of the non-boy variety such as laundry, toys, books, etc.))

• Wrestling (aka superhero play, or any play with boys)

Keep in mind, this is only a sampling of my workout routine, which varies a great deal from day to day, but is never less rigorous than what I’ve described. So the next time you look at someone and think to yourself, “How does she stay in shape? She doesn’t even exercise!” Think again! If the “she” in question is a mama, she may not go to the gym or yoga class or out on the trails, but she MOST DEFINITELY exercises.