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I wasn’t always a stay-at-home mom.
I used to work in a high-stress industry filled with glamour, pressure, fun, and chaos – I used to be a wedding planner.
This meant I had to learn how to be Fit With Littles at home and at work.
I started working
. . . at the most beautiful wedding venue when I was pregnant with my oldest. Through an exciting chain of “small world” moments, I got the job and worked for six years at the very same wedding venue where my husband and I were married.
At the beginning of my time in this industry, I was not at my healthiest. I went through three pregnancies during my career as a wedding planner and was unhealthy for most of my time working there. Until I gave birth to Nora.
Working with Littles
It’s no secret that working with littles can be a challenge. Being fit with littles while working is even more difficult! I was blessed to have a mother and mother-in-love who graciously took turns watching my kids on my work days and poured into my children when I was away. What a blessing!
Lucy – Baby #1
When I started working at the venue I was halfway through my pregnancy with Lucy.
I began as an assistant which meant I helped with setup, ran back and forth between vendors, and observed and absorbed all I could.
At this point in my life, I did not work out more than an occasional walk and the 12-hour days I would spend on my feet at the wedding venue. I gave into massive cravings on the regular. It didn’t help that right down the road from the venue was a little deli that served the most decadent cheese fries you’ve ever had in your life.
Titus – Baby #2
After Lucy, I worked for a little over a year and grew into a more permanent position at the wedding venue.
I took so much pride in my work and honestly – I felt like a boss. I loved being so knowledgeable and being in charge of something meaningful.
But I still wasn’t healthy.
After I got pregnant with Titus, I spent long days standing and running all day during a wedding, but the rest of my week I did nothing to keep my body in shape for those marathon days. My knees and hips would hurt for days afterward.
I was still ordering milkshakes and cheese fries from Just Mom’s ON THE REGULAR.
Side Note:
I’ve always loved weddings
But working in the industry as a mom was so especially fulfilling. It felt so good to create something amazing from chaotic, unorganized information and then to complete the project- to leave it behind as a finished product.
I think this is why I felt so fulfilled in my work there.
Nora – Baby #3
When I found out I was pregnant with Nora, I was still full steam ahead at the wedding venue.
And then…
the pandemic hit
Things shut down when I was about halfway through my pregnancy and I decided that instead of stopping right before her due date in July, I would stop when things shut down. Everything was different and many weddings were postponed until after Nora’s due date anyway.
The venue made it through the pandemic and handled the whole horrible situation with so much grace.
I eventually went back to work but far less than the 20-30 hours I had done at times in the past.
This time… after Nora. Working was different. I was different.
Healthy at Work
When I came back to work after the pandemic, I had already established some healthy habits.
- I understood portion control better
- I was counting calories and monitoring my nutrition
- I had a healthy workout routine in place
This made being fit with littles at work a little bit easier.
Nutrition on the Job
In the wedding industry, you are hustling for ninety percent of the day. You start setting up decor hours before the ceremony starts and you are responsible for ensuring every vendor is on the same page with your couple’s vision for the day (as well as all the venue’s rules).
This means you grab whatever food you can in whatever amount is available.
Before Nora
Because of this fast pace, by the time you get a break, you are starving and exhausted. My break usually came about 6 hours after I began setup.
When I started working at the venue, I’d call the deli and order my favorites.
If I had to run into the office, I’d grab whatever granola bar, candy bar or donut that happened to be in the office.
After Nora
After I had Nora and I started working on my health, I chose slightly healthier options.
I brought healthy snacks with me and quickly ate them amidst the chaos of the day so that by the time I got my “dinner break” I wasn’t starving.
I’d eat the correct portion amounts.
My body was stronger because I was moving regularly before those long days of hustling on my feet.
This is the part where my husband would roll his eyes and laugh at me. Anytime my husband complains about an ache, I’ll tell him, “You know what could help with that?”
(The answer is always yoga)
Yoga at Work
When I was working and living a healthy lifestyle, I would do yoga any time I had a 5-minute break.
I’d just do one or two poses to stretch out whatever was aching (or I knew would be).
I can’t recommend this enough for anyone with a physically demanding job.
Maybe yoga isn’t for you, but it certainly helped me be fit with littles at work. If you aren’t going to try yoga, stretch in some way.
Don’t wait till you are already hurting! Work out your aches as soon as you start feeling them!
This was so crucial for me at a job where I was either running or standing for long periods of time.
Build Your Health at Home
What I’ve learned is that if you aren’t making healthy choices at home, you won’t be able to make them at work.
Learn Nutrition
Whether this is counting calories to build self-control, learning about macros, or something else altogether; Get your relationship with food under control. It won’t be perfect, but create a healthy routine at home that carries into your job.
Workout at Home, then at Work
Create an exercise routine – whatever that looks like for you. Just build a plan that benefits you at work.
If you work a job where your lower back starts aching when you get home, LEARN YOGA. Find stretches that you can implement in small breaks throughout the day to relieve the pressure you’re building at your job.
If you sit a lot, take a quick walk around the office building or even just stand up and walk to the bathroom and back.
It’s hard work and honestly, you probably won’t want to do it most days. But I promise, it will change things for you.
It did for me.
