Strong Moms. We are starting a continuing series on the strong moms in our fitness community. We want to celebrate, educate, listen, and inspire. We asked our Flexibility Training Director Cara Turnquist about motherhood, strength, health, and living the lifestyle. 

You know how in an airplane you have to put your own air mask on before helping a kid? That’s sort of how I think of taking time for my health and fitness.

If I don’t take care of myself I’m less likely to be able to take care of my son.

Working out reminds me of what an amazing miracle my body is.

I wasted years after my son was born feeling like motherhood had wrecked my body and I had to punish it for misbehaving by working out really hard. At some point I started working out because of the respect I have for my body.

Now each workout is a way to honor my body and the things it can do. This is the example I want to set for my children.

Being a parent can be challenging. Working out is the best stress reliever I know. Focusing on something else for a bit and getting some energy out of my system helps me take a step back and make better decisions for my son.

Quick story about how living a healthy lifestyle makes for some awkward social situations: One day while dropping my son off at childcare another mother was sitting her daughter down at a table for a quick breakfast. Which, this morning, was a sleeve of powdered doughnuts. My son very loudly informed the child that doughnuts were not a proper breakfast and she would have to do a lot of jumping jacks to burn off the wiggles she would get from the sugar. I could not have been more proud and more mortified!