I'd like to give you a gift...

CONFESSIONS-OF-A-FIT-MUM-CAMBRIDGE

CONFESSIONS-OF-A-FIT-MUM-CAMBRIDGE
February 16, 2013 Charli Wall

Morning all, as always I do want to write a long + thoughtful blog post but time being what it is these days, it’s terribly HARD to fit everything in! I am a self-employed single muma (for those of you that didn’t know) and I run Cambridge Bootcamps by myself with help from amazing female trainers (Laura Banks )

I absolutely LOVE exercise, and do my best to make sure all our #CBC ladies get amazing work-outs every week, and access to all the latest Nutritional expert advice. Last year my exercise regime suffered hugely as it was a TOUGH year, so this year my objective has been to schedule that into my diary for ME. I won’t lie, it is incredibly hard to fit everything in, and on top of that be the best mum that I can be to my son Zak, who is nearly 13!! (eeeek, a teenager is looming on the horizon!)   I have been giving this a lot of thought recently, as my time whilst building this business seems to have been taken by various people, courses, learning, staying sane, worrying about financial security, being the focus of ‘haters’, staying ahead of the game, staying happy! I hadn’t realised that relationships with family members (namely my precious sister) had suffered. She said to me not so long ago, that she had given up expecting me to call (she lives in Edinburgh, I am in Cambridge) and it really hit me like a tonne of bricks to my heart! If my own sister had been feeling ‘shut out’, how had my son been feeling… He is an only child, and I think I may have been taking it for granted that as we are in the same house, he knows I am ‘here’.. hmmm….

I started this business when he was just 4 years old.. He is now 12. He is growing up incredibly fast, and they have technology at their disposal that I never had at that age. These days I find that I have lost him to the dark depths of his bedroom, the playstation, and his blackberry :/   However luckily for me, due to the nature of my job (it DOES have it’s advantages :)) I have links with local fitness peeps. One of those being the Crossfit Boxes (that I have blogged about recently)

The Cambridgeshire Crossfit box is relatively new, and has been set up by 3 lads called Lee Carder, Phil Wells, and James Wilkinson. This week being half-term, they very kindly let me take Zak along to train with me, and HE LOVED IT!!! Not only loved it, he wanted to go back and train again 🙂  Zak and I have in the past trained at home, i’ve taught him pull-ups, press-ups, ball slams, but I always seem to be competing with either the distractions of my job, domestic duties OR his mates, playstation, bedroom 😉  Lee, allowing us to train together has given us a new and fun way of being together on an equal level with no distractions! We’ve had a BALL this week, and it’s given us a real connection to share as he grows into his teenage self.

Zak+I training

It is so important to me to be a good role model to him – my fear is that this hasn’t happened in the past – however this may just be my sabotaging black voice that is always ready to believe the negative. I do know he see’s me train regularly, he see’s me help women in my job, encourage healthy home made cooking, discourage sweets, fizzy pop, and I have a very strong work ethic. But how does one ever know how your child views you? If I ask him, he just shrugs his shoulders, says “I dunno” with a grunt, and moves away haha! I suspect this grunting will get marginally worse as the full impact of teenage years hit!

SO, I am going to continue to train with him when I can at the CF cambridgeshire box. Lee has suggested that he start a class for teenagers which I am completely and 100% behind. Zak himself is already growing in confidence, especially as he beat me yesterday on the EMON (Every minute on the minute) ascending Burpee ladder – Yes this is as bad as it sounds…  Every minute, we added 2 burpees, so say for the first minute we completed 2 burpees, then the second minute we completed 4 burpees and so on.  Zak got to 18!! I got to 16 before collapsing in a heap on the floor!

480891_10151503272112146_2021367580_n

My aim is for him to grow into the man he is supposed to be with confidence + integrity. My aim for me is to make time for him, my family, and MYSELF, staying strong.

Being STRONG has many connotations, when I talk about my CBC WOMEN being STRONG, I mean that they have a strong mentality + determination to make more of themselves. Strong are my women who make time to workout at Bootcamp, keeping the plates spinning for their families; perceive that they maybe the least fit, but show up at every session determined to be better than they were yesterday; choosing to be a better role model for their friends or children; choosing to drink water instead of wine.  Strong comes in every conceivable size, shape and colour.

I am strong for my son, I now make time for my sister, I will continue to train with my son, and make the right choices for me.

 

Thanks for listening 🙂

 

Charlie xxx

 

 

 

Me+my boy x

 

Comments (3)

  1. Amy 12 years ago

    Such an honest and inspiring piece of writing Charlie. Keep just being ‘you’. The ‘black voices’ are wrong, wrong, WRONG!

    You’re right. So important to stop, breathe and listen to loved ones and gather your thoughts. TIME is THE hardest challenge. making time for children, partners, friends, work and your own ‘ME time’. The tonne of bricks you felt when your sister was honest about her feelings, she loves you and i’m sure knows you are STRONG enough to pick each one of those bricks up and use them to strengthen your relationship. Sisters rock! 🙂

    I believe, positivity and happiness starts from within and passes on to loved ones. Zak may not have the words to tell you but his actions in joining you in activities like CF speaks volumes of his admiration and love for his Mum.

    P.s. Love that Zak beat you, tell him he’s my hero 🙂

  2. Helen Rothwell 12 years ago

    Setting a good example to our kids, both in work ethic and exercise is so important. You must have a brilliant relationship with your sis that she was able to tell you how she feels and now you can (both) do something about it.
    You are doing a fab job, don’t let the haters tell you otherwise.

  3. Melanie Bowen 12 years ago

    Hello,

    I have a question about your blog, could you please email me? Thanks!!

    Melanie

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*