I discovered lifting when I was 25 years old and man I wish I had discovered it sooner. Lifting has absolutely changed my life which is why this blog was born in the first place.

Heavy lifting is my favorite form of exercise and I figured I’d highlight the reasons why in a blog post. If you haven’t tried lifting heavy yet, I really encourage you to give it a shot!

5 Ways Heavy Lifting Has Made Me a Better Mom

This is my squat mark on our homemade squat rack. 

• It gives me time alone.

This is hard to come by as a mom and if you’re a mom I know you already know what I’m talking about so I don’t really think I need to spend much time on this.

• It makes me stronger.

Lifting heavy doesn’t just make my muscles stronger it makes me feel stronger inside and out. As somebody who experiences regular bouts of depression this is a natural antidepressant and there are no nasty side effects – just good ones.

• It allows me to set a great example for my kids.

There’s no question that kids are spending a lot of time sitting and staring at TVs and personal devices these days. When your kids see you being active and working out it makes them interested too. When my kids were younger I had no problem with them working out with me. These days I prefer to workout alone and they’ll usually workout together after I’m done. They aren’t necessarily beasting it up with “yuge” weights but they do definitely lift weights, do pull-ups and do cardio on the rower and treadmill.

• It gives me confidence.

When I lift heavy weights it makes me feel like a badass. What’s not to like about that? The best way to increase confidence is by killing negative thoughts, taking positive action and doing things you thought you couldn’t do. Just go for it. Any form of exercise can be very empowering and helps you feel good about yourself.

• It’s a super healthy way to relieve stress.

Being a parent is stressful. Lifting heavy is one of the best ways I’ve found to relieve all kinds of stress. Some people go running, some people have a drink (which I’m known to do) but the best way I’ve found for me is to challenge myself with heavy lifts.

I really feel like taking the time to work on yourself – whether it be workouts or other hobbies – can help make any mom the best mom she can be. Us moms need a little time to ourselves to do what we enjoy, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day. Lifting heavy is what currently works for me. It keeps my body moving which is more and more important as we get older cuz let me tell ya, my metabolism is not where it used to be.

If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to lifting I definitely recommend these reads:

• The New Rules of Lifting for Women
• Thinner, Leaner, Stronger