41, Personal trainer
All about the Andrews family:
I have been married to my husband Jerry for eight years. We have a two-year-old daughter named Eliza Jane and a fur baby named Jill, who rules the house. We started Eliza in an ISR swimming program last fall, and now she loves swimming. We can’t keep her away from the water. She loves books, and she insists I read at least four books a night to her before bed. She goes to daycare twice a week, so on the days we are together, we love to go to the zoo and take walks to the park when it’s nice outside. If it’s raining, we like to go to Jumping Jelly Beans for her to paint or play in the ball pit.
Motherhood rewards & challenges:
My favorite part of motherhood is watching Eliza grow and learn how to say and do things. She’s so inquisitive and picks up on things so fast. My day is made when she says I love you or hugs me so tight. The biggest challenge has been the journey to getting pregnant. It took us five years to get pregnant due to some fertility issues. With surgery, we were able to find out the causes and naturally conceived her. I am so thankful for her and thank God for what we went through to have her.
Balancing motherhood & fitness:
I have a saying that I use daily for myself and my clients: Invest in yourself. Self-care isn’t selfish. I can’t be there for her if I’m not here for me. I am fortunate to be a stay-at-home mom, but I get my workouts done in the morning before she wakes up. Staying active and fit gives me the energy and ability to take care of my daughter, whether running around chasing her or holding her while we go upstairs to get ready for bed.
How I stay active:
I am a trainer at Shed Memphis and a personal trainer at FitlifewithPatty LLC. I work out six days a week for about an hour, not including walks we take during the week. I also pride myself on my nutrition because that is the biggest part of staying fit. You can’t out-workout bad eating habits.
My fitness goals:
I’m not a big runner, but I like to dabble in the local 10ks, and I have done the Spartan race in Nashville. My next goal is to do another Spartan race in a different city.
The importance of prioritizing wellness:
I want to be healthy for myself to enjoy the activities we partake in, but I also want to live a healthy and happy life for my family. I’m not just living for myself anymore.
My advice for new mothers:
Give yourself grace. They’re only little for so long. Love the good with the bad because you will miss it. Stay active for you and them.
By Lucy Modzelewski
Photo by Laramie Wheeler
