You Don't Need Extreme Fitness to Be Worthy

May 16, 2025

I see you, mama. You’re eyeing fitness programs with names like Extreme Intensity or Iron Fury, wondering if perhaps one of these will be tough enough to punish you for eating cookies and then whip you back into shape. Or maybe you follow an influencer who wears tiny shorts and a sports bra that reveal an impossibly smooth, stretch-mark-less stomach, and that has become a goal for you.

There’s big money in telling women they aren’t good enough.

I actually enjoy trying out different kinds of fitness programs. I’ve followed a lot of different fitness regimens over the years (Remember P90X, anyone? Chalean Extreme?) and I’ve followed a lot of influencers. It’s not that there is anything inherently wrong with these programs and instructors, but it sometimes feels like…maybe they are focused on all the wrong things? Maybe they don’t understand my actual life?

It’s kind of like when you go to the dentist and they talk to you like you must have 4 hours a day to devote to dental hygiene. Do they not know that we are wives and mothers? That we have jobs and other responsibilities?

When you take in enough popular fitness content online, it can begin to feel like it’s your job to drink protein shakes, count macros, and be a fitness pro.

But that’s not your job.

In God’s beautiful design of motherhood, your job is to grow, nurture, and care for others, and your body is an important part of how you do that. It’s an anti-woman, anti-mother culture that makes you think you need a drastic overhaul to be worthy and beautiful. What you do need is to be gentle with yourself, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, recovering from pregnancy, or up all night caring for babies.

Try these basics:

😴 Get enough sleep.

It won’t be perfect, but this is probably the most important thing for your physical and mental health.

🥗 Eat nutritious foods.

Again, it won’t be perfect, but good food will give you the energy you need to take care of yourself and your family.

🏋️‍♀️ Move your body.

Exercise is a great way to reduce stress. You don’t need a “program” unless you love that kind of thing. Go for walks, stretch, do 10 minutes of light strength training.

☕ Take time for yourself.

Make time for activities that you enjoy, whether it's reading, taking a bath, or spending time with friends.

💌 Be kind to yourself.

It's easy to be hard on yourself, but it's important to remember that no one is perfect. Be patient and forgive yourself for mistakes.

I see you, mama. You’re doing a phenomenal job taking care of your family. God made a good and holy thing when he made you a mother, and the world is a better place because of the gift of your feminine strength and beauty. 🤍