Sounds About Right
Did it really take a peer reviewed study for these researchers to figure this one out? My wife and I often marvel at the amount of spare time we had (and mostly wasted) before the kids arrived on the scene:
A study found that mothers of young children were heavier and ate more calories, sugary drinks and fatty foods than childless women. Dads and moms in the study were less active than their peers without kids. Sheri Lee Schearer, 34, says the results reflect her life with a 5-month-old son. Before, when she worked as a paralegal, she had time to make a spinach salad or go out for one. Now, as a stay-at-home mom in southern New Jersey, she grabs whatever is easiest and quickest. “I often find that his needs come before mine,” she said. “Do I get to the gym? No. Do I eat always healthy? No.”
When you’re in a family, you need to make choices. Here’s a snippet of dialogue that my wife had with a co-worker a number of years ago:
WIFE: I wish I had worked out yesterday.
COWORKER (who is unmarried): Why didn’t you?
WIFE: I decided to spend time with my husband instead
COWORKER: Working out is more important to me
“Mothers had a slightly higher average body-mass index than childless women — 27 versus 26. Healthy BMIs are in the 19-24 range.”
I just figured this out, a for a woman my height (5′ 7″) , the difference in BMI amounts to 5 pounds. I’m not sure how significant that is insofar as long-term health risks are. Not much is my guess. I have to wonder who much workng out is going out at the gym by those unmarried women if that’s all the benefit they’re getting.
“I decided to spend time with my husband instead.”
Raber and I solved this problem by going for a walk every night after dinner. We make The Boy do the dishes while we’re gone. Hee hee. Sometimes we stop at the library and have a coffee or latte.