JulieLeung.com: a life told in tidepools

At the park the other day, friends from Michaela’s childbirth class commented that they always see me with a child in my arms. One remarked that I must have great biceps. I laughed. Although I am trying to get in shape, I am not doing well with my efforts. Since children arrived, I’ve had a harder time exercising the way I once did.

Recently I remembered that I had a pair of 10 pound weights. I haven’t used them in years; in fact I remember wondering whether moving them from San Jose would be worth the work. The other day I took them out from their place and did a few sets of exercises with them.

Upper body strength has never been my forte. In high school I always worked with the smallest set of dumbells for my arms. I felt like a weakling (although not at 97 pounds). Yet even though it has been years since I last used these weights, I don’t feel sore. The reps I did felt fairly easy. I was surprised. Perhaps my friends were right. Perhaps carrying toddlers around for years has given me more muscle than I realized.

Who needs Charles Atlas when you have children?!