At REV, Mother’s Day is a day that brings joy, light, and most importantly gratitude to our lives. It is a day where we officially pause – stop pedaling or pulsing– and thank our moms. Whether it is sacrificing their own well-being for ours, shifting their schedules so ours can work, or putting their personal goals on the back burner so we can achieve our own, many of us do not realize how much our moms do. This Mother’s Day season, we want to address each and every REV mom and say: thank you for being the fearless figures in our lives who simply do it all.

To celebrate, we took a moment to sit down with mom of two, and our very own badass Barre Instructor, Jackie Warren. She juggles two youngsters, teaches barre, has another side hustle AND still manages to fit in her own workout. How does she do it?

On a scale of 1-10 how important is it that you workout and why?

Working out has always been a priority of mine.  From an early age, I was involved with sports and would work out regularly on my own.  I was that girl in high school doing Taebo workouts at home.

Did you workout during your pregnancies? If not, why not?

Yes, I worked out throughout both of my pregnancies. REV wasn't in business when I was pregnant with Claire, but we had a spin bike at home that I would do regularly, as well as pre-natal yoga.  For Jonathan, my second, I didn't spin at all. I had a couple miscarriages between my pregnancies and I was just super cautious the second time around, so barre was my thing. I took and taught up until 38 weeks!

How much time do you dedicate to exercising each week and how do you squeeze in time?

I'd say on average, I spend about 6 hours a week working out.  My routine has had to shift with kids. I used to be a night time exerciser, but I've converted to a 6am'er and LOVE IT!  When my alarm goes off at 5:40, there are no excuses getting in my way and I have so much more energy throughout the day. I also love that it doesn't interfere with anyone else's schedule.  When I get home at 7am, my kids are normally just getting up. Honestly, it's my fix. I'm a better mother and wife when I work out. Ask my family 🙂

What keeps you motivated when you’re tired or your little ones have worn you out?

My biggest motivation is being a role model for my clients. I'm all about practice what you preach. Sure, there are days when I don't feel like working out and sometimes I skip a day, but for the most part, I try to push through because I know I'll feel better afterwards.

What does a typical day look like for you?

A typical day is wake up at 5:40 to either teach or workout.  Home by 7, jump in the shower, feed and dress the kids, and out the door to drop Claire off at school by 8.  Then I’m back home with my main man, Jonathan (2 yrs). We normally have some sort of morning outing planned, but are back home by 12 for lunch and a nap.  When he naps, I work (I'm a part time recruiter). Sometimes, if it's nice, we head to the park before dinner to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. I usually fall on the couch by 8 and off to bed by 9.  It's very glamorous!

What do you find as your biggest struggle - food, exercise, time, or motivation?

All 4, some days one more than others.  I just try to make good choices everyday and live a balanced lifestyle.  I love to cook and eat, so I'm not one for depriving myself. And if I know I'm going to go a little overboard one day, I make sure I hit the gym that morning or first thing the next day.

What is the best part of your day?

My favorite part of the day is after bath time. We normally monkey around on the couch or on our bed with the kids.  I love seeing Claire and Jonathan play together and when their silly personalities come out. It makes all the hard work and exhaustion SO worth it.

Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to new moms and moms-to-be, what would it be?

It's hard to give just one piece of advice to new moms or moms to be, but I guess what I would say based on my experience, is to make sure you do not put your needs aside.  Being a mother is a huge responsibility that can be both suffocating and overwhelming, so it's super important to maintain self care.  For me, self care is exercise. It's those 45 minutes in class that I focus on myself. No one is asking me for something. I don't have to be anywhere. I can just be present and work on myself.

Jackie has been able to find a small niche in her own life where she can really focus on herself – even just 45 minutes to take or teach class. Walking out of the spin or barre room, Jackie ultimately returns to her daily life with a sharpened set of tools. Motherhood is something that cannot be understood until you take on the challenge yourself – and “challenge” is a vast understatement. Everyday, the mothers in our community show us how to fight for happiness with perseverance and love.