Hi, my name is Jennifer Mc Guigan. I am a Mum, Physical Education Teacher, Personal Trainer, Yoga Teacher, and Pre & Postnatal Fitness Coach. As the founder of Momentumfit, a women’s corporate wellness business based in the UAE, I’m passionate about helping women reconnect with their strength physically, mentally, and emotionally.
This blog, Empowered Movement: Building Strength from the Inside Out is for every mum who’s ever felt torn between caring for her family and caring for herself. It reminds us that movement isn’t a luxury but a vital daily routine that helps us function, flourish, and feel alive.
Empowered Movement: Building Strength from the Inside Out
As mums, we’re told to “take care of ourselves,” however, that simple act often gets tangled up in intense feelings of guilt. When we think of our own needs, that little voice inside our heads sets of screeching alarm bells with thoughts such as-
“I should be looking after the baby”
“I should be cleaning the house”
“I should be preparing meals”
“What will other people think of me as a mother”
However, the truth is movement isn’t selfish. It’s a daily human necessity. I say that not just as a physical education teacher, personal trainer, yoga teacher, and pre/postnatal coach but as a mum who’s been there. Motherhood is physically and mentally exhausting. The thought of exercise especially when you have had little or no sleep feels impossible and when you finally do get back into “somewhat” of a normal routine, guilt often creeps in with that inner voice saying “Should I really be spending this time on myself away from the baby”
It took me a while to realise that what I needed wasn’t just fitness it was permission. Permission to move for my mind, not just my body. Permission to let go of the “all or nothing” mindset to exercise and most of all, permission to see movement as an act of self-care, not obligation.
For most, fitness is associated with discipline, burning calories, bouncing back, getting that pre baby body back. But this attitude feels outdated in motherhood. Our bodies have done something extraordinary. The body has adapted, stretched, changed and grown life. Why should we approach movement as punishment, when it should be a celebration of how much our bodies can do!
Motherhood doesn’t hold you back, it makes you so much stronger. Pregnancy and postpartum made me stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally. Now, I move with more awareness more respect and more power. I’m able to perform more advanced CrossFit movements than ever before not from pushing harder, but from being patient with myself and respecting what my body can do.
Reframing fitness as a mental health tool means shifting the focus from outcomes to wellbeing. It’s no longer about chasing perfection; it’s about feeling and living in the present. Moving your body brings you back to you. Helping you to refrain from thinking in the past or future to living in the now. For me movement is a form of meditation. It’s a reminder for me and for all women that you are still YOU beneath the layers of motherhood.
When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, natural mood boosters that help lower stress and anxiety. It also improves sleep, increases focus, and increases resilience to everyday challenges. Movement has endless benefits, but for mothers, one of the most important is self-control and regulation. So much of motherhood is reacting to others’ needs and managing chaos. Movement gives you a moment to lead again you choose the pace, the focus and the why. It’s not about bouncing back or chasing results. It’s about grounding yourself, regulating emotions, and reconnecting with your body. In a world that feels unpredictable, movement isn’t indulgent, it’s essential.
Empowered movement isn’t about pushing to exhaustion or forcing 5 a.m. workouts. It’s about showing up for yourself in real, sustainable ways. Maybe it’s ten minutes of stretching while your toddler plays, pram walks for both fresh air and sanity or turning up to class knowing you’ll leave feeling better. It’s choosing consistency over intensity, compassion over comparison. When we let go of the “all or nothing” mindset and embrace “something is better than nothing,” that’s where real, lasting change begins.
So, you might be wondering what Empowered Movement: building strength from the inside out means:
It means saying, “I deserve this time.”
Its means understanding “movement is a daily necessity”
It means showing your kids what self-respect really means.
When your kids see you prioritising movement not as punishment, but as a daily routine they learn that looking after yourself is normal, not selfish. You’re teaching them resilience, self-compassion, and the value of physical and mental health.
To shift your perspective, here’s my advice:
Redefine success. Stretching counts, walking counts, breathing counts. You don’t need to kill yourself in a workout every day to benefit.
Pair movement with mindfulness. Focus on how you feel, not how you look.
Let go of the guilt. Prioritizing movement isn’t taking away from your family; it’s investing in the energy and patience they benefit from. That’s not selfish; it’s strategic.
Find your people. Join a class, community or personal trainer where you feel supported and seen. The right environment makes movement feel like connection, not pressure.
As a mother you need strength, physically, emotionally, and mentally to keep going. So, the next time that voice whispers, “You don’t have time for yourself,” think, “I don’t have time not to.” Your energy, your calm, and your happiness are the foundations of your family. Move for your body, yes but also for your mind, your peace, and your happiness.
That’s Empowered Movement.
