The actress is modeling fitness to her children, and she wants to do it the right way. America Ferrera discovered a new, healthier way to exercise. Gone are the days when exercising made her feel pressured and punished.
The Superstar alum shared how she found a way to move her body in ways that make her feel joyful, strong, and alive, and this is exactly the kind of healthy exercise she wants to model to her children and what she hopes will inspire her children to love exercising.
"Moving our bodies because it brings us joy is something we want to model for our kids," the mom of two expressed.
And since it only takes 30 minutes, the actress shared that she can give her kids artwork while she attends her Zumba class at home.
She shares her two children, 4-year-old Sebastian "Baz," and 2-year-old Lucia, with her husband, director Ryan Piers Williams.
Feels like a reward
Just recently, Ferrera's passion for the Latin dance workout Zumba was reignited when she started partnering with Zumba for Beginners.
In an Instagram post, she shared a video of herself doing the Zumba workout with funny captions that says she was able to get away from her kids, who are currently screaming downstairs, but she cannot quite hear them because of the glorious music she was dancing to. She also used the hashtag #StepIntoHappy, which is literally what Zumba does for her.
The actress admitted that her relationship with working out before was about fixing her body's flaws. Now, working out is so fun that it seems like not exercising at all. It feels like rewarding oneself with a boost of energy and endorphins.
She did not realize how Zumba could give her a full-body workout. She would wake up the next day and see changes in the parts of her body that she did not know were being "worked out" through her dancing.
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Letting go
If there is one thing her fitness and parenting journeys have in common, it is the lesson she learned from them, and that is the willingness to be able to let go of the idea that things should be perfect.
The actress declared that this might be good advice for busy parents like her, she told Today Parents.
If one misses a day of workout, or a week or a month because it was busy, it is okay. Let it go, and pick it back up again once possible. Do not let the past weigh what can be done today.
Let go of the idea that it should be a 1-hour class for it to be beneficial or work. Take it, and make the best of whatever time is there.
All of these thoughts have been helpful for her to show up whenever she can, and she let that be enough. That's what keeps her coming and dancing for more.
Related Article: Zumba Combats Childhood Obesity with North American Movement
