January 1, 2007

Moms, Read This: Fitness Model and Figure Competitor Francisca Dennis has Six Children!

Nothing prepares you for having a baby. It is the most overwhelming experience of any new mom. And with the blood, sweat, and tears it takes to return to your pre-baby level of fitness – let’s simply say for most, it unfortunately never happens.

Now multiply by six all those sleepless nights, diapers, and pounds gained, and you begin to understand how amazing fitness model, figure competitor, and marathon runner Francisca Dennis is.

"My decision to have such a large family is not a very common thing. I’ve come to expect the shocked and surprised response from people when they ask if my husband and I have children, and they hear that we have six," explains Dennis.

Shortly after having her sixth child, Dennis became officially serious about fitness when she completed her first marathon. "I knew that I could achieve anything after that," she says. "I began pushing myself even harder in the gym and educating myself on nutrition. Always one for a challenge and goal setting, I decided that I would try a competition. Placing second at my first show gave me great inspiration to continue."

Dennis’ first show was in October of 2005 at the FAME Halloween Mayhem competition where the 5’7", 125-pound mother of six competed in the Fitness Model category and placed second. Then in May of 2006, she placed second again at FAME Centrals. The same month, she earned her FAME Pro Card when she finished first in the Fitness Model category at FAME Nationals held in Montreal.

How does one keep up with six kids? Dennis finds that fitness is not a luxury but a necessity for keeping up with her children and combating the stress of such a busy home and professional life. Francisca explains, "Maintaining and improving my physique would come second to the feeling of well-being that I get from my workouts. The stresses everyone experiences with our hectic lifestyles can be alleviated by the endorphin rush you get from a good training session."

And getting back in shape with young children takes flexibility and a little ingenuity. Dennis would incorporate her running with her children; the youngest ones rode in a double stroller while the older children biked alongside. She also took full advantage of her gym’s babysitting service, and if that wasn’t possible, she’d do exercise videos at home.

"Things are a lot easier now that my kids aren't babies," says Dennis. "But I still have to organize my time in such a way that I can do all of my work, running around, meal prep, chauffeuring, etc., and still fit in my training. Training in the morning works best for me. If I'm training for a competition, I will do my cardio around 5:30 a.m., before my kids get up, then get the crew fed and off to school. Then I do my weights for about an hour."

Dennis offers moms other organization tips that she has found indispensable. She says, "Writing out a weekly meal plan is a great idea and saves tons of time. It will be easier to stick to a healthy diet and you're much less likely to feel like you'd rather just pick up something ‘fast,’ because this way you have all the stuff that you need at hand and don't have to run out to pick up this or that at the store. As well, making enough for a couple meals saves time."

She also finds – and who doesn’t? – that mornings with children can be stressful. Keeping her "to do" list written down in her day planner, which she has nicknamed "The Brain," and having outfits chosen and lunches made saves time and makes her less stressed.

"Raising a family, marriage, working, education, hobbies, and fitness, don’t have to be things that are mutually exclusive," Dennis explains. "You can do it, but the key is balance, organization, focus, and determination. Attitude is key, because you have to believe in yourself. Your willingness to be positive, which is a choice, will affect your outcome.

"Working out might be the last thing that you want to do right now. I don’t think you should feel guilty for missing a day, a week, or even a month. It’s the big picture that’s important. If you get off track for too long, though, it can be very difficult to start up again. Sometimes, you do need a break and that’s ok; just remember that if you fall off the training and healthy eating wagon, keep getting back on."

Good advice.

...Alison Aulph
alison@seriousaboutfitness.com

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