How supermom Edna Serranilla balances fitness, business and family

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Imagine raising eight, while running a successful business and hitting the gym regularly. It takes true grit, willpower and lots of energy to accomplish such a feat.

 One supermom we know who pulls it off flawlessly is Edna Serranilla. A mother and grandmother at the helm of a large family and a successful business, she has boundless energy. Anyone who meets her would agree that her bubbly, outgoing personality makes her the life of the party.

 Edna credits regular exercise for recharging her with happy endorphins. She has been a devoted gym goer for years, even enrolling her whole family down to her grandchildren. Her secret? Whether it’s fitness or family, you need to make time for the things that matter to you. Read on to find out how she does it all. 

Philippine Star: How busy are you? What is a typical day in your life?

Edna Serranilla: I run a business with my husband. From Mondays to Fridays I have a full work schedule that starts from after lunch. My mornings are usually spent on either running errands, having personal appointments or working out. Evenings are spent checking up on the whereabouts of my big family. My youngest just graduated high school, but despite that I make sure to keep the family close knit by constantly updating our group chat and being updated on their activities.

After checking up on everyone’s days, I try to unwind. I try not to take work home with me because my home is my personal sanctuary, where I can de-stress and recoup my thoughts. It’s important to have some time to unwind at night because I feel that it helps you feel energized and centered for the next day.

Why is working out a priority for you?

As a working woman, it’s always hard to carve out time for yourself because at some point everyone, whether at work or at home, will want a piece of your time. Working out is a priority for me because it helps me feel energized for the rest of my busy week.

I am very family-oriented, and so working out for me not only energizes me, it also makes me feel like I am doing something towards building a healthy life so I can be around to see my future grandkids and my great grandkids after that. Exercise for me is like bulletproofing yourself against illnesses.

How do you balance time for exercise with motherhood and your busy schedule?

Time management is key. You have to actively look at your schedule and carve out time for the gym otherwise working out will fall through the cracks. It’s easy to just keep pushing back time for the gym especially when your schedule becomes busy. A fixed gym schedule helps. Keeping that in mind, saying MWF between so and so hours is your gym day and working everything around that will help you keep your fitness goal in check.

Are there times when you bond with your family through fitness?

Thankfully, everyone in my family is active, from my husband to my sons and daughters, down to my teenage granddaughters. As a matter of fact, my whole family is enrolled in the gym together (well, maybe except for my younger grandkids, they have a few years ahead before I enroll them, too)!

Do you follow any special diet? Are there any efforts done in the kitchen at home to keep the family healthy?

I don’t follow any strict diet. I tried every diet there is but I feel that depriving myself of what I feel like eating is more detrimental to my fitness goals. So I have learned to eat everything in moderation. Small frequent meals work for me.

What advice would you give other mothers who want a healthier lifestyle for themselves and their families?

My advice for mothers who want to live a healthier lifestyle is simple: you basically need to make time for it. You have to treat exercising as you would studying in school. Think of the gym as your classroom wherein you are the student and the teacher is your personal trainer who checks your attendance. That way, it becomes hard for you to actually miss a day of gym. Always bear in mind that exercising produces happy endorphins that fuels the mind and body. You need to invest in yourself so that there is more of you to give.

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Post me a note at mylene@goldsgym.com.ph or mylenedayrit@gmail.com.