The Bare Ass Minimum: How Moms Can Prioritize Fitness and Self-Care Without Guilt
Motherhood changes everything—our schedules, our priorities, and most of all, our bodies. Whether you’re pregnant, newly postpartum, deep into toddler life, or coming up for air after years of parenting, one thing remains true: finding time for yourself can feel impossible.
Fitness often falls to the bottom of the priority list, and when we do try to get back into it, we’re met with a body that doesn’t feel the same. Whether it’s pelvic floor dysfunction, back pain, or just feeling weak and disconnected from movement, it can be frustrating to figure out where to start.
But what if we shifted our mindset? What if fitness wasn’t about getting back to where we were before kids, but about working with the body we have now?
That’s exactly what Kaye Burrows, founder of Core Love Fitness, is helping moms do. Through pre- and postnatal fitness, pelvic floor recovery, and strength training for women at every stage, she’s redefining what it means to work out as a mom. In our conversation, she shared game-changing insights on how moms can build strength, reconnect with their bodies, and most importantly—ditch the guilt.
Relearning Your Body After Pregnancy
Pregnancy and childbirth are incredible, but they can leave us with unexpected physical challenges. For me, that came in the form of pubic symphysis dysfunction (PSD)—a condition that caused severe pelvic pain, making movement almost unbearable.
I had this vision of myself staying active throughout pregnancy—maybe even doing CrossFit—but reality looked very different. I couldn’t work out the way I had imagined, and postpartum, I was still struggling with pain and pelvic floor issues. The idea of stepping into a workout class felt completely out of reach.
Kaye reassured me that this is a common experience for many moms. Your body changes, and so does how you need to approach fitness. Instead of jumping back into what worked before, relearning the language of your body is key.
“I think most of all, like you said, it's about relearning the language of your body. Your body is so different.”
One of the most surprising things for me was how certain movements would trigger symptoms. For example, if my legs were close together, I was definitely going to pee my pants. But if they were farther apart? No problem. It just shows how unpredictable postpartum recovery can be!
Ditching the “All or Nothing” Mindset
One of the biggest mindset shifts moms need to make is letting go of the idea that a workout only counts if it’s long, intense, and sweat-drenched. Kaye calls this the “all or nothing” trap—where we think if we can’t do a full 45-minute or hour-long workout, we might as well not do anything at all.
But what if we looked at it differently?
At Core Love, Kaye uses a system called "1, 2, 3 + R” to help women tune into what their bodies need each day. Instead of pushing through exhaustion or stress, moms learn to pick a workout level that actually serves them.
“That 45- to 60-minute workout that completely kicks your butt is awesome when it's good, when you've had enough sleep, when you've had enough food. But it's actually the wrong choice if you're not in that state.”
Sometimes, the best choice isn’t an intense workout—it’s a 5- to 10-minute session focused on core and pelvic floor health. And guess what? That’s enough.
The Bare Ass Minimum (BAM)
This is where Kaye’s concept of the "Bare Ass Minimum" (BAM) comes in.
“I feel like every person deserves a bare ass minimum of five to 10 minutes of self-care every few days. That's not asking for too much.”
Instead of trying to cram in a long, intense workout, Kaye encourages moms to aim for small, manageable movement sessions. These could be:
✔️ A 10-minute core and pelvic floor workout
✔️ A short strength circuit
✔️ A walk outside
✔️ Breathwork or stretching
The key is consistency. Even if all you do for months is BAM workouts, you’re still building strength and supporting your body.
Why Prioritizing Yourself Makes You a Better Mom
For a lot of moms (myself included), taking time for ourselves can feel…selfish. It’s easy to put everything and everyone else first—kids, house, work—until there’s no time left for us.
But as Kaye points out, caring for yourself is actually good parenting.
“Now that my kids are getting older, I see it so differently. Taking good care of me is good parenting. My kids notice when I work out. They see that movement makes me feel better. They even remind me to do it!”
Her son even called her out once:
“Mom, you're pretty grumpy. Do you think you need a workout?”
And now, when her kids feel restless or overwhelmed, they use movement to regulate their own emotions. One of them recently said, “Mom, I think I’m gonna go for a run.”
That’s the power of modeling self-care. When we prioritize our well-being, our kids learn to do the same.
What is Core Love?
Core Love Fitness was founded to support moms at every stage—from pregnancy to postpartum, through perimenopause and beyond. What started as a small pre- and postnatal fitness program has now evolved into a hybrid model that meets moms where they are:
Pregnancy & Postpartum: Helping moms prepare their bodies for birth and recover postpartum.
Mid-Parenting Stage: Supporting moms who are finally getting time back for themselves after years of putting their bodies last.
Perimenopause & Beyond: Strength training to support bone health, muscle mass, and overall function through life’s later transitions.
Core Love offers in-person, virtual, and on-demand programs, so moms can get the support they need—whether at home, at the gym, or in a community setting.
Final Thoughts: Give Yourself Permission to Start Small
If there’s one thing I took away from my conversation with Kaye, it’s that fitness doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You don’t have to wait until you “have time.” You don’t have to feel guilty for taking care of yourself.
Start small. Do the BAM workout. Take the 10 minutes. Make yourself a priority.
Because when you take care of you, you’re taking care of everyone else, too.
TL;DR
In this episode of The Mama Making Podcast, host Jessica chats with Kay Burrows, founder of Core Love, a fitness program designed for women and mothers. Kay shares her postpartum journey, the challenges she faced, and how they inspired her to create Core Love.
They discuss the importance of pelvic floor health, self-care, and how Core Love has evolved to support moms at every stage. Kay encourages women to prioritize their well-being, reminding them that taking care of themselves is essential for both motherhood and overall health.
How to connect with the guest:
IG: @corelovefitness
Website: www.corelove.ca
Extras: Core Love Fitness Plans
Mom podcast, Motherhood Podcast, Motherhood Journey, Postpartum Mental Health, Pregnancy, New Mom Support Core Love, pelvic floor, postpartum recovery, fitness for moms, self-care, motherhood, women’s health, exercise, postpartum fitness, pelvic floor therapy
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