Trying to incorporate fitness into your life when you have young children can be extremely challenging! It is, however, possible- if you decide to make it a priority. These 5 tips to help busy moms get fit are meant to empower you to take some initiative to put YOU and your health first sometimes.
It might take some experimenting to figure out how to incorporate workouts into your life. You might even have to get a little creative with your time. If you’re here, and you want to get started on that journey – read this post for some ideas on how to do just that.
How Often Should You Workout?
Most guidelines, the American Heart Association for example, recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity but recent research is challenging this threshold as it may not be evidence-based – and the truth is that might not be a realistic goal for some moms.
In my opinion, and from experience, you don’t need to spend more than 30 minutes a few days a week to see great results. It’s not always about what we see, the mental and health components of exercising are just as beneficial.
What works for one will not work for everyone – it’s all about finding out what works for you. Whether you’re a stay at home or working mom, our lives are so busy with little ones at home.
Realistic Tips to Help Busy Moms Get in Shape
Does any of this resonate with you? Follow these 5 tips for motivation to incorporate physical activity into your lifestyle in a way that works for you.
1. Figure Out a Realistic Goal
Your goal will be different depending on your current level of physical activity and work/life balance.
It is well-known that people are more likely meet their goals AND maintain them if they start small. If physical activity is absent from your life at the moment, this may be just two days a week. Or may your goal is adding one more day to your current routine.
That is a great step in the right direction!
2. Determine the Type of Workout That Will Make Sense For You
This could mean going to the gym if you’re a gym person, taking a walk or run (by yourself or with your kids), or at home workouts.
If you’re not sure where to start, this post goes over the pros/cons of home vs. gym workouts.
Personally, I love at-home workouts – especially for the busy mom. YouTube has so many free workouts for women – my favorite being Caroline Girvan’s weightlifting programs.
3. Plan When You Will Complete Your Workouts (But Be Flexible)
Are you going to wake up early and do it before the kids wake up? Try to complete it while your kids are awake? After the kids go to bed? Small chunks of time throughout the day?
Pick the best time you think will work for your lifestyle but give yourself grace if things don’t always go your way. You could always have a back up plan if the early morning workout doesn’t go as planned because your toddler woke you up in the middle of the night.
If you feel like you just can’t figure out a good time, mini-workouts throughout the day might be a good strategy to try!
4. Back-Up Plan
Speaking of a back-up plan. It might be a good idea to give yourself a second option if your original plan falls through.
This is so that you can make that goal you set for yourself! Pick another day or another time to complete that workout! Write down your goals and expectations to hold yourself more accountable.
5. Make It A Lifestyle Change
If you’ve hit your goal for one to two months, I am sure you have realized the positive benefits it has added to your life! You’ve probably realized it is doable and sensible.
Maybe you could even increase your goal. Either way, make it a part of your lifestyle going forward because as the saying goes “there are no quick fixes, only lifestyle changes”. Getting fit is not about perfection, but relentless consistency.
What Worked For Me
I have found that free YouTube videos are what works for me. It allows me to have the balance I want, more time to be with my kids, and also get a great workout in! There are definitely times I have wanted to get out of the house, away from my kids, and go to gym for a hour but most days it is just not feasible.
Working out when the kids are awake can be tricky. This often means that my one year old is watching TV while I am doing a YouTube video on my phone! Sometimes I have to take many breaks to distract my youngest daughter, pause my workout when I need to, but I will do whatever it takes to complete it. If it means turning the TV on for 30 minutes while she has a snack that is exactly what I will do.
Us mamas need to put ourselves first sometimes. Some may say it’s selfish but don’t we deserve to be selfish sometimes? It also makes us better moms when we get the self-care we need.
