Staying Fit as a Busy Mom
Although I now get paid to work out, that was not always the case! I spent years trying to balance being a mom and staying fit and in doing so, picked up a lot of tricks to make it easier.
Whether you stay at home, work from home, work outside the home, homeschool, or send your kids to school, trying to take care of your own health and fitness is hard. There are so many people pulling you in so many different directions, exercise can feel like one more chore on your to-do list. I get it.
I have found that I struggle to set aside an hour to work out. A whole hour out of a day is broken down in my mind as all of the other things I could be doing - from cleaning a bathroom, starting a load of laundry, and mopping a floor, to writing a class or checking in with you guys on social media. So I choose one of two options: I either squeeze in a shorter, more intense workout or I multitask.
Short, intense workouts are fantastic for your overall health and fitness, so if an hour isn’t in the cards, do a 10-minute FitPass class or a 20-minute Connect and your workout is complete!
If even a 10- or 20-minute focused workout is too much to squeeze in, then add fitness to whatever it is you’re already doing. If you’ve worked out with me on FitPass or follow me on social media, you know I keep resistance loops in my kitchen drawer. I put a band around my ankles while I’m cooking dinner and lateral walk to the fridge, get in some glute kickbacks while stirring a sauce, and do some squat jumps while I wait for the water to boil. I also keep ankle weights handy, so I can wear those while mopping or vacuuming, and I keep a kettlebell by the washer and dryer and do 10 kettlebell swings when I go downstairs to do the endless piles of laundry.
Finally, and most importantly, include your kids. From letting them join you for FitPass classes or getting outside for a few minutes to shake out the wiggles, moving with your kids will help them to learn that taking care of our health is important and every age and every stage of life.
