Stay fit as a busy mom by fitting exercise in everyday!
Staying fit when you have kids can be challenging!
There are not enough hours in the day.
Chasing a kid around all day should be exercise enough. I should have toned biceps by now with all the baby lifting I do. It should just be an added bonus of motherhood.
Exercise is also so important when it comes to our mental and physical health that we need to find time to fit it into our lives. Plus we want to lose that unwanted baby fat!
Here are some ways to find the time to be fit while being a busy mom of kiddos.
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10 Ways to Stay Fit as a Busy Mom
1. Buy a membership that has babysitting.
I have done this before and it is wonderful. It can get pretty pricey, which is a bummer, but if you can afford it and it’s worth it to you, get one.
I know a lot of YMCA’s or city community centers that provide this service. It is becoming more popular, so you’re local gym might have it too. They usually allow you to drop your kids off for 2 hours while you workout.Â
2. Exercise early morning.
Workout before the kids get up, or, if you have one, before your significant other goes to work.
I have also done this on and off. I can last about 3 weeks of working out at 5 in the morning before I just snooze from 5:00-6:00 instead of getting out of bed, or just shutting my alarm off.
BUT if you are a morning person, this one might be for you. If you work, workout before work.
3. Trade off with another mom.
If you are a SAHM, this might be a good option for you.
Pick a close friend and see if they will trade off babysitting while you workout. You can do Tuesday, Thursday, Saturdays, while she does Monday, Wednesdays, Fridays. You each can get an hour without kids interrupting.
If that’s too hard, you could also work out together. Your kids will be distracted by each other and have a little play date, you get some adult interaction, and you have a workout buddy! Happiness abounds!
4. When the kids go to bed.
This one can also be hard, but if you’re a night owl, it might be a good option for you.
If I don’t work out before 8:00 pm, I ain’t working out. In college I would workout at like 10:30 at night! Oh, the good ole days!
You could also do a 10 minute exercise routine right before getting in bed. You’d be surprised the difference it can make, and it’s better than doing nothing.
Plus, sometimes it just takes a little motivation to get started, and then you end up working out longer than you had intended!
5. Exercise at home during the day while the kids nap.
Exercising at home is no longer a thing of the past. There are a lot of awesome home workouts.
I highly recommend Beach Body. It has a ton of workouts to choose from. I love insanity and P90X.
Sometimes I can get a better workout in front of the TV then I can by going to the gym. These people are for real!
You could also get some of your own equipment and create your own simple workouts. These workouts will get you started.
Here are some great products to start with and can definitely enhance your workout without having to go to the gym:
This can do wonders for your butt! Click here to learn more about how you can use it!
The Yoga ball is great for ab workouts and core workouts. Here is a great ball workout.
Jump Roping is a really good workout. Just have a goal to jump for 15 minutes a day and you will burn some serious calories! It’s good for the heart too!
The Kettlebell workout! What a great way to get a total body workout!
Any of these items would greatly enhance a good at-home workout routine. And search YouTube for workouts with these things. That way you can always mix it up, and you don’t have to think of it on your own.
6. Exercise while you do chores.
Cleaning house is exercise in and of itself, but you could add a little extra oomph.
Every time you pick up a toy, do 3 squats. Every time you pick up a piece of laundry, do 3 push ups, etc. Create your own work out. Make it fun and challenge yourself.
This is another good way to get your kids involved.
7. Exercise while at the park.
Run laps around the playground or do a short strength exercise while your kids play at the park. They love going to the park. They get their exercise, you get your exercise. Its win, win, win!
Post: 19 Things to do with kids for FREE in ANY State
8. Never forget the power of walking.
You can burn a ton of calories by walking.
Kids love to be outside, and love to go on walks. You don’t even have to put your full workout gear on for this one. Just get out and go on a walk. You’d be surprised how good it makes you feel and how fast you can burn those calories.
Walking is also good for those days that you just don’t feel like working out. Its better than doing nothing.
Add a little more oomph to your walk and get Swing Weights. Learn more about them here.Â
9. Swimming is great exercise.
In the summer, when you take your kids to the pool, exercise!
You could do laps around the pool, but you could also do water aerobics. It’s a great workout and easy on the joints.
Buy these swim weights. They are completely useless outside the water, but under the water, they make a good arm workout! These are a great asset to a swim workout.
Learn More
10. Involve the kids.
Workout with your kids. Do a dance party, teach them your best moves. Play Duck, Duck, Goose, Red light, green light, race them. Make your workout fun. Just move your body.
Happy Exercising!
I had to include this shirt, I thought it was too funny!
Oh, and I found another one.Â
I love funny exercise shirts!
Related: The Best Running Tips for New Runners
Such a wonderful blog! I think these tips will really work for busy moms. I have a question. After delivery how days long after a mom can restart her regular workout? Look forward to having reply. Thanks.
Thank you, I’m glad you found it useful. I would definitely discuss that with your doctor because it varies case to case, but generally 6 weeks.
Thanks for your cordial reply.
Wonderful site Charlie! I’m an avid runner, Mom of two, and like you my primary reason for running everyday is stress and anxiety management. I also blog and write about self-care for Moms, exercise is just essential and it’s lovely to discover your work. Keep sharing this great information!
Best wishes,
Leslie
Thank you Leslie for your kind words! It’s good to hear that it’s useful. 🙂
Hi Charlie, great article. i also try to do some of them but like to exercise with trampoline most. kids also have fun and i lose weight very fast that way.
It’s a healthy habit to teach your kids for sure.
Agreed!
Kids shouldn’t wreck the workout plan. Love the list, we like to try and work out at the park and make it a game with the kids.
Agreed! We do the same! 🙂 Thank you!
i don’t usually write posts or comments on articles but your blog was so convincing and is written with such diligence i had to praise. great work !
Well thank you, I really appreciate it!
I walk nearly every day with the stroller. Instead of driving to the library, I walk the 40 minutes every second week. I am doing the 30 day squat challenge (which I can do even with a little one climbing my leg) and I love the quick videos on Spark that I can squeak in. I really love the 10 minutes a day approach – I used to feel like if I couldn’t do an hour long workout, it wasn’t even worth it. I feel so much better now working out regularly even if it’s just bits at a time.
I completely agree! I used to think that if I couldn’t dedicate proper time with a warm up and a cool down and reach a certain amount of calories, then what’s the point?! But as my life has gotten busier, I don’t have time for that hour long workout. It’s amazing how just a few changes/choices in your day can make all the difference, even if it’s just 10 minutes! Thanks for sharing!
Yes!! Yoga is for everyone! I absolutely love yoga and I can no longer get through my stressful days without my practice. Thank you for these great yoga tips! I hope it is ok to share this article to my https://ponderingyogini.com Twitter and Facebook fans?
I agree! Nope, that’s great info!
Nice article! I agree that exercise is super important even with how busy moms can be. Gyms that have babysitting available are great and it lets you get some time out of the house and work up a sweat!
Thank you!
Really nice and interesting post. I was looking for this kind of information and enjoyed reading this one. Keep posting. Thanks for sharing.masjid images
Thank you! I’m glad you found it enjoyable and useful!
Kids can workout too with parents. Aside from running in the park you can try involving children with light workouts like pilates or yoga.