Being a mom is the best. You get to spend time with your
kids, watch them grow; impart knowledge and skills that will be useful later in
life. When you have one or two full-time jobs and you have to take care of
kiddos you probably don't feel like exercising often. When you have some downtime you'd rather
sleep then go for a run. Am I right?
Before you know it, you are at risk of complications brought
about by obesity – cancer, cardiovascular problems and diabetes.
Before you convince yourself that you have no time or energy
for exercise, think again. Exercising
doesn't drain you of personal energy, it boosts it and this is exactly what
working moms need.
What you ought is that you can still fit in a few workouts
in your busy schedule every day. So let's create an exercise plan you'll find
hard to resist and to get into great shape, all while the little ones are
around:
Create a Schedule
If you keep telling yourself that you are too busy to
workout then you will never find time to work out. Instead of searching for
excuses not to workout, start by creating a weekly plan. Benjamin Franklin once
said “if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
Start by creating your goals. Follow the SMART system –
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time Bound – to create realistic
goals. Once you have created your weekly plan, save it in your iPad or pin it
on the refrigerator door. Every evening, take some time to plan for tomorrow.
Follow the weekly schedule and in no time, you will achieve a well-toned body.
Create a Vision to Motivate You
Why is exercise important to you? Is it to stay fit? Lose the baby weight? Stay
healthy so you can keep up with the kids? Write this questions down and think
what kind of motivational mantra you can tell yourself for when you don't feel
like working out.
How does exercising make you feel? You love that feeling
afterward and although you're tired you're also more energized. You may even feel like Super Woman and love
the power you feel. So when you need a bit of motivation, think of how strong
you feel afterward. Find that vision that will light a spark within you and get
you moving.
What will be your end result?
Forget the ideal weight you want and focus on how good you
want to feel. Perhaps you want to be able to carry more groceries at one or be
able to run as fast as your toddler. When you don't feel like putting on your
sneakers, think of your vision to help you lace up.
Start Early
Exercise early in the morning. It’s hard to come up with as
many reasons for why we didn’t exercise that day if we get right to it. With
kids who rise early and normally a full to the brim day ahead, the best time to
squeeze in a workout is before the day begins. You can be finished before
mid-morning and utilize that time in the mornings that is often slow moving.
You still have a day ahead to tick off your to-do list!
Choose Your Workout
Now that you’ve scheduled your time in, what are you going
to do? Be prepared and know what you are going to do ahead of time.
Stay Active at Home
If you are a stay at home running a home online business or
working as a freelancer, you can keep fit by staying active at home.
Yoga is one of the best workouts that you can perform while
at home. It only takes an hour or so to complete a few poses and the best news
is that you will continue keeping an eye on your baby. Yoga poses you can
attempt while at home include bow pose, cobbler pose and bent knee trunk
flexion. Apart from yoga, you can perform lunges, squats, jumping jacks,
pushups, burpees, donkey kicks and triceps dips among others.
Try a Two-Minute Workout
Exercising doesn’t necessarily have to be in an hour block.
It can be two minutes here and two minutes there. While unpacking the
dishwasher hit the squats and calf raises.
When hanging the washing, get some extra steps taking each
item individually out to the washing line. While play Lego manage some leg
raises. Time for Facebook? Time for crunches!
Involve the Kids
If you can’t get away from the kids to work out in peace, if
you are finding it hard to create a schedule that works around your kids,
simply include them in your workout session. By encouraging them to join in
your workout session, not only will you attain your daily goal but you will get
to have fun and stay fit in the long run. In addition, your kids will love to
spend time with you. This option can work great if you are working out at home.
Whether you are performing yoga, squats, lunges, push-ups or
jumping jacks, converting the workout into a game will ensure that everyone has
fun.
Babies can be used as the perfect weight to squat with. Your
local park makes for a free and fun gym. Strap your baby to your back and climb
the stairs. Run with your toddler in the pram. Like to swim? Have your toddler
hold on to your shoulders while you breast stroke through your laps! There are
ways to make this work.
Just Do It
It is so easy to make excuses to avoid exercising! Stop
using children as an excuse, they should be our reason to live a healthy life!
Our kids, in a humble opinion, should never be used as excuses for why we don’t
take care of ourselves. It’s not true and it’s not fair, so don’t do it.
At the end of the day, workout largely so that you can chase
your children — staying healthy and in shape for a lifetime with them is one of
the best motivators.
But, moms, we know it’s not that convenient, right? So
here’s one last tip: be patient with yourself. Know that being in your best
shape doesn’t mean looking like someone else.
After all, we are raising tiny humans, and they do see and
emulate our behavior. Make sure your workout time is adding to your self-esteem
and your self-care rather than detracting from it.
Most importantly? Give yourself a huge hug for working so
hard to take care of yourself in front of your kids.
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