Being a mom is tough, there’s no doubt about that. It’s the only 24/7 full-time job with no weekends, holiday breaks, or even sick leaves. Whether you’re a working mom or a stay at home mom, your day is probably always hectic.
From taking your kids to school and helping them with their homework, to doing chores around the household, you often find yourself overwhelmed with no spare time. Given this tight schedule, it’s almost impossible to find enough time to focus on your health and fitness.
Fortunately, there are ways to stay fit despite this crazy lifestyle. Here are our top 7 hacks:
Rise and Shine
I know, you already dread waking up early every morning to drive your kids to school. But think about it, if you wake up just an hour earlier than usual you will have all this time to focus on yourself and your body with no distractions.
Start your day with an early morning run, jog, or a workout. After getting your body up and moving, indulge in a healthy and nutritious breakfast to keep you energized for the rest of the day.
Meal Prep, Meal Prep, and More Meal Prep
While it’s very tempting and convenient to just pass by the drive-thru to get your lunch, it can have a devastating impact on your health.
Junk food is often packed with saturated fats and processed sugars which will increase your risk for a multitude of diseases as well as make you put on weight.
Other than that, you don’t want your kids to learn this “fast-food culture”. Take a couple of hours every week to prepare nutrient-rich meals that you can take to work.
Remember, your kids copy your behavior and it’s crucial to teach them the benefits of a well-balanced diet.
Workout at Home
One common reason why a lot of busy moms give up on their fitness program is that the nearest gym is just too far. At first, you’re motivated and excited so you don’t care how long the drive is. A couple of weeks later though, you’re just tired of driving for an hour or two each day just to work out.
Recently, more and more online fitness programs are available each day. Some are expensive and supervised by top-notch celebrity trainers, others are more budget-friendly, so there’s a program for everyone.
You can also invest in equipment such as treadmills, Stairmasters, or dumbbells. These equipment are becoming increasingly compact and easy to store so they won’t be too much of a hassle.
Get the Kids on Board
One of the hardest things about exercising as a mom, especially if you have toddlers, is controlling the kids. We all know that kids are always waiting for an opportunity to run into all kinds of trouble, and what better opportunity than when mom’s busy working out.
If you include your kids in your exercise routine though, they get to have some fun with you. You can even make it more appealing to them by adding challenges. For example, if they commit to the program for a whole week they get a day off from chores.
Unfortunately, some recent statistics show that one out of every five children is obese. So when you involve your kids in your fitness program and teach them healthy eating habits, you’re protecting their health as well as yours.
Sneak in Movement
Even if you don’t have time to do a full workout, there are always things you can do to get moving. For example, stop using the elevator and take the stairs. Use your bike or walk as much as possible instead of driving or taking a cab.
These little changes are what’s needed to transition from a sedentary to an active lifestyle. At first, it will feel like a burden to make this extra effort every day, but later on, it will become a part of your daily routine.
Get Inspired
Social media platforms are part of our daily life. To make good use of the time you spend browsing, you can follow moms who have already started their fitness journey.
Instead of starting from scratch, you can learn a lot from their experiences, and find out new hacks and tricks that they’ve discovered along the way.
Don’t fall into the trap of self-loathing though, just because you’re a bit behind doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Everyone has to start somewhere.
Build your Own Support Group
You might feel like you’re fighting this battle alone, but the truth is, you’re not. Most moms are constantly struggling to find a balance between their responsibilities towards their families and their fitness.
A great thing about women is that we build each other up. Gather your friends, family, or even other moms from your kids’ school and form a small fitness group.
Go for walks, sign up for yoga classes, or even commit to the same online training program together. You’ll find that working out with a group is more fun, and time goes by a lot faster than when you’re alone.
You can also set goals and hold each other accountable. Trust me, having support from others makes a lot of difference. This support group will often give you the push you need when you feel like falling off track.
Take home message
Staying fit is never easy, let alone staying fit while caring for your kids. With some time management and a little creativity, you will get the fit body you want and inspire your kids to stay healthy.
