How to Stay Fit: A Mom's Guide to Easy Workout

Motherhood, unlike other roles, is a full-time job on top of your actual full-time job. You don’t get sick leaves. You don’t even get paid! Between all the school runs, toddler tantrums, cooking, cleaning, and a million other things to manage, fitting in a workout may seem impossible.

Let’s get one thing straight. A workout doesn’t have to be a goal to get you back into those pre-baby jeans. You should work out simply to regain the mental clarity, strength, and energy as well as feel good in your body. In other words, you should aim to “feel stronger, not smaller.”

A Mom’s Guide on How to Stay Fit

1. Redefining What a “Workout” Looks Like

You might not be able to spend hours at the gym, and that’s alright! A workout doesn’t need to be long, loud, or complicated to be labelled a “workout.” If you are moving your body, you’re working out!

Be it pushing in those 10 squats while your kid brushes their teeth for the night (that’s leg day), or letting go and dancing like a maniac during cleaning time (hello, cardio), and even lifting up your toddler repeatedly throughout the day (look who’s strength training), all of these are perfectly acceptable workouts!

Start small and maintain that pace. Five minutes a day is much better than nothing at all. Plus, you don’t even need a whole lot of time, just a plan. Simple strategies, along with options like creatine for fitness routines, can help support consistency and energy as you ease into workouts.

Here are three workouts you can do almost anywhere;

The “Nap Time Burner” – 10 Minute Workout

30 Second Jumping Jacks

30 Second Squats

30 Second Pushups (Knees or Toes)

30 Second Glute Bridges

Repeat 3 Times with a 1-Minute Break in Between Rounds

The “Toy Room HIIT” – 15 Minutes

40 seconds workout, 20 seconds rest, 4 rounds

High Knees

Lunges

Mountain Climbers

Plank Hold

The “Lunchtime Stretch & Strength” – 10 Minutes

5-Minute Yoga-Style Stretches (Cat/Cow, Child’s Pose, Downward Dog)

5-Minute Strength (Plank, Wall Sit, Side Lunges)

Consider investing in a timer app to stay on track with your workouts! You could also skip all the trouble and get a personal fitness trainer who can fit to your schedule and time you through your workouts as well as suggest alternatives when it gets too tough!

2. Making the Kids an Active Part of It (We’re Not Kidding)

If finding some time alone for yourself seems like a joke to you as you think of your kids waiting for you in the other room, you’d be surprised at how much they love being included.

For instance, you could start by holding your baby and doing a few squats (bonus: they giggle every time you go down). If you have a toddler at home, you could also play follow-the-leader with stretches! This is a great way to get some flexibility into your joints.

If all else fails, simply round up your kids and have a dance party! Turn on the music and let loose. Not only will you have some fun, you’ll also create lasting memories with your kids.

Consider stacking your habits. If you have set aside a designated time for brushing your teeth, consider doing calf raises while you’re at it. You could also stretch during bedtime stories or squat every time you open the fridge or pick your toddler up. Linking new habits to old ones feels less unnatural and makes them much more likely to stick.

3. Use Fitness as “Me Time”

After all those “mom duties” you’ve definitely earned yourself some self-care. However, instead of gravitating towards that comfortable bubble bath, consider sweating for 20 minutes while blasting your favorite playlist (perhaps you could ask your partner to take the wheel for a bit or invest in a reliable babysitter).

Even if it is just 15 minutes before the kids wake up, right after bedtime, or when the kids are at school, protect this time like it’s sacred. If you can afford it, get professional help. Personal trainers can introduce workable routines into your schedule, and you don’t even need to spend hundreds of dollars a month! Consider virtual fitness trainers that offer shorter sessions, apps with trainer-designed plans, or YouTube channels. And if your body needs some extra care after all that movement, a trusted chiropractor in Boiling Springs, SC can help keep you feeling your best.

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Bonus Tip: Ditch the “All or Nothing” Mentality

Everyone slips up sometimes. If you miss a workout, or don’t do it as perfectly as you would have liked to, it’s okay. If you end up munching on a cookie, it’s not sabotage. Fitness is defined by what you do “most of the time” not “always.”

Don’t compare your reality to perfectly airbrushed pictures on Instagram. Instead, just look at how far you’ve come. Were you not moving at all and have suddenly found some momentum in a routine that works? Celebrate that small step.

How To Stay Fit As A Mom

Moms are superheroes in a hundred invisible ways. You don’t need to prove yourself to anyone but yourself. You deserve to feel stronger, more energized, and confident in your own skin.

You don’t need fancy equipment, long hours, or a gym membership to start working out. All you need is just a little bit of creativity, consistency, and a mindset that says “I’m worth it!”