All moms are busy. Taking care of children is a 24/7 job that requires you to invest your time, patience and love into it. If you want to be a good mom, you have to juggle all your daily tasks, be organized, but also find enough time for self-care. This, of course, includes physical activity. Although it can sometimes seem impossible to include it in your schedule, you’re aware of its importance for your well-being. So, here are some fitness tips to help all you busy moms become the best version of yourself for your kids.
Make time for exercise during the day
There’s no question about you being insanely busy with family-, home- and children-related activities. So, in order to find time to exercise, you’ll probably have to rearrange your current schedule a bit. Maybe you can work out while your kids are at school or during one of their extracurricular activities. Another option is that you do some exercises at work, in your office or in one of the nearby parks during your lunch break. If all else fails, try working out at home, in the evening, while everybody else is relaxing. Also, make sure you don’t forget post- workout stretches and massages for muscle care so you won’t be too sore for your next day’s workout.
Wake up earlier
If exercising during the day isn’t an option for you, consider waking up earlier. 5 a.m. sounds insane, but it’s definitely worth it. Not only will you be able to finish your whole workout routine by the time everybody else wakes up, but you’ll also get to enjoy some alone time in silence and peace. Besides, after your workout and a hot shower, your mood will improve and you’ll feel energized, ready to handle things like making breakfast and helping your little ones get ready for school.
Buy healthier food
Working out isn’t the only thing to do if you want to be fit. What you eat matters. You already know that food loaded with processed sugar and fats aren’t the best option and that you’d be much better off eating fresh fruit and vegetables with some lean protein and wholegrains, but now it’s time to actually change your eating habits. A great way to start is by making a list of all the healthy food options you want to eat. It will make you feel better instantly, since you’ll surely find a bunch of stuff that you like on that list. This will make it easier to focus on the good sides of it, rather than dwelling on the things you aren’t allowed to eat. Plus, if you have a list, you’ll know exactly what to buy next time you go shopping.
Make cooking a habit
Investing in healthy ingredients is only half of the job. Cooking them and turning them into delicious and nutritious meals is the other half. And while you’re changing your own diet for the better, include your whole family in the project. There’s no better way to encourage your kids to eat healthy food than to show them by example. If you know that you can’t cook every day, instead of ordering fast food, make sure you make bigger amounts of food and freeze several meals for your kids to always have something good to eat. On the other hand, if you don’t have a cooked meal for yourself, always have some weight loss shakes in various flavors at hand. They are great for improving your fitness and easy to make.
Go to bed on time
When you have a family to tend to, especially if your kids are small, getting enough quality sleep can be a somewhat problematic task. However, if you want to be fit and healthy, it’s something you need to address. Stress, weight gain, loss of concentration and fatigue are just some of the issues that lack of sleep can cause, so do your best to get your eight hours’ sleep every night. In case you wake up very early in the morning, make it your mission to be in bed by 10 p.m. If nothing else, try going to bed at least 15 minutes earlier than you’re used to.
Involve your kids
If you don’t know what to do with your kids while exercising, the answer is simple. Include them in your routine. Put your little ones in a jogging stroller and make those six miles you wanted. Find a fitness program which allows your kid to exercise with you, or simply go to a local park and play sports with them. Throw a Frisbee or a ball around and do what you can to be physically active. You’ll have fun and set a great example for your children.
Find support
Since your well-being is a prerequisite for your whole family’s health, asking for help from people closest to you isn’t something you should avoid. Talk to your spouse or partner and have them take over some of your obligations, like driving the kids to school or to their football practice. If this isn’t possible, ask your parents, siblings or some of your friends to babysit for you from time to time, or even hire a sitter. There’s nothing wrong with not being able to do everything on your own, so find somebody to help you and use your free time to get in shape.
When there’s a will, there’s a way, so just find some motivation and a solution will present itself to you.
