Healthy Living
Tips for Moms to Fit Fitness In
Being a mom is hard work, but unfortunately not the kind that prevents heart disease, lowers cholesterol or drops unwanted weight. With the daily responsibilities of motherhood, it's hard to even think of throwing your fitness plan into the mix with everything else on your mind and on your To Do List.
Even the best plans, such as an early morning walk, can fall through unexpectedly when you're up all night with a sick kid, soothing a crying baby, or dealing with a heartbroken teenager. Whether you're a new mother, experienced mom or even a grandmother or great grandmother, dealing with kids at any age makes finding time to exercise a constant challenge. It's just plain hard to find your mojo to exercise when you're plagued with other "responsible" things that require your undivided attention.
But it's time to prioritize yourself! As moms, most of us won't let our kids skip dance lessons or soccer practice, but ironically, we don't hold ourselves equally accountable to our own fitness activities. Here are five strategies to help you incorporate fitness into your demanding lifestyle.
1. Change It Up
Early morning workouts before the rest of your family get up sound like a great plan, but predawn exercises will eventually take their toll on you. Prevent burnout by mixing things up. Change the when, where, and how you work out to freshen things up. Consider doing some routines alone and others with your kids. Prioritizing fitness with and without your kids will teach them that a healthy lifestyle is worth your time and theirs. Make use of their active time to sneak in some fitness activities of your own, such as walking in the local neighborhood while they're under coach supervision at their scheduled practice.
2. Pick Your Passion
Explore all the available options and find a fitness activity that you really like doing. With so many different types of classes and training sessions, fitness groups and workout facilities out there, you will find something that inspires and motivates you. Consider everything from traditional aerobics, cardio and weight training to group fitness classes and team sports. Look into things like Zumba, Yoga, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Circuit training. Doing something that you actually enjoy will help you to stay committed to your exercise routine.
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