How to Make Mama Sweat
If you’ve come to this page because you don’t know how it is possible to fit exercise into your day, I expect you will find some helpful hint that makes fitness easier to blend into your schedule or simply, to move more, or in a new, bold, exciting way (if you’re bored and haven’t found your fitness passion yet). Before you go further, I’d like to share seven things I know about balancing motherhood and fitness:
- Whenever I can workout early in the morning I know it's a guaranteed workout. Early morning workouts anchor my fitness plan. If I need to workout a minimum of two days a week, then I best get up early two mornings a week.
- Every little bit counts: 10 pushups here, 20 calf raises there, 15 minutes on my bike trainer or a 20 minute walk. I don't turn my nose up at anything anymore (and yes, before kids I wouldn't have believed a 20-minute walk was worth my time). Do see the "No Time for a Workout Workout."
- Before having kids my motivation was one fitness goal after another. Now, it's stress relief. These two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, but there is a difference between stress-inducing workouts and stress-reducing workouts. Know the difference and stick to the stress-reducing variety.
- The more options you have for workouts, the more likely you are to workout. That's why I have a gym membership, workout dvds, fitness websites bookmarked, a jogging stroller and babysitters who don't think I'm strange when I leave them with my children and literally run away.
- Let's face it. We all need therapy. We all struggle with various challenges. However, you may not need a therapist if you have friends to workout with you. This was true before having kids, too. Life's annoyances seem to work its way out along with the sweat.
- I don't have any guilt about leaving my children to workout because I want them to know that fitness is an integral part of my life. By setting an example, healthy living becomes part of parenting. My children understand that fitness is a family value for us.
- As important as it is to make time for my own workouts it's also important for me workout in ways that either allow my kids to see me in the act or include them. I want them to grow up believing fitness is something you just do, not something you have to figure out how to start doing.
Here I've provided nine links that help with finding the time for workouts or give credit to non-traditional workouts. More about what I’ve learned about balancing motherhood and fitness is available in my eBook series, Life as a Fit Mom.
