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What if you could get a quick and easy workout with little to no fuss? Most moms cringe at the thought of exercise or the working out because it sounds like another chore. And, who needs another thing added to her to-do list? But, working out as a busy mom can be easier than you think.
Check out these 5 simple tips to squeeze in a quick and easy workout and get the exercise you need as a busy mom:
1 – Keep it Simple
Working out as a busy mom might seem impossible, if you’re thinking about an hour-long gym session. But, you don’t need a gym to get a good workout. Your exercise routine can be as simple or as complicated as you make it.
Given all the things you have to do, I’m betting you’d rather keep it simple. You can get a quick workout by adding simple things to what you already do in your daily routine.
As a busy mom, you’re already taking a lot of steps. Why not track them? Get a good step tracker (this one is my fav – $29), set a goal for the day, and work toward the goal. My goal was to get 10,000 steps per day.
But, now that I’m ramping up my workout, I’ve increased it to 11,500 steps per day. Start where you feel comfortable and increase as you progress with your exercise routine.
I keep my tracker on most of the day because it reminds me to stay moving. At work, if I’ve been sitting for too long, it will tell me to move my body. So, I get up from my desk and move around. I’ve got to get my steps!
Add to Your Daily Routine
Another way to squeeze in a quick and easy workout is adding activities during your daily routine. If you take a 20-30 minute daily walk, stop every five minutes and add 10 jumping jacks. You can also alternate jogging and walking every five minutes with jumping jacks in between.
If your baby is in a stroller, this is something you can incorporate easily into your routine. With older kids, have them do it with you. It’s never too early to encourage being fit and active.
Finally, you can exercise while you’re cooking. I rarely fry food because I don’t have time and it’s not that healthy. So, most of the time, my food is going into the oven. Well, while it’s baking for 20-30 minutes, instead of folding clothes, use that time to get a quick workout.
Find a free 20-30 minute HIIT workout online and get moving! Two that I’ve been doing lately are STRONG by Zumba and Jeannette Jenkins, POPSUGAR fitness.
They are both a combination of cardio and muscle conditioning put to music with modifications. The workout is doable at various fitness levels. Or, pop in a fitness DVD, like Shaun T – available for less than $3!!!
2 – Start Early
Calm down! I can hear you screaming at me – How much earlier can I start my day? I’m running off fumes as it is! I absolutely get it, because I usually have to be at work at 7:00 a.m. That includes getting myself ready, plus my two kids. However, I’m currently working from home (like many of you) and I have a little more flexibility with my time.
You don’t have to start your workout first thing in the morning. But, the earlier you do it, the more likely you are to stay consistent. You can apply the same principle to healthy eating. Most experts suggest you eat a healthy breakfast in the morning; it can keep you from making poor choices throughout the day.
Beginning with a green shake with protein (5 easy green shake recipes) or oatmeal, you’re more likely to stay satiated. It makes it easier to say no to the cookies at lunch. When you start with glazed donuts, it’s easier to say yes to more “bad” food the rest of the day.
Your workout is the same. If you can squeeze in a quick and easy workout before you begin your regular workday, not only will you have more energy, but you’ll feel mighty accomplished from the very start. It feels great to know you’ve done something good for yourself before you begin to meet the demands of your family and the rest of the world.
Eat a Frog
Mark Twain famously said that if you eat a live frog first thing in the morning, you can go through the rest of the day knowing nothing will likely be worse than that.
If working out is your frog, down it first thing in the morning like you would a green shake! By the end of the day, you’re tired and more likely to find a reason not to exercise.
At the end of the day, you’re winding down and trying to get everyone else prepared for dinner or bed. It’s too easy to neglect yourself or feel like you don’t have the time or energy for exercise.
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3 – Be Prepared (and flexible)
All that sounds good, but if you’re not prepared to do a quick workout, you’ll probably ditch it before you get started.
Every time I try to workout at home, my toddler wants me to hold him, my kid has a homework question, and my dog gets in the way.
Sometimes, one video workout that should take 25 minutes actually takes 50 minutes between all of the pausing to answer questions and get someone juice.
I didn’t promise it would look pretty, but it is doable!
Sleep in your workout gear. You’ll have a jump start by already being dressed. It may sound drastic, but it works.
If you sleep in your workout clothes, you can’t make any excuse about having to find them or having to change clothes. It not only saves time in the morning, but it’s a great motivator and reminder to make my workout a priority.
FYI – it always helps to have cute workout gear. Don’t workout in old, tattered clothes. When I feel cute, I’m more motivated and get a better workout. Also, I see my progress when I wear fitted workout gear.
You should also have a plan for what you want to do. Are you focusing on cardio? Strength training? Legs? Arms?
Are you someone who likes to dance or needs variety in your workout? Whatever your preference, set it up the night before so you can literally, roll out of bed, brush your teeth, and get your workout on!
Plan Ahead
I actually plan my workout the night before, so I know what I’m doing when I get up. If I’m going to do a HIIT workout online, I search for it the night before so I know exactly what to go to in the morning.
With a DVD, I put it in the night before so it’s all ready to go. As a busy, working mom, time is a precious commodity.
I prefer not to eat prior to my workout. However, I will drink half of my green protein shake prior to exercising and the other half after I’m finished.
To help save time in the morning, I prepare my shakes in advance and blend one the night before, so it’s grab-n-go in the morning. Every minute you can save by being prepared helps to ensure you actually squeeze in a quick workout.
If you’re a working mom, like me, once you begin working outside of the home again and it’s safe to go to your local gym, it might help to even keep extra workout gear in the car.
I keep a gym bag in my trunk, and it is has everything I need to workout at the gym, including a padlock. While I definitely didn’t have time to go every day, I would try to make it at least once a week.
On rare occasions, I would get to go before work (that’s when hubby could take the kiddos to school). But, most of my gym days were on the weekend or a 30-minute session between work and picking up my kids.
Keeping your gym bag in the car is another way to ensure you’re always ready if the opportunity arises.
4 – Use What You Have
You don’t need a sophisticated fitness center to get a good workout and stay in shape. If you already have fitness equipment, like an elliptical or treadmill, by all means – use it! But, it’s not necessary to have gym equipment to exercise.
If you have stairs in your home or apartment complex, you can make running up and down the stairs a part of your workout routine. Climbing the stairs for 10-15 minutes a day is a great way to incorporate extra cardio into your daily routine.
You can also use the stairs for muscle conditioning and strength training. There are many videos online that demonstrate how to use your body weight for conditioning. You can also use your body weight by doing classic pushups and planks to help strengthen your core.
Back to Basics
When is the last time you jumped rope? If your kids have a jump rope, you can use it as a form of exercise. Did you know that an average-size person can burn 10 or more calories in a minute just by jumping rope?
As I stated earlier, it can be tough to squeeze in a workout with my toddler running around. So, I just incorporate him into the workout. While Shaun T is using free weights in his video, I’m using my son!
When you pick your toddler up and down, you may be lifting an average of 25 pounds. When my son is reaching for me to pick him up in the middle of my workout, I don’t abandon my routine. Instead, I incorporate him into my squats. It’s fun for him and easy for me!
If you like to dance, try to find a dancing workout video online. Dancing is great cardio and a fun way to get in a quick and easy workout.
5 – Monitor Expectations
One of the fastest ways to abandon your workout is by setting unrealistic expectations. As a busy mom, do yourself a favor and resist the urge to compare yourself with anyone else. Hopefully, you’ve decided to exercise because you understand the physical and mental health benefits.
If your goal is to make exercise a part of your lifestyle, you need to set realistic goals that match your lifestyle. As working mom with a full-time job, a separate business, a husband, an elementary age child, a toddler, and a dog – I have to be creative and find time for exercise.
My workout schedule will not look like anyone else’s. Our lifestyles and daily schedules are different. Although I’d like to do 45 minutes every few days, I don’t have that kind of time available.
Rather than trying to force something that is unrealistic, I set realistic goals I can meet. I can get 25-30 minutes every other day (how to find time for exercise) and usually a 45-minute session on the weekend.
Be Honest With Yourself
Also, don’t expect to lose all your baby weight or some astronomical number of pounds in a few weeks. If you’re trying to make exercise part of your lifestyle, do it little by little. If you start by adding gradual exercises to your daily routine, you’re more likely to sustain it.
My baby will be two in May (yay!) and I still haven’t lost all the baby weight! I don’t look at other moms and expect to look like them because we are not the same. I have had two c-sections and had my youngest child at age 40!
While I was in great shape prior to each pregnancy, the struggle to get back to my pre-pregnancy body is real!
You only have a limited amount of energy. And, that energy has to be distributed among your job, your family, managing your home, and your personal self-care.
So, don’t set yourself up for disappointment by trying to do a triathlon type workout if you haven’t been doing that all along. Start by doing what you can do and stick to running your own race.
Using these 5 simple tips, you can get a quick and easy workout as a busy mom without feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. Do something good for yourself and continue to live your best life in balance!
Disclaimer: You should consult your physician or another health care professional before starting any fitness routine or making changes in your diet. Any health, fitness, or nutritional information offered is designed for educational purposes only. Do not rely on this information as a substitute or replacement for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. While exercising, if you experience faintness, dizziness, pain, or shortness of breath, you should stop exercising immediately and seek professional medical assistance.
