Today I’m back to share some fitness tips for busy moms. Many of us are juggling work, kids, and life, and it can be overwhelming. You’re not alone.
Hey guys! How’s your week going? I have one-on-one calls with clients all day today and I’m excited to meet up with a friend for a morning workout.
For today’s post, I wanted to put together a roundup of tips for my busy mom friends. I know my mom friends have a lot to think about and juggle a variety of tasks throughout the week, and it can be hard for moms to focus on their own self-care, fitness goals, and staying fit.
In today’s article, I’m sharing some practical tips on how to make exercise a part of your life despite having a busy schedule. Remember that even if you can spare 20 minutes a day, it will make a difference.
Fitness Tips for Busy Moms
Wake up early…if you can
For my early bird friends, this is your time to shine. For all my friends who are also night owls, this may not work so well. This also may not work if your sleep quality is terrible, or if you are frequently up during the night to feed your kids, change their diapers, or comfort them from nightmares. I am a big believer that sleep ALWAYS wins. If you are exhausted, take time to rest and recover. If you try to push yourself to the max during a workout (particularly something like high-intensity interval training), you’ll just increase your cortisol, feel more stressed, and most likely not get a great workout anyway.
And if you get a good night’s sleep and like to make time for exercise in the morning, set your alarm before the kids wake up. It can be great to get an early morning workout in before the team gets up and get your heart rate up.
Split up your workouts
Don’t be afraid to split your workouts into multiple time blocks throughout the day. Before I had kids, I had the mindset that if it wasn’t an hour-long, sweat-inducing, full-body workout, it didn’t count. Small movements throughout the day add up. You could break your workout into 10-minute blocks: 10 minutes of strength training, 10 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of core work and stretching for 30 minutes of total exercise time.
I share more ideas on how to do this in this post. It’s also important to note that the overall daily movement is HUGE and it’s a pretty active stage of life when you’re chasing a crawling toddler around the house all day.
Stay flexible
Something that helped me tremendously in ALL aspects of parenting: letting go of expectations. If you have high expectations, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. I went out for a stroll with the stroller knowing it could last an hour or five minutes. I was mentally prepared for either situation. 😉 Don’t be afraid to change things up as needed and modify and adjust plans based on what’s happening. This is especially true if you’re a stay-at-home mom and you just have to go with the flow each day and change up your routine.
Don’t be afraid to include children
Burning calories is good for everyone! I used to think that working out had to be something I did alone, away from the group. I didn’t want the kids to think I was ignoring them. And then the world shut down. I transitioned to working out at home for over a year, and for the vast majority of that time, the kids were home with me. I quickly learned that they LOVE joining in with yoga, kickboxing, jumping jacks, and dance cardio classes. And then when they got bored, they would find toys to play with, a coloring book, or a LEGO set.
Now, I’m always happy when kids see me taking time to do a short strength workout in the garage or on demand. They see me taking time for myself and doing something that makes me feel good, and I’m happy to set that example. 
(The BEST little hiking companions)
Hydrate
It’s easy to underestimate the importance of hydration, especially when you’re busy with kids. Aim to drink at least half of your body weight in ounces each day. (For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, aim to drink 80 ounces of water.) Have a water bottle that you love that you can carry with you throughout the day. Proper hydration can have a positive impact on our skin, hunger levels, digestion, immune function, and metabolism. Cheer up, sweetheart!
Ask for help
It’s SO hard to ask for help, but it’s always worth it. You don’t have to do everything alone. Ask your partner if they’d mind watching the kids while you go to a gym class, take a long walk, or take a nap. 😉 If you have the resources to hire an occasional babysitter, it will give you the opportunity and space to do things you wouldn’t otherwise be able to do.
Plan ahead
I’m a big proponent of planning ahead, with the expectation that Plan B or Plan Q can happen. Take some time each week to set a rough schedule, outline priorities, and see what workouts you can plan ahead for. (Even if you don’t have a set schedule, you can put something like “morning walk” so you know you’ll be out for a walk at some point in the morning.)
Plan as many meals as you can in advance.
It’s always a hassle to open the fridge and see a bunch of ingredients, but no actual food. Take some time to plan out your meals for each week, even if it’s just a few breakfast staples (hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, oatmeal, etc.), lunch staples (salads, soups), and dinners. If you need help with meal planning, I have a free download here with my method, plus a weekly planner and extra recipes. I also have a ton of recipes on my website that you can check out.
Weekend Meal Prep
Take some time over the weekend to set yourself up for success. I love to cut up a few vegetables each week (big trays of roasted veggies to add to scrambles, wraps, and salads), proteins (eggs, chicken breasts, turkey meatballs, etc.), and batch-cook grains like brown rice or baked oatmeal. Figure out what staples you love to have on hand and take an hour or so to prep a few favorites for the week ahead.
Opt for convenience options as needed
Anything you can do to make your life easier: do it. If you don’t have time to cook chicken in large quantities, buy chicken that’s already cooked and sliced. Don’t have time to boil eggs? Buy those that are already cooked and peeled. Don’t want to chop up a bunch of vegetables? Opt for pre-chopped ones. Find the staples you’d love to have but don’t have time to prepare and treat yourself to ready-made versions.
Create a routine that makes you feel excited
It’s MUCH easier to stay motivated and consistent when you have a routine you truly enjoy. You should look forward to your workouts and meals, otherwise it will be much harder to maintain them long term. If you’re not comfortable with your routine and want to try something new, Join us on Fit Team! A LOT of group responsibility and the training is fantastic.
Be graceful and remember that it is a short period of time.
Remember that It’s okay for your relationship with health and fitness and your priorities to change after having children.
I feel like the gym used to be a huge part of my life (I was constantly training and teaching) and now it’s something I’m IN, OUT, and DONE. Plus, I’m accepting a very limited amount of in-person clients and currently only teaching two classes per week. I don’t want to miss out on adventures with the kids, so I’ve learned to keep my personal workout routine very short and effective.
Your motivation to get fit will wax and wane over time, and that’s okay!
If your goal is to lose weight or lose body fat after having children, remember that slow and steady is always best. Give yourself time and focus on slow, sustainable habits. If you are in the postpartum period, focus on healing your body; it has been through a major sporting event.
If you’re at a stage in your life where you’re thinking, “This isn’t a huge priority for me right now,” be patient with yourself. Instead, try to move throughout the day (walks, stretching) and maintain a diet that gives you energy. Nap when you can, enjoy cuddles, and remember that it all goes by so fast. Liv is 10 years old and I can’t believe it.
Tell me, ladies: any fitness tips you can share for busy moms? You always have great ideas.
How has your relationship with fitness changed since having children?
xo
Gina
