My kids go to school, so I have no excuse when it comes to working out. I have the time to go to the gym or go running. I have many friends with little kids who always complain that they wish they had time to work out. I remember when my kids were little and how tough getting some exercise was. I knew that exercise was important not only for my health but also for my mind.
So I always made sure to work out at least three times a week, and some days I had to be creative in order to get that exercise, as it was not always easy exercising with little kids. I want to share some of my ways for stay-at-home moms to get that healthy exercise and stop making excuses. The best part is you don't need a gym membership or have to work around your husband's schedule.
So I always made sure to work out at least three times a week, and some days I had to be creative in order to get that exercise, as it was not always easy exercising with little kids. I want to share some of my ways for stay-at-home moms to get that healthy exercise and stop making excuses. The best part is you don't need a gym membership or have to work around your husband's schedule.
Stroller Walking
My favorite and easiest way to exercise when my kids were little was walking. I would put my child in the stroller, and we would go for a fast walk. To make my walk easier, I would park my open stroller by the front door so it was always ready to go. I would always try to walk right after my kids ate, so they would not get hungry during the walk, as it was a pain to find somewhere to nurse the baby. As my kids got older, they still rode in the stroller until they were 5 years old. My kids learned that mom was walking and they were riding.
To make my kids enjoy our walks, we would walk to the park for playtime. I always choose a park that is far away from the house, so I can get my exercise. The park would be great for ensuring the kids took a nap on the walk home. I also had a twin stroller for the youngest two boys as they were 16 months apart.
The twin stroller gave me a great workout. If you have a store nearby, then walk to the store for exercise when you need just a couple of items. Don't let cold weather stop you from getting the needed exercise. Bundle everyone up and get walking. Make sure to apply sunscreen year-round. Check out these reasons why you need sunscreen in the winter.
Working Out Indoors
Walking was my favorite way to exercise, but on days it was too cold or windy, I would put on music and just dance. While you are dancing, make sure to add in some kicks and arm movements. My kids loved this dancing time with mom. My house has stairs, so I would also walk up and down the stairs. My boys had such fun chasing mom up and down the stairs. You can also use a workout DVD to help with your exercise. If you have weights, those are also good to add to an indoor workout. Moms of babies or toddlers can use their kids as weights as they lift them up and down. Even doing some online yoga videos with the kids is a great workout. It might even calm the kids as you build some muscle.
Add in getting some home workout equipment, like a Fightmaster boxing machine and you’ll have even more workouts to try, seeing even more results.
Tip: Make a game of cleaning up toys during this time. See how fast you and the kids can run the toys upstairs to their bedroom/playroom.
Park Exercise
Have fun at the park with the kids. Hanging on the monkey bars is great for your stomach muscles and arms. If you are able, try to do some pull-ups. Climb up the slides and play tag with the kids. Swinging is also a great exercise. When your kids want you to push them on the swings, get some leg lunges in. I also like to do laps around the park/playground equipment.
Bring a jump rope and kettlebell weights with you to the park. The key is to keep moving. You can also do this workout in your backyard while the kids play on the swingset. If you are in your own yard, you will feel more comfortable moving more. Put on the headphones and march in place for one song, then do the monkey bars. March in place again and then do the kettlebells and so on.
Tip: Exercising three days a week for 30 minutes keeps your body healthy. For weight loss, do five days for 45 minutes each time.
Home Exercise Equipment
If your children take naps, this is a good choice, as you can run on a treadmill. My boys were not nappers so I did not use any exercise equipment. I found it impossible to work out on machines when the kids were awake, as I had to worry about their safety. My boys always wanted to use the machines as I was using them. So telling them no and to get away made the workout stressful.
Swimming
This is good if your kids are older and good swimmers. When my boys are in the pool, I do arm and leg exercises and also tread water while watching them at the same time. Water has a great resistance to working those muscles. I also run and jump in place in the water. My boys love it when I use them as my weights in the water. I lift them up and down in the water for great arm and stomach exercise. They also love having swimming races. For moms with younger kids, you can still get some exercise in if you put the baby in a safe pool float and work out near them. Just don't forget the mineral-based sunscreen, as you don't want sunburned skin.
Bike riding
This is also best with older kids who can bike for one or more miles. They ride their bikes, and you walk fast trying to keep up with them. You can also get a bike trailer for the kids to ride in while you bike. I like to combine errands with bike riding for great exercise.
Gym exercise
If money allows you to have a gym membership and the gym has daycare, then give yourself some much-needed time and exercise. Drop the kids off to play while you work out. Check with your husband's job to see if they provide free or reduced gym memberships, like my husband's work. If the gym is going to be your motivation to workout then budget the gym into your expenses. I still enjoy running outside the best but I will visit the gym to do simple weights, and it has done wonders for my arms. To further support strength training, I’ve also started incorporating Body Science creatine supplements into my routine for improved endurance and muscle recovery.
Super fun exercise
I think the most fun way to get exercise is at a trampoline park. A couple of times a year, the boys and I head to a local trampoline park for some super fun exercise. If you have never bounced on a trampoline, you should try it as it is so much fun and it burns lots of calories. Check to see if the trampoline park near you has discounted rates for moms and preschoolers during the week.
Join a mom's walking club
Connect with other stay-at-home moms and join a walking club. Check online meet-up pages to find if there is one in your town, or have friends meet you at the park. Place those kids in the strollers and get walking with other moms. You will have someone to talk to and help motivate you. When you are done walking, the kids can then play together in the park. I remember my mom's club when my boys were young, and we often got together for many other playdates. I made some wonderful friends, too.
These are just some of the ways that I would exercise when my boys were little. I still do some of them when the boys are home from school. I never used a gym when my boys were little, as it cost too much money, nor could I rely on my husband to watch the kids. I just made exercise an important part of my life like eating, sleeping, and brushing my teeth. Our bodies need exercise to stay healthy, as well as good food.
We moms, need to take the time to take care of ourselves, even though we are super busy moms. Exercising and eating healthy will not only keep us well, but it will also make us feel good. You might even lose all the baby weight from many years ago. When you make exercise important so will your kids. My older sons saw me exercising when they were young, so they joined the track team when they started middle school. My boys were fast runners. So stop making excuses and go for a walk today.
Now that you have no more excuses about working out, get your exercise this week. Soon you will discover how great exercise makes you feel. If you need some inspiration for healthy eating or how to keep your heart healthy, check out these posts.
