As a parent, you might feel like you don’t have enough time to exercise. You end up exhausted chasing after your kids, taking care of newborns, or driving them to school. A day can end with no exercise, and focusing on exercise can make you feel guilty by taking more time away from your kids.
With such a busy schedule, it’s advisable to set time aside for exercise. Working out offers more energy, improves blood circulation, enhances your mood, makes you healthier, and helps you lose weight.
Therefore, you owe it to yourself and your family to remain healthy. Below are some insider tips for fitting in workouts in your busy schedule.
1. Use short videos
Before you started a family, you might have been used to 30 to 60-minute workouts. However, you might not have that much time these days. Instead, you can take part in shorter 10-minute workouts throughout your day. Using short 10-minute videos throughout the day can help you use mini workouts. It gives you some flexibility to work out whenever you have time to spare.
2. Trade-off workout times
Since there are seven days a week, you can trade off workout times with your partner to ensure that one of you works out daily. Therefore, you always end up with three workouts a week. If you don’t have a partner, look for a friend who might be willing to trade babysitting with you so you can exercise.
3. Take classes with your kids
You can also look for a personal trainer online and work out with your kids. Instead of getting bored sitting in the house, a trainer can offer suitable exercises for you and your kids. Besides, you can take classes like karate and swimming. These can be fun for kids while helping you get some exercise.
4. Make it a date
Instead of a date night, you can fit in bonding time and exercise with your partner. Take advantage of this time to learn a sport together, go for a bike ride, or long walks. This will help you spend quality time together while satiating your fitness goals.
5. Focus on skills
Since you already spend most of your time playing with your kids, you can try some exercises, depending on their age. For example, if you have a toddler, you can crawl with them. It helps target your abdominal muscles while stretching your legs and arms. For an older child, you can dance, jump, swing, or play catch with them.
6. Sneak in extra movement
Yes, it can be harder trying to find time for workouts when you have a baby. However, you can squeeze in extra movements in your day. For example, while brushing your teeth, you can do squats. After dinner, you can go for a walk as a family or even park away when you drive. Don’t feel obligated to sit down every time you have your baby with you.
7. Take advantage of phone and TV time
If you have a favorite TV show that you watch regularly or watch with your kids, don’t just sit down. Instead, you can do some push-ups, yoga positions, sit-ups, stretching, or leg lifts to get in some exercise time. When talking away on the phone, you can take advantage and stretch.
Summing Up
It’s possible for parents to fit in a workout. While it might not be easy, it’s possible. Therefore, set your fitness goals and look through the different ways highlighted above to reach them. Having kids doesn’t mean that you never get to exercise. Instead, you can work around it, keep fit, be happy, and be the best parent for your kids.
