5 Tips for Finding Time to Exercise for Parents *By Guest Blogger: Amber Brueseke
Being a mom is HARD. There are so many things that compete for my attention daily that it can feel maddening to try and find a spare minute for an exercise routine. As a mom of 4 young children and an entrepreneur working full-time I have learned that no one has a spare minute – you have to make a spare minute. The time to exercise isn’t going to just fall into your lap – you have to carve out the time to make it happen.
Top 5 Tips for finding time to exercise:
-
Schedule it: How many times have you scheduled a dentist appointment for your child and then just decided to skip it because you didn’t have the time? Yeah, that’s what I thought – never! You put it on your calendar and you make sure that you make it to that appointment. That’s how your workouts need to be. Write it on your calendar, block out the time, and then don’t cancel on yourself. I promise it’s time that’s just as important as your child’s teeth cleaning.
-
Spread it throughout the day: Many believe the lie that you have to exercise for a full 30 minutes continuously for it to “count.” As if there was an exercise God that was checking off your name after a full 30 minutes of work! You may not have a 30 minute block of time, and that’s ok, you can break your workout up into 5 or 10 minute blocks and still get in an effective workout. Do you spend 10 minutes in the morning browsing Facebook or Instagram? Turn that time into a quick workout session. Those small blocks of work done throughout the day are just as good as doing one longer workout.
-
Bribery works: Kids can be a real roadblock to making a workout happen. Why is it that when you pick up a dumbbell or turn on a workout video all of a sudden your children urgently need you? I swear it happens Every. Single. Time. Here’s the thing – I find no shame in enticing my kids to give me a little space by letting them watch a show, telling them we will go to the library later, or letting them have a package of fruit snacks. It’s a win for them, and a win for me.
-
Have a plan: Have you ever made a goal to workout, gone through all the trouble to block it out on your schedule, change into your clothes and then spend time hemming and hawing about what you are going to do? That’s wasted time! Go into your workout time with a plan. Pin workouts on Pinterest, follow inspiring fitness accounts on Instagram (shameless plug for my @biceps.after.babies feed), purchase a lifting program, or rent/borrow some fitness DVD’s. Whatever it is, you have to have a plan so when you get that small window of opportunity where your kids are occupied you jump right into your workout and make it happen.
-
Make it a family affair: My favorite thing about having a home gym is that my kids get to see my husband and I working out. They love to come out to the shed with us and practice chin-ups and deadlifts. You don’t always have to get away from your kids to workout – including them in it can be a great compromise! Teach your kid about push-ups, have them time you on a sprint, or let them count your reps for you. Make them apart of your workouts and help them see how important working out is to you.
I am a better mom, wife, and human when I take the time to make my workouts a priority in my life. It takes some sacrifice, but the benefits both physically and mentally are worth the effort. Treat your body well and it is going to allow you to be the best mom possible for those you love the most.
Amber is a certified personal trainer, a fitness instructor, a competitive powerlifter, and a registered nurse, but first and foremost she is a mom of four. She loves chocolate and peanut butter (preferably combined!) and believes in moderation, not restriction, when it comes to the foods we eat. Amber started Biceps After Babies to help moms (and dads!) jump start their fitness goals through learning how to track macros and establishing sustainable healthy habits. Learn more about Amber at https://bicepsafterbabies.com or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/biceps.after.babies/
