Exercise - Free Fitness Library
Exercising mothers
As a working mum with four children and my own company. I am often asked "How do I find the time to workout?". Usually my own personal training takes a back seat, between juggling with family, work and teaching. Getting to the gym or a class 3-4 times a week is not easy. Yet I try not to let more than 48 hours pass by without being active in some way. This activity may mean anything from a class, gym session to a brisk walk to the local park with toddler in tow. Accompanied by my older kids on bikes or blades.
All mums have little or no time to themselves. It can be a nightmare trying to work out on a regular basis. The thought of rushing our to the house to get to a scheduled class, leaving a 3 year old in a tantrum with father or baby sitter, is more than stressful. Then there are those times when you return home, calm and collected to a house of chaos. All the benefits of the workout mentally vanish within seconds.
Flexibility is the key to coping with family life especially if the baby-sitter doesn't turn up or your partner has to work late. Plus a sense of humour.
Use this point plan to help achieve your fitness goals and keep your sanity:
1. Be positive, a change of plan doesn't necessarily mean no activity. Invest in basic home equipment that you can use when you can't get to class, eg a step, free weights, rebounder, exercise mat resistance bands.
2. Do some form of aerobic activity every 48 hours, walk, jog, bike, step, dance, create a fitness circuit in your house. Move around your home, garden. Take the phone off the hook, put on your favourite music and be active for 20 -30 minutes.
3. Being in the house is driving you nuts! No baby-sitter? Take the kids out, not for a leisurely stroll but a fast walk with the kids chasing you on bikes or skates. Even if it's raining, simply get some fresh air and rev up your metabolic rate with power walking.
4. Too embarrassed to be seen power walking? Head for your local leisure centre pool, where you can easily workout, jogging, lunging and striding in water around your floating water baby. Make sure you move dynamically, pushing and pulling the water around you continuously. Working with the water resistance will tone your muscle and raise your metabolic rate.
5. The kids are so sick you can't leave their side unless they are sleeping. It's normal for a toddler to want to be cuddled all day when they are ill. Forget any aerobic activity but try to get some fresh air when the child sleeps. Walk and stretch in the garden or take some deep breaths by an opened window and do some stretching exercises to release tension and worries. Find something funny to read or a video to watch. Laughter is a great healer and stress release. It is also good for your heart so keeping a sense of humour is vital.
Remember if you feel good you can cope with anything.