Trying to squeeze exercise into a busy Mum’s daily routine may seem next to impossible, but its not!
You don’t need to spend hours at a gym in order to get in good shape. As long as you are eating smart, taking care of your body and creating new workout habits you will be able to reach those health and fitness goals.
Try and spend at least 30 minutes a day being active. If 30 minutes sounds like a lifetime when it comes to juggling kids, work, hanging washing, vacuuming, grocery shopping, and many more of the never ending ‘to do’ list items, then don’t be dismayed.
Breaking it up into 3 x 10min periods will work just as well.
9 Tips On How To Exercise Without Your Kids Hanging Off Your Limbs!
Squeeze exercise into your normal daily routine without having to change or stop anything!
Some examples of ‘Sneaky Exercise:’
1. Washing Line Squats
If you plan to hang the washing on the line, instead of bending over from your waist topick upthe clothes (which is bad for your back) squat down using your legs. Keeping your chest and head up, abs engaged, stick your bottom out as if sitting back on a chair and use your legs to get low. With your weight through your heels, stand back up again.
Option: To make this more advanced, offer to piggy back one of your kiddies and do the squats with the added weight of your child. Do extra squats in between each clothes peg placement. And put the line up so high that you have to perform calf raises to reach.
2. Boil the kettle pushups
When you go to make yourself that much needed cuppa, while waiting for that kettle to boil, do some bench pushups.
Put both hands shoulder width (or slightly wider) apart and bring your chest down in line with the kitchen bench. Then engaging your core, exhale and push yourself back up. Your body should be flat like a plank from your shoulders down to your toes. Repeat for the whole time it takes for the kettle to boil.
Option: Stick your bottom up to make it easier. For an advanced option do pushups on the kitchen floor.
3. Lunge to the loo (or away from the loo)
Why walk to the bathroom, when you can lunge. Take a nice long step keeping your feet hip width apart (as if you are walking on railway tracks, not a tight rope). Engage your core and drop your back knee straight down. Keeping your front foot flat on the ground use your leg strength to change legs. Aim for at least 10 lunges.
4. TV options
If watching TV, get up and move during the ads. Whether its tricep dips (place your hands at the edge of your chair, fingers facing forward, and lower your hip, then using the strength of the back of your upper arm lift your body up again – repeat 10 times) off your lounge chair, pushups, squats, lunges, jog on the spot anything… try and keep moving throughout the whole ad break.
5. Shopping
Park the car an extra block away from the shops, and always try to take the stairs where you can (or ramps if pushing a pram).
6. PLAY with your kids
Whatever activity they love doing, whether its backyard soccer, chase, trampoline, crawling around the house, anything… just get involved… it’s a great workout and the kids would love it!
7. Start the day squats
As soon as you jump out of bed in the morning, do 50 squats before anything else.
8. Workout at the park/playground
The park or playground is an outdoor gym waiting to be used. Step ups, tricep dips, pushups all off a picnic table. Or use monkey bars for chins ups if you are feeling adventurous all while watching the kids burn some of their own energy.
9. Circuits or intervals
Circuits and intervals are a great way to get lots of exercise in, in a short amount of time. They are different though. Circuit training is moving from station to station to complete a set of exercises whether its cardio, strength or both.
Intervals (or High intensity interval training aka HIIT) involves bursts of intense activity alternated with periods of low/moderate intensity or “recovery” efforts. The more vigorous your exercise, the more calories you burn even in short bursts.
My favourite form of HIIT is called a Tabata. A Tabata is great for busy mums, as it’s a solid workout that only really takes 4mins!
With the Tabata you can choose ANY exercise you want, and you don’t need any equipment. You give that exercise everything you’ve got for 20seconds, then rest for 10seconds. Repeat this 8 times for a total of 4mins, and you should be huffing and puffing. Repeat that a few more times throughout the day for a fast way to increase your metabolism and burn much more calories.
They are just a few tips to help change your daily routine into a more active one. To make you burn calories without having to change too much or spend money on gym memberships or equipment.
Do you have any tips of your own? How do you fit exercise into your busy day?
Originally posted 2013-12-16 02:31:53.