I don’t pretend to be in the same league as Sophie Guidolin or Tammy Hembrow. We do have some similarities. We are all Aussie mums and we are all just trying to juggle #mumlife with fitness. That is where the similarities end. I can’t crack a walnut with my arse like them. I have however been exercising consistently 5-6 days per week for over 3 years and have learned some tricks of the trade when it comes to finding time to exercise when you have kids. These have all been tried and tested by me at different points of motherhood. Before you have kids you have endless time. Once you have kids, spare time is rare. The laundry needs doing, the lunches need to be made, the house needs to be cleaned. The list goes on, and on, and on. We get to the end of the day and fall into a heap, sleep, then wake up and do it all over again. We are often so busy making sure everyone else is organized/fed/healthy that we put ourselves last. It got me thinking that as heads of our households, we owe it to our family to take care of ourselves. We need to make sure we eat foods that nourish our bodies and we need to exercise. It is not selfish to take the time to make sure you are fit and healthy. It is selfish not to. Our families depend on us! With that in mind, here are my top tips for exercising as a parent. 1. Walk New mums! There is no better way to start exercising after birth than walking. Babies LOVE being in the pram so get out there and pound the pavement. Walking is gentle enough to start very soon after birth or c-section. It gets the endorphins flowing and it gets us out of our pajamas and into the fresh air. If you have multiple little ones, get on Gumtree and purchase a good quality second-hand double pram. They are easy to push and steer. Mine set me back $250. I re-sold it 2 years later for the same price! 2. App it up When your body feels ready for a little more (usually around 6 weeks post-partum and after your medical professional has given you the go ahead), get an exercise app on your phone. I was a Sweat with Kayla BBG devotee. Her program doesn’t require much equipment, the exercises are easy to do at home, her app is very user-friendly, and each session is only 28 minutes. Perfect to squeeze in during nap times. There are countless other apps out there too. Look around. 3. Gym childminding If you find home exercise boring (which eventually I did), find a gym with childminding. My kids started at the gym crèche when they were just babies. Sure it is daunting dropping off your most precious possessions initially but my kids grew to know and love the ladies at the gym just as much as they love their kindy teachers. 4. Childcare If you are a working parent, drop the kids at childcare a bit earlier or pick them up a bit later so that you can go to the gym. Better yet, exercise in your lunch break. It clears the head and makes you more productive in the afternoon. 5. Early starts If you don’t have access to childcare or a crèche, get out of bed at 5am. Get to the gym before your partner leaves for work. Not a popular suggestion I know (especially in the colder months). You get used to the early starts I promise. 6. Baby bootcamp For the single mummas, find classes that include your babies. There are many bootcamps around that get you to push, pull, lift, and curl your babies. Unfortunately your attendance at these classes are usually short-lived. Once your kid starts crawling, it becomes impossible to do any exercise without having to chase them around the room. Which brings me to the next point….. 7. Exercise WITH the kids Take the kids with you. Ride a bike with a baby seat or when the kids are older, put them on their own bikes/scooters. I am lucky enough to live near a running track where I regularly see parents and primary school age kids out running together! A kid on my son’s soccer team (who is 5 years old) goes on NINETY minute mountain bike rides with his Dad on the weekend. Find something the kids like and run with it. I have an adult sized scooter! 8. Schedule it in – make it routine Schedule the time. Put some “meetings” with yourself in your diary a few times per week. That is your exercise time. Non-negotiable. No other appointments are to be scheduled in those times. That is your time. 9. Never cancel If you have had a rough night with the kids, you don’t have to push yourself. Attend anyway but take it easy. It keeps you in the routine. Routine is important for exercise longevity. I have actually just laid down on the floor stretching whilst my kids were at the gym crèche. You still get one hour of thinking about no-one but yourself. Listen to music. Allow your mind to wander. It is good for the soul. 10. Negotiate Have you heard the saying: “there can only be one athlete in the family?” It doesn’t have to be true. Sit down with your partner and negotiate both of your training schedules. Mum and Dad are both equally important. Negotiate your training times and stick to them. Find something you enjoy. You will never stick to regular exercise if you don’t love what you do. What one person loves, another mightn’t. Find your thing. The thing that makes you want to go. For me, I love the friendships and community. I love feeling like I am part of a team. My gym at F45 Lutwyche feels like the heart of my community. Many mums and dads from my son’s school attend. The Principal of the local school. The carers from my son’s after school care. I run into people from my gym at school, at the shops, and down at the park. I have made so many new friends. It is what I love about going. PLUS! Both exercise and community are shown in studies (time and time again) to reduce depression and prolong your life. Most importantly, Don’t compare yourself to others. Enjoy the time alone. Take care of yourself so you can take care of your family. They need you. ** This blog post is dedicated to a mother I know who puts herself last. You know who you are.** How do you exercise with your kids?
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