Is There Such A Thing As Mom/Work Balance?
We all know mom life is busy, not much explanation needed there. I constantly speak about how exercise is the one thing in my busy mom life that I know I can depend on to complete the task and feel that sense of accomplishment. So the question is HOW?
Between carpools, work, home tasks and actually being a present parent, how in the world are you supposed to prioritize your fitness and health? Well, I must tell you the first thing to know is that in order to be able to complete all those tasks a mother needs to accomplish and come out with sanity intact, your self-care is vital. I could easily argue that the moms who make exercise part of their weekly routine actually accomplish more than those who say they have “no time”. It is all a matter of priorities.
One important factor to know when making time for fitness in your life is that a little consistency goes a long way. Incorporating movement into your life where it can fit, will be more effective to your life than training for a marathon and then sitting on the couch the rest of time. Fifteen to twenty minutes of HIIT and strength training daily can leave you in a deep sweat and conquering your fitness goals.
If that still sounds like too much, make yourself a daily routine either when you wake up or when you go to sleep. For example:
40 jumping jacks
10-15 pushups
20squats
30seconds of plank runs
20-40 alternating lunges
repeat 2-5 times depending on your time limit or drive.
This will build you up and teach you commitment to yourself, your health and will simultaneously teach you consistency, the most important aspect of health and fitness. I always say, commit to what you CAN do rather than focusing on your CANT’S.
Another tip that has helped me when I was less driven to exercise on my own was to sign up for classes either at a gym or a studio that you enjoy being a part of. Group classes not only ensure that you will have an effective workout, but they also take the stress off of thinking about what your workout will be. Find a class you love, a workout you find to be fun and challenging and it will be much easier to stay consistent and motivated to come back.
As we know, health is not just about fitness, although that is my focus and specialty, I would argue the main key to health and weight loss is through food. So, if I could give a few simple tips to busy moms about eating healthfully, it would be:
Always stock up on fruit and vegetables. There are many precut, prewashed, ready to eat forms of vegetables out there. Fill your plate with easily available veggies. I recommend to most of my clients to eat a salad a day, which could take a total of five minutes to make if you have what you need ready!
Have ready-made protein options to add into your salads or meals. Make extra salmon or chicken, when making dinner the night before. Make extra everything and you can have that for lunch with no prep at all!
The third main thing I tell people is to buy themselves a reusable water bottle and make a goal to fill it up at least three times a day. Reusable water bottles often can hold more water and motivates people to keep hydrated, plus it’s better for the environment!
These are just three simple tricks to eating healthier while being short on time. But my main message to you is that prioritizing you and your health will have long lasting effects on your happiness, your energy levels, efficiency and thereby affecting your entire family for the better. Plus, modeling this healthy behavior will teach your children about commitment, motivation and health. What more could a mother want?
