Easy mom fitness tips
The Wise Baby
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When you are a mom, it’s hard enough to find time to shower, let alone an hour for a work out. I have been in the biggest rut lately and I am dying to get back into a good routine. I am by no means a fitness guru, I’m probably the opposite of one in fact. But the way I see it, if I can do something, anyone can :-)!!! I wanted to share things that have all gotten me motivated to being healthier. They are all super simple, but they work and hopefully you find them helpful, too.
1) Don’t wait until Monday! This is actually something I learned from Oprah. Never ever wait until Monday to start something, do it right then and there. Monday is the weekly version of a New Years resolution, it’s doomed to be broken. If it’s Thursday and you are feeling inspired or motivated, just do it. Wake up Friday morning and go for that run! Same goes for your diet. If you splurge and have a donut for breakfast, that doesn’t mean the day is shot, get right back on the saddle with a healthy lunch.
2) Wear a pedometer! We are supposed to get 10,000 steps a day. Sounds easy enough, but it’s freakin’ HARD!!! Whenever I am trying to get motivated I put on my pedometer. It’s a physical reminder to get off your butt. I find that whenever I wear it, instead of asking my husband to grab me a glass of water or the clicker, I get up and do it myself just so I can get those steps in! I am a huge fan of the Omron Pedometers
3) Join a mom work out class!! There are lots of different options in Chicago, and I think most cities offer them. As a first time mom, the idea of leaving Harrison in childcare was a huge deterrent for me to go to the gym; not to mention, having to pay additional money for child care was a big bummer. I love bringing Harrison to the mom work out class for a billion reasons. For one, I feel like I am still spending time with him so my mom guilt is at a zero! Two, I like that he can see me working out. I did not grow up in a fit household and it stuck with me for life. It’s really hard to learn to work out in your adult life. I love that Harrison is exposed to it from such a young age. Three, it was the first time Harrison had to separate from me and it was such a gentle way to do it. Our class is set up so care takers play with the kids while the moms work out in sight of the kiddos. Four, everyone there is a mom at all different stages. Some are preggo, some are super fit, postpartum, so no matter what your work out level, there is someone at your pace. Five, they are all moms so they all get it – if you have a screaming colicky baby they are unfazed! No judgement! Lastly, there are moms with two, three, four kids and they have all been there and done that. Everything from nursing advice to private school applications, they can help you navigate mom world. It’s such an amazing environment and I highly recommend seeking some out in your area. Check out Fit4Moms, they have really awesome programs in LOTS of cities.
4) A good jogging stroller! We need a jogging stroller for my workout class I just mentioned but I also love having one for day to day use – especially in nice weather. On days I don’t have work out class or we have a free afternoon, taking a jog or brisk walk is a great way to get out and get moving (and also a great way to bridge that afternoon nap to dinner time gap!). We have lots of reviews on jogging strollers, I love my BOB and the Mountain Buggy but here’s a jogging stroller buying guide.
5) Put on work out clothes in the morning. This tip is from my sister in law. She is big on hitting the treadmill during nap time. Even if she isn’t heading straight to work out in the morning, she swears it’s motivating to wear work out clothes. So instead of bumming around when the kids go down for the naps, she is all set to go in her work out gear! I feel much more active when wearing my work out gear, I am more likely to take the stairs at our Target vs the escalator. I also find I make better eating choices when I am wearing workout clothes – another added bonus!
6) Apps. Seriously, how did moms survive before smart phones? I especially love all the applications for healthy living. My favorite app is the couch to 5K running program. Running is not my thing, I actually fear it the way people fear heights. This running program has gotten me through several 5Ks, which may as well be a marathon for me. The program is so easy to use, it coaches you from walking for thirty minutes to running it through intervals. You can listen to your iTunes and it will tell you to walk/run/walk/run through the music! I love this because I can do it with Harrison in a jogging stroller. It’s only 30-45 minutes and I play music out loud for him to hear. The only downside is that our running season is quite short in Chicago ;-(
For healthy eating I am obsessed with MyFitnessPal! It’s the best food diary on earth! you can load recipes and it will tell you the calories based on the portion. You can also scan using the bar code. They have thought of everything for you. It’s awesome for keeping track of your eating. I will say, that physically writing things down is more effective I think. It’s the difference between a hand written note vs an email. Hand writing has more meaning, it’s more concrete I find.
7) Pinterest. I don’t have much access to a gym other than when on vacation, and I am pretty clueless on how to work out on my own. On a recent trip to visit my inlaws in Florida, I was able to find so many easy and great workouts on Pinterest. I already use my phone as an iPod and would screen shot the work out to follow along, so easy and FREE!!!!!
A couple of my favorite from Pop Sugar are Cardio Workout for Beginners on a Treadmill and 10 Minute Arm Workout. But there are seriously LOTS of great FREE and QUICK workouts online.
8) Get a good water bottle! About the only thing I am good at when it comes to being healthy is drinking a boat load of water! My friends all joke that I always have a smart water and a Starbucks. For me, the thing I hate most is refilling a water bottle. I like to use a water bottle that’s at least 32oz so I only have to refill it once. My husband HATES when I buy water because it’s such a waste and I agree, but I do try to reuse the plastic bottles as much as possible and honestly I feel like you should do whatever it takes for you to drink water. I’m all for not being wasteful and do try to use reusable water bottles whenever possible. For me, glass or metal is the only way to go (plastic always tastes like soap to me). I am a huge fan of the super adorable BKR bottles, the colors are amazing!!!! I’ve also used the Hydro Flask
So those are my tips for keeping yourself fit all while still being SUPERMOM – what are your tips?!?
