As a busy mum with limited time, it can be hard to find a moment for yourself to get and stay fit. With school drop-offs, errands, and work, how are you supposed to even think about fitness?
Learning to make it work for you, and incorporate it into your day, can keep you fit without much more effort.
Here are 5 ways you can incorporate fitness into your day.
1) High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
If you can only spare 5-15 minutes per day (or perhaps are able to wake up a little earlier) then HIIT or Tabata training is perfect for you. This interval-style training is designed to be short and simple but packs a punch. It is a common misconception that you have to have weights or a gym membership or workout for hours at a time, but HIIT has proven this wrong! There are many studies that have shown the effectiveness of HIIT cardio workouts.
2) Level Up Your Cooking
If you are the cook of the family, why not level it up and multi-task? While you prepare your food, whether it is breakfast, lunch, or dinner, why not pop on your favorite playlist and dance? Dance fitness is a great way to get your body moving, and you can do it without taking extra time out of your day. Alternatively, you can strap a weighted runner’s bag to your back, use wrist or ankle weights, or a fat burning belt. Anything that adds a little extra weight or stimulation can help you build up a sweat.
3) Park Further Away
If you drive, start parking away from your home or place of work, or if you don’t drive, get off the bus a stop earlier. This will enable you to walk to your destination, without taking up too much time. Even better, dust off your bike from the shed and cycle to your destination. Cycling is much faster than walking and a great way to get fit while enjoying nature.
4) Encourage Active Family Activities
When you are spending time with your family, see if you can turn the more sedentary activities into active ones. Rather than baking cookies, why not head to the park to run around? Rather than time on the iPad or the games console, why not head out into the garden and play some football, basketball, or volleyball? This means you don’t have to miss out on family time, while also encouraging the whole family to be active.
5) Do Standing Lunges or Squats
When you find yourself in situations while you are waiting for something, perhaps the microwave to ping, a long line at the post office, kids to come out of school, or an email to come through at work, why not try and stand up and do some standing lunges or squats. Minimal effort is required and it doesn’t take up any extra time or space.
When you are a parent, you rarely get a moment to yourself. But that shouldn’t stop you from living a healthy life. It can be extremely easy to incorporate smaller activities or behaviors into your day that can positively encourage movement and increase your fitness, without being too time-consuming.
