7 Strategies for Fitting in Exercise When You Have Small Children
Are you buckling under the never-ending load of parental responsibilities? Does the thought of adding exercise to your plate make you want to cry? And yet do you have a nagging feeling that you probably should be getting some regular in exercise in your life?
Sister, you are not alone.
As parents, most of us KNOW that if we prioritize exercise, we will be the sparkliest version of ourselves and our kids will benefit. But if you’re anything like me, you struggle to carve out that sacred time for yourself amidst the chaos of changing soggy diapers, picking up toys (remember those little plastic green army guys? They have become my enemy), wiping tears, whipping up food that your kids may or may not eat, and so much more. So so much more.
I’ve been through it. Right there with you. The season of littles is joyful and sacred in so many beautiful ways, but can also be exhausting to the bone.
But what if I told you that there is a way for you to gift yourself the life giving exercise your body and soul desperately crave, even amidst the madness of raising littles?
Are you ready to make your mind and body a priority again? Read on for 7 strategies to get your body moving and your mind glowing, all while keeping those littles alive, well, and happy.
The Changing Nature of the University of Motherhood, AKA The Reasons We Don’t Exercise
Let’s talk about some real and gritty scenarios that most of us with little ones encounter that prevent from getting that exercise in.
Baby was up all night and today is brought to you by Dr. Pepper Zero and Doritos
The house is an absolute wreck and you can’t think straight
Work keeps you busy as is and you don’t want to take away from precious family time
You finally have a second to breathe and working out is just NOT what you want to do with that precious grain of free time
You are dealing with pregnancy or postpartum and are NOT feeling good
Your toddler just learned to walk, has turned into a terrorist, and can not be left out of your sight.
You have twins or maybe even triplets. Enough said.
The list could go on and on and on. It’s all real, and it’s all valid. And they are all freaking good excuses to not get that exercise in.
The bummer is that you are the one who suffers for it. You are the one missing out on the life giving resource that physical activity provides. And that’s not right. You deserve better. And you can have better!
With all the changes women’s bodies go through, I think we are all entitled to like at least 6 different wardrobes: one for normal life, one for those bloated period days, one for pregnancy, one for postpartum, one for looking fancy, and one that is cute but that can handle peanut butter and sticky kisses.
So many different scenarios of womanhood and motherhood abound. Our bodies, our children’s bodies, and life situations are ever changing! Because we are all in various stages, I have listed out several different strategies to help you navigate your season. Pick a strategy, try it out and see if it works for you! If not, choose another one that may be better suited for your current life situation.
First: The Newborn Caveat
If you have a baby under three months old, we are gonna wait this out a little bit. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Whenever you can. If you can get a walk in or gentle workout as you recover, great. If not, choose sleep at this stage (unless your mental health is begging for some movement, which is totally valid). If you can exercise, keep it simple and short and within the guidelines your doctor has set for you while you heal from giving birth.
I submit that now is not the time to set goals or focus on “getting your body back.” Rather, this is the “fourth trimester” for a reason. Nature made this compromise so that you could push that little cutie out without destroying your hips forever. You are in survival mode with a newborn. Accept it and know that things will change in a few months. Sending all the love and good vibes your way.
Now that we have that cleared up… here are 7 strategies to help you get your workout on, increase that energy and clear your head! This is your toolkit. Try one or several and personalize them to your life situation and season.
Strategy #1: Arise Early for Some “You Time” and Get That Workout In!
One day I came to a painful but enlightening conclusion. No matter when I wake up, at the point of waking, I ALWAYS want to sleep more.
If I get up at 6:30, I want to keep sleeping. But I also want to keep sleeping even if I wake up at 9am. However, once I turn on the bright lights, I almost always perk up.
After realizing my sleepy self would always want to stay in bed no matter what, I started getting up at 6:30am. While it was painful at first, the feeling of being awake, by myself, and able to workout uninterrupted was… glorious and unparalleled. I was usually even able to get showered and ready before the kids were up, which started the day on such a pleasant tone.
If possible, gift yourself at least 30 minutes, but preferably an hour before those kiddos are up to get in that exercise! You will want to prepare by setting your alarm, laying out your exercise clothes, and figuring out what workout you will be doing in advance. Are you following along to a workout video? If so, which one? Are you working on strength? If so, are your weights set out?
Getting up early (for me), also has the added benefit of pushing me into a virtuous cycle of sleep and exercise. I have a serious case of FOMO when it comes to bedtime and often struggle to go to sleep at my goal time because I want to hang with my husband, watch some Netflix, and just enjoy time without our darling kids. However, when I arise early, my need for alone time is filled and I actually want to go to bed at my goal time because I’m tired and bed time sounds like heaven. Bedtime becomes a joy instead of a sad ending.
Does waking up before your kids sound painful? The first thing to address is… why?
Are you getting to bed too late? Do you have insomnia? Do you have a baby that is waking in the night? Along with exercise, sleep is foundational to good health. For that reason, if you can’t get up early because sleep is an issue, let’s address that first.
If your baby is under six months (and waking up in the night), or if you have a job that requires you to get up early, this strategy is not for you. Also, please do NOT get up before 5am to exercise, that is just too gross early okay?
If your baby is waking in the night, you may or may not be able to do something about it. I have heard excellent reviews about the Taking Care of Babies courses. I also really love The Happiest Baby’s Guide to Great Sleep by Dr. Harvey Karp. To be honest, the writing is a little cheesy, but I have found it to be immediately helpful. White noise machines also are the actual best creation ever. They have helped both of my kids immensely.
If you have a sleep condition, be sure to consult with your doctor to find out if it’s a clinical problem and to get treatment. Also, consider practicing good sleep hygiene by giving yourself time to unwind before bed, ensuring your bedroom is at a comfortable temperature, creating a relaxing environment in your bedroom, avoiding screens an hour before bed, etc.
Strategy #2: Ditch the Cleaning During Nap & Quiet Time, Workout Instead!
If you have not yet tasted the sweet, sweet fruit of quiet time, I can not recommend it enough. It’s great for parents and it’s great for little kids who no longer nap. And when it’s nap/quiet time I do NOT clean or do household chores. Instead, I use it to work, exercise (if I didn’t get my morning workout in), or recharge. I am pretty much always a better mom after quiet time than I was before.
This advice from Susie, creator of BusyToddler, changed my life:
“I encourage parents to use (quiet or nap) time as their break time. Take this time for you. Don’t clean, don’t do dishes, don’t do the laundry. Focus on you and recharging/ refilling your tank. I do (housework) in front of the kids and with the kids. I want them to know how much work goes into making a house run smoothly and teach them to do that work too. No nap-time fairy comes and magically cleans at this house. We all work together.”
So put down the broom and walk away from the dishes during quiet time. You can get to the chores while the kids are up, guilt-free!
Another great resource for empowering children to help around the house and be active members of the family unit is “Hunt, Gather, Parent,” by Michaeleen Donaldson. I highly, highly recommend it.
Strategy #3: Keep Your Workouts Short & Gentle
Raise your hand if you have a tendency to spend more time thinking about doing something than actually doing it… 🙋♀️. We are way more likely to exercise if we take out the intimidation factor.
If the choice is between you NOT working out and working out for 10 minutes, choose 10 minutes. If the choice is between you NOT working out and doing an easy workout, pick the easy workout.
Even short moments of physical activity are very beneficial. Don’t think that it’s not worth the time since it will be short, it 100% is.
We are building habits. If you decide to stick with short workouts long term, that’s fine! Likely though, you’ll start to see benefits quickly, which include increased energy, confidence, mental capacity, and emotional stability. This will cause you to start craving your exercise time. You may not always jump with glee at the thought of exercising, but you will hunger for it if you don’t get it in.
Also once you get moving, you’re more likely to get more movement throughout the day.
Movement begets movement. As Newton’s First Law says, “an object in motion stays in motion.” Okay I know that doesn’t completely apply here but the more I move throughout the day, the more I want to. On the days I work out, I find myself also taking the kids to the park, stretching during a show, etc.
Need ideas for a quick workout? Check out this post all about circuit training. Not sure how to start weight training? Get help here for an intro to weight lifting, or access my free beginner workout here.
Strategy #4: Find Workouts That Appeal to You
QUESTION: What is the best workout? ANSWER: The one you’ll do! The one you’ll LIKE to do!
Does that mean you will constantly be bursting with joy and energy as you complete every workout? Probs not. But also, maybe you will! What kind of exercise do you find enjoyable and fun? Do you love running outside and feeling the wind in your hair? If yes, great! If you’re like the 98% of people who don’t (jk it’s probably not that high) there are so. Many. Other. Options.
Take the time to try some different activities out and see what works best for you. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
Zumba
Just Dance (you can literally look up YouTube videos and just follow along, you will feel ridiculous and laugh your head off, so much fun)
Pickleball
Yoga
Pilates
Weight Training (with body weights, actual weights, resistance bands, etc. This resource can get you started.)
Mountain Bike
Ski/Snowboard
Road Bike/Indoor Bike
Elliptical
Stairmaster
Treadmill
Tennis
Dodgeball
Racquetball
Basketball
Volleyball
Football
Soccer
Martial Arts
Boxing
Kickboxing
Swimming
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Barre
Hiking
Long Distance Running
Interval Running or Sprints
Ideally (as I mentioned in this post and stated by the CDC):
“You will get at least 150 min each week of moderate physical activity, 75 min of vigorous exercise, or a combination of the two.
I know… it’s a really weird way to lay that out. Basically, if moderate intensity is your jam (think brisk walking), you want to get at least 30 minutes 5xs a week. If you prefer higher intensity, you can get more done in less time! that breaks down to only 15 minutes a day for 5 times a week! Or you can do a combo of the two. (i.e. moderate cardio for 100 min in the week and vigorous cardio for 50 min) Additionally, it is recommended that you exercise all major muscle groups (think chest, back, arms, core, legs, shoulders) twice a week.”
But if you’re just starting, just do SOMETHING. ANYTHING. Baby step it with something enjoyable and you will get there! Doing something you actually enjoy is your best chance for creating an active lifestyle, especially with Netflix & Instagram competing for your attention once those babes are in bed.
Strategy #5: Tag Team with Disney+
My 18-month-old is at the most fun and most dangerous stage of her life. Just today, I set out a game for her that she loves. I put it nearby while I worked so I could supervise. I noticed she was munching on something. I asked her to spit out whatever was in her mouth and found pieces of a rubber ball from the game. #parentingfail. Happened right in front of me, y’all.
I LOVE watching her personality blossom and seeing her eyes light up as she makes her daily discoveries. But also, she is constantly putting everything in her mouth, trying to climb and jump off of every surface (preferably if they are unstable), and teaching herself sketchy new tricks every day.
Heaven help me.
Thankfully, she has not yet learned how to climb out of her Pack ’N’ Play.
And so even though it’s not the cutest, I keep the playpen in our living room. I line it with a blanket, put in some toys, and if I need to get a workout in, I turn on a show for her & my 4-year-old, stick in my headphones, and work out in the background while they are dazzled by Disney.
Obviously, screen time should be used at your and your pediatrician’s discretion. For me, the trade-off of one show or movie, while I get my happy time in, is beyond worth it.
I also use this strategy as my Plan “B”, for days when my “Plan A” of getting up early before the kids doesn’t work out for whatever reason (baby up in the night, sick kids, needed extra sleep, whatever.)
Strategy #6: Find a Gym with Childcare
If you are a gym-goer, try finding a recreation center that offers child care while you exercise. Many family rec centers offer this as a free service or for a very small fee.
Picture this, you go to the gym, get to feed off the vibe of other exercisers, get a true mind/body break, take a class, work out with a friend, or on your own, all while your kids are having fun and being cared for!
“BUT WAIT!” you may say. I’m a responsible parent! I’m not going to leave my kids with some strangers. Totally valid, I see and hear you. If you have a weird gut feeling about it, by all means, listen to that. But please keep in mind that in family recreation center child care situations, there are people coming in and out all the time, so the child care is totally transparent. Additionally, most child cares have policies about how long they will allow a child to cry before calling you to come get them, and they do not change diapers (which I was grateful for… I am not okay with a stranger changing my baby’s diaper).
One thing to be mindful of is if you have younger kids, know that they probably will put all the shared toys in their mouths. So weigh out the risk/benefit, especially if it’s flu season.
You are the parent, and only you know what is best for your child. But if this does work out for you and your kids, it is incredible.
Strategy #7 Plan Each Week & Make Sure You Are a Priority in the Schedule
Does the concept of time management seem like a mythical creature?
The practice of daily, weekly (and monthly, quarterly, and yearly planning) is one of your most significant and most powerful allies in helping you take care of your most important priority, YOU!
For now, let’s just start with the week. Get a planner or calendar, any will do. Paper, electronic, whatever fits most easily into your life.
Layout the appointments that you have already committed to. Now, think about your most important priorities.
For me, they are my faith, my body/mind/work, my husband, and my children. Determine what yours are and schedule in time to nurture those priorities. I ask myself questions such as when and where will I exercise this week? What workouts will I do? How will I grow my faith? How will I spend quality time with my husband and children? What do I need to accomplish in order to help more people feel empowered to live a healthier, more wholesome lifestyle?
Then I schedule a date and time for those things to happen, where applicable. I think through the preparation that needs to happen as well. Do you need a babysitter for date night? Do you need your partner to watch the kids while you exercise? Do you want to teach your children a new skill? Pencil it in and you will be so much more likely to actually do those things, even if it doesn’t all work out as perfectly as you planned.
For more ideas on planning, check out my post here.
So there you have it! 7 strategies to allow you to exercise and show up as an even better parent for your littles. Get ready for increased energy, emotional well-being, and mental space. You have the tools to slay, Queen! Now that you are primed to get that body moving, want a workout to follow? Learn about the benefits of stabilization endurance exercise and get your free workout here!
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