As a mom myself, I totally understand that the barriers to getting your workouts in are far greater with a kid or two (or more!) in the mix. However, I am a firm believer in the phrase “if it’s important to you you’ll find a way. If it’s not, you’ll fine an excuse.”
I have talked to a few moms on this subject and narrowed down some common barriers. Let’s break them down and come up with possible solutions.
Barrier 1: I don’t have time!
Hands down this is the main thing moms say when it comes to getting their workouts in. It all really comes down to prioritizing your time.
How to overcome it:
By the time you add up all you have to do in a day, you may wonder when the heck you can schedule exercise. The good news is you don’t need hours and hours of workouts per week to see results.
Carve out just 20-30 minutes when you know you will have uninterrupted time (such as during naps or after bedtime).
You can stick to short and quick workouts you can do at home with little or no equipment. Try intervals of a high intensity exercise (burpees, jumping jacks, high knees, etc) for 30 seconds followed by 15-30 seconds rest for 10 minutes. You’ll really be sweating! Or grab some dumbbells (make sure they are a challenging weight) and try a circuit that works your whole body.
Even three days per week will show you results if you are pushing during that training time and staying consistent with a good diet.
Barrier 2: I’m bored with my workouts.
If you’re not having fun with it, how can you possibly stick to it?
How to overcome it:
I am a firm believer you should not need to do something you dislike just to get your desired result. I also believe that there are elements of fitness that are important for health and well being that should be incorporated into every individual’s fitness program in one way or another (ie don’t just do cardio and avoid resistance training).
So, my suggestion is to find a style of training you like and use it to train different elements of fitness. Do you like sports? Maybe you would enjoy plyometric training! This will be great cardiovascular exercise and also condition your muscles. Do you love dance? Try some calisthenics (bodyweight training) in your dance routine.
Barrier 3: I’m tired!
This is another big one! And I think that despite how well our babies sleep, mamas are among the more tired individuals in society.
How to overcome it:
You may have guessed it – you need to be getting to the root cause first in this one. Get as much sleep at night as you possible can with your child/baby permitting. But beyond that, make sure you tune out your electronics and any stimulation before bed (like doing last minute work) to keep your mind calm and maximize the rest you do get.
Other things you can do are stay hydrated, make sure you are eating a healthful diet, and try cutting down on caffeine to avoid burnout.
As for workouts, keep them short and sweet and do them at a time you have more energy (maybe during your baby’s first nap or before they wake up).
No matter what barriers you may have, remember that fitness is something that will keep you healthy and help you live a long life, so it is worth carving out time for. When you stick to a fitness plan that works for you, you’ll be super proud of your results.
