Making Exercise Happen

How Moms (or Moms-to-Be!) can fit exercise in amidst the chaos, exhaustion, and excitement of motherhood

Most of us know of the benefits that regular exercise can bring to our lives, at least in some abstract way. In addition to all of the physical benefits of exercise, don’t forget about one of the most immediate pay-offs-- a sense of well-being and stress relief! So even if you’d rather skip over this article because you know that, yes, exercise would be nice, but not happening anytime soon!, think for just a sec about this—how great would it be to reduce your stress level some, to feel a bit happier and a bit more relaxed, as you juggle the endless tasks of motherhood and daily life? Getting in some physical activity, even a small amount a few days a week, can produce those types of benefits. If for no other reason than a bit of calm and reduction of mood swings and hormonal outbursts, read on about how ordinary moms make exercise happen.

All of us reading this article are busy moms (or moms-to-be), balancing household chores, a job (for many of us), stresses about whether we are doing the right things for our children (or babies-to-be), trying to fit in time for extended family, friends, and oh yes that person we married or decided to have a baby with in the first place! So we’re all on the same page there. And we all struggle with fitting in time to take a shower, let alone get out and exercise. So here are some tips, from my experience as a pre- and post-natal fitness instructor, from my own life as a mom, and from many other moms in similar situations to you, on how to get into a regular exercise routine:

• Plan ahead. We’ve probably all heard this one before, but planning DOES make a huge difference to whether or not you fit any physical activity into your life or not. Aim to, on a weekly basis, look at your schedule for the week, and decide AHEAD OF TIME where you can fit in some exercise, even just 20-30 minutes, with or without your children, a few days each week. If you are someone with a planner or calendar (tangible or digital), then add it to your schedule in advance, so that you just expect that activity to be part of your day.

• Either bring the kids along, or plan ahead for their care. There are MANY ways that you can exercise with your baby or children. There are various mommy-and-me fitness classes, such as Stroller Strides, Mommy-and-Me yoga or dance classes, etc. You can also walk or jog with your little ones in the stroller, and incorporate a variety of stroller exercises while doing so. You can do a short ab workout, yoga or pilates routine, or stretching session in your living room while your little one plays. You can check out “Exercise TV” or “Exercise on Demand” (included free in many cable packages) or use exercise DVDs while your kids watch, play, or join in (depending on their age). And if you would like to plan some sessions while the kids are NOT with you, just be sure to plan for childcare for them in advance.

• Set realistic (and specific) goals. Don’t overdo it with your goals! Build up slowly, so that you are more likely to stick with it. When looking at the week ahead, adding an exercise timeslot to each day can be overwhelming. But just picking out 3 days of the week to fit it in can be much more achievable. The more realistic and achievable that your goals are, the more likely you’ll be able to stick with them.
Also, be sure your plans are specific. It is more likely that you will actually DO the exercise if you’ve planned to “Walk my neighborhood’s loop”, “Jog 15 minutes and walk 15 minutes with Sally,” “Do Pilates DVD”, etc, then if you just write “exercise” in your planner or calendar. A vague goal like “exercise” is easy to dismiss for another day!

• Consider time of day—for most, earlier is better! Plan your exercise at a time of day that works best for you. For most moms, it’s better to get the exercise in during the first half of the day when possible, as even the best laid plans tend to go out the window as the day wears on!

• Tell your significant other or family/friends of your plans, and/or enlist friends to join you. You’ll be less likely to flake out if you’ve already told your partner you’re going for a jog tomorrow AM! And if you have friends in the area who are up for walking, jogging, attending an exercise class, or any other activity with you, this can be a great help in terms of making your fitness plans a reality.

• Consider signing up for a regular exercise program. Signing up for a program like Stroller Strides or similar can really increase the likelihood that you’ll get into a regular routine. It also takes an element of the planning and stress out of fitting in your exercise, as you really just have to think about showing up on time, and then once you’re there, your instructor has planned your workout and can keep you motivated to complete it. Plus with programs where your kids come along for the ride and are entertained as well, you can’t go wrong—no need for gym daycares in that scenario!

• Consider setting a goal. Working up to walking or jogging a certain time or distance? Losing weight before a holiday or event? Completing a 5 or 10k or other fitness event? Setting a longer-term goal can make a big difference in your motivation to get out there each day.

• Track your progress. While it does take an extra minute or so of your life, keeping a written record of your exercise can be very gratifying, and can also increase the likelihood that you’ll keep it up. Sort of like a grown-up star sticker chart ;), it helps!

• Keep up the routine! We’ve all had the scenario where you start a routine of some sort, then due to relatives in town, vacations, or other things that come up, you get out of the routine. Then it is SO much harder to get back into it, whether it’s returning to your fitness classes, or committing to getting out and walking in the neighborhood. But the good news is once you get back into that regular weekly routine, it stops becoming so much of a struggle and starts to be part of your life again. So stick it out for a week or so at first, and you’ll get back into the swing of things and be glad that you did.

• Get some tunes going. For many mommies, music in the background makes exercise a whole new experience, and much more do-able. Even better if you can spend a bit of time and set up a great workout playlist ahead of time.

• Make this a small slice of “me” time (even if kids are in tow). Exercise is something you are doing for yourself, and it’s a vital part of your health and well-being. While most everything else we do at this point in life may be for our family and others, set aside those short chunks of time for you, even if your kids are along for the ride, and remember—it will make you a better mom later on!

You CAN get back to feeling like your old self after having children. It may take time, and this is a new you in many ways, but it is a great feeling to finally get into those pre-maternity clothes, to feel happier and calmer and fitter, and to know you’re setting a great example for your children by including exercise in your life.

Good luck all!

Note: Please remember, you should always get your doctor’s approval before starting any exercise plan. Pregnant moms can exercise through their pregnancy if things are going well and they get their doctor’s approval; after you have your baby, you should wait until your 6 week postpartum checkup and get your doctor’s approval then.