Are you wanting to start exercising again but can’t find the time? Rethink what exercise at home looks like and find all the opportunities.
For a very long time I failed to exercise because what I thought exercise should like didn’t match what I was capable of giving. I believed exercise had to look like 30-45 minutes of devoted, uninterrupted intense workout. But any mom knows that definition can be nearly impossible to attain with young children.
Historically, when I would set out on a new exercise routine, I would be highly motivated, giving maximum effort each workout. I would rearrange things in my schedule or drop something else all together to make time for the amount of exercise I thought was necessary. But like most people, this maximum effort just wasn’t maintainable. Be it lagging energy levels, lack of time, or the mounting list of other responsibilities that was growing because they were no longer getting the time and attention required, I knew I needed to find something that would work with my new stage of life. I realized I needed to shift the way I thought about exercise all together.
Put simply, exercise is about moving your body in a positive way and increasing your heart rate.
Instead of looking at exercise as a separate time set aside for high calorie burn, I began to think of it as an opportunity to move my body. Moving my body is ultimately what helps me feel great. Whether it’s a walk, a morning stretch, cleaning my house, or playing tag with my kids in the yard, each of these are opportunities to move my body in ways that are good for it. I find these different activities often get my heart rate up and by the end of the day I’ve accumulated quite a number of minutes in my active zone just from living and participating in everyday life.
So what are all the ways you can exercise at home in a day as a stay-at-home mom?
With your kids…
- play tag
- play sports – You don’t have to be good. Just have fun!
- have a race – Kids love to race! When you feel extra tired, have a walking race. 🙂
- set up and participate in an obstacle course with them
- potato sack race with them
- climb a tree with them
- go for a walk
- go for a hike
- go for a bikeride
- play chase
- play catch
- wrestle
- dance
- scooter
- teach them yoga
Around your house…
- pull weeds
- clean your house – I set a timer whenever I clean, so I’m always moving fast to accomplish what I need in the designated time. Cleaning always gets my heart rate up.
- clean the patio or any outdoor space
Out and About
- walk anywhere you can
- choose the farther parking spot
- help a neighbor in need with yardwork
Just think, 20 minutes of morning chores, a 15 minute morning walk with baby, a 5 minute game of chase inside with your toddler, a 10 minute afternoon dance party, and another 15 minute after dinner walk with the family. Just by intentionally engaging with your home and loved ones, you accumulated 65 minutes of activity for your body. Even better, you made memories with the people you love most.
So if you struggle to find time to exercise, I encourage you to start rethinking exercise at home. Start to see all the opportunities that come your way on any given day to move your body in a positive way.