Thursday
Aug142008
10 back-to-school fitness tips for busy moms
Thursday, August 14, 2008 at 12:07PM
As moms, we usually put ourselves last and feel selfish if we decide to do anything just for us. It's time we stop that to take care of ourselves sometimes, and back-to-school season is a great time to shift your priorities in that direction. Once you have your hectic fall schedule under control, start taking care of yourself. In between making lunches and picking up kids from sports, you should be able to find at least a half hour a day to spend on you.
Seize the day to recommit to your fitness routine with these 10 Back-to-School Tips for Busy Moms.
1. Start by making the most of your time. Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to do too much at first. Walking is always a good first option, and any active time you can squeeze will make a difference. Whenever possible, walk or ride a bike (with a child seat or trailer) to either pick up or drop off your child at school. You'll save gas and burn some bit calories, while also having some great one-on-one "How was school?" time with your child.
2. Create a routine and stick to it. Find another mom from your child's school, and meet up in the school parking lot or the nearby park after drop off for a brisk walk, jog, hike or bike ride 2 - 3 days per week. You need to drop off your child anyway; therefore you can't avoid this workout buddy and will have no excuse not to exercise.
3. Take your child's example and take a class of your own. Supplement your MWF workouts by taking another active class, such as yoga, pilates, spinning or dance through your gym, if you have one, or at a local community center (like Meadows Park or Hillside) or the YMCA.
4. Brown bag it, just like you do for your kids. By setting aside single-serving, calorie-conscious servings in your fridge, you're less likely to overeat either by accident or because no one's around the house to know.
5. Squeeze a little more activity into your day and bribe your kids to do their homework. Promise them that you will play soccer in the yard, shoot hoops or go to the park with them for 30 minutes after dinner if they finish their homework. That gets everyone off the couch.
6. If you are chauffeuring the kids around, pack a cooler for your car. A protein shake and a piece of fruit or an ounce of nuts is a great mini-meal on the go. Keep healthy treats in the cooler for you and the kids, and not only will your body thank you, so will your budget.
7. Set a goal. If your goal is a big one, like running a marathon when you haven't even walked in years out to get the mail, you may want to rethink that. That doesn't mean the goal is unattainable, it just may be a little overwhelming at first. Think about taking walks regularly and working running into small intervals to start.
8. Reward yourself - you deserve it. Think back when your kids were smaller, when you rewarded them for going potty. They got prizes for pooping - we should get a prize for working hard, right? Perhaps $5 towards the new clothes you will fit into? A pedicure for losing five lbs?
9. Involve your family. If your son/daughter is trying out for basketball, shoot baskets or try a run/walk with him/her. Take your husband on a walk after dinner instead of watching television.
10. The bottom line is plan, plan, plan. Don't get caught up in your hectic schedule with your family and forget your own needs. You can take better care of you family if you take better care of yourself! Organize yourself and add some "me time" into your busy schedule to start feeling good and energized to better take on all of the challenges the school year gives us.
Seize the day to recommit to your fitness routine with these 10 Back-to-School Tips for Busy Moms.
1. Start by making the most of your time. Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to do too much at first. Walking is always a good first option, and any active time you can squeeze will make a difference. Whenever possible, walk or ride a bike (with a child seat or trailer) to either pick up or drop off your child at school. You'll save gas and burn some bit calories, while also having some great one-on-one "How was school?" time with your child.
2. Create a routine and stick to it. Find another mom from your child's school, and meet up in the school parking lot or the nearby park after drop off for a brisk walk, jog, hike or bike ride 2 - 3 days per week. You need to drop off your child anyway; therefore you can't avoid this workout buddy and will have no excuse not to exercise.
3. Take your child's example and take a class of your own. Supplement your MWF workouts by taking another active class, such as yoga, pilates, spinning or dance through your gym, if you have one, or at a local community center (like Meadows Park or Hillside) or the YMCA.
4. Brown bag it, just like you do for your kids. By setting aside single-serving, calorie-conscious servings in your fridge, you're less likely to overeat either by accident or because no one's around the house to know.
5. Squeeze a little more activity into your day and bribe your kids to do their homework. Promise them that you will play soccer in the yard, shoot hoops or go to the park with them for 30 minutes after dinner if they finish their homework. That gets everyone off the couch.
6. If you are chauffeuring the kids around, pack a cooler for your car. A protein shake and a piece of fruit or an ounce of nuts is a great mini-meal on the go. Keep healthy treats in the cooler for you and the kids, and not only will your body thank you, so will your budget.
7. Set a goal. If your goal is a big one, like running a marathon when you haven't even walked in years out to get the mail, you may want to rethink that. That doesn't mean the goal is unattainable, it just may be a little overwhelming at first. Think about taking walks regularly and working running into small intervals to start.
8. Reward yourself - you deserve it. Think back when your kids were smaller, when you rewarded them for going potty. They got prizes for pooping - we should get a prize for working hard, right? Perhaps $5 towards the new clothes you will fit into? A pedicure for losing five lbs?
9. Involve your family. If your son/daughter is trying out for basketball, shoot baskets or try a run/walk with him/her. Take your husband on a walk after dinner instead of watching television.
10. The bottom line is plan, plan, plan. Don't get caught up in your hectic schedule with your family and forget your own needs. You can take better care of you family if you take better care of yourself! Organize yourself and add some "me time" into your busy schedule to start feeling good and energized to better take on all of the challenges the school year gives us.
tagged moms in Fitness Tips
moms in Fitness Tips