How to keep fit as a mother
It’s easy to let yourself go when you become a mother. It’s only natural to focus all your energy and time on your baby or toddler, but the body keeps the score in the end.
You may always feel tired or notice your body putting on extra kilograms. When we don’t take care of ourselves, our bodies resent us. It’s not all about aesthetics but also our mood and energy levels.
Reasons for keeping fit when you are a mother
There are numerous reasons for keeping fit when you are a mother. Our bodies deserve love and to be taken care of.
Here are some of the top motivations for mothers:
Healthy role modeling.
Children learn extensively through social learning. This learning means observing what others do and imitating it. You can tell your children they need to eat right and exercise, but nothing will work like watching you do it.
If you demonstrate self-care through healthy habits, they will probably adopt them.
It reduces anxiety and improves your mood.
Exercising has been proven to reduce the odds of heart disease, diabetes, and other health conditions. Workouts release chemicals that make you sleep better and reduce anxiety. Parenting is sometimes unavoidably stressful, so you need to maintain healthy routines that help you overcome the stress.
It avoids depression.
Just as regular exercise reduces anxiety, it also reduces depression levels. Postpartum or childhood depression is more common than we think. In addition to hormones, other factors play a role, including sleep deprivation or work-life balance. It doesn’t matter if you prefer cardio or lifting, move around!
Increase your muscle mass and live a longer, happier life.
As mothers, we want to always be there for our children. According to the American Journal of Medicine, adults with a higher muscle-mass index tend to live longer.
Boost your self-esteem and self-worth.
Eating clean, exercising, and getting enough sleep are ways to take care of yourself. As a result, you’ll feel better in your body and mind. Just like you give your kids care and love, make sure to love yourself too.
Let’s review what steps you need to take to live a healthy life.
#1 Exercising
What’s the first thing a doctor or health enthusiast will tell you to do to keep fit? That’s right, exercise.
Although working out is a must for every human being, it’s even more important for moms. Our bodies lose resistance, strength, and elasticity over time. Regular moving will help us stay healthy, in addition to the benefits discussed in the previous section.
Fun exercises to do with your children
This is what most fit moms do. Since they don’t have time for themselves, they bring the kids along to do fun activities as a family. Not only will it keep you and your children fit, but it will also help you bond.
Here are some ideas to spend healthy time with the ones you love:
- Get outside. Take the toddlers to a local park, explore the neighborhood, or take a family walk. Other fun activities are going to the zoo or an attraction park. The fun is guaranteed, and so is being active!
- Go to the beach or pool. During the hot seasons, swimming on the beach or the pool can be a fun activity with your kids. Swimming works lots of different muscles and can help with back conditions. It will give you great moments to treasure.
- Camping and hiking. Camping can be such an intriguing activity for everyone. Spending time in the countryside and breathing fresh air, away from technology, can be very refreshing. On the other hand, walking and sleeping in the woods or the mountains is exciting and different from the usual routine.
You may have noticed that these ideas are outdoor activities, but there’s a good reason for that. Kids need to expend their energy, move around, and discover the world around them. On the other hand, it gives you time to forget about housework and responsibilities and take care of your well-being.
Exercising on your own
It’s easy to feel guilty when you’re in charge of your baby and take time for yourself. However, please remember that everyone needs to have high-quality alone time.
- Find a gym that offers childcare services. Yes, we know! We just said to work out on your own. What about the childcare service? If you’re too scared or busy to leave your kid with someone else, find a gym with professionals to take care of them. Often, they’ll have a room filled with cool toys and other kids. It gives you the peace of mind necessary to enjoy a workout session.
- Sign the children up for one activity and attend another. Most mums get their kids to try new sports and activities, which helps with their social and mental development. If you find a fun class, sign them up and use your free time to attend the gym!
- Create a home space for you. Sometimes it’s hard to go outside for a walk or jog. Find a room that suits your needs and use it on your own. No toys, no husband, no children! At least for half an hour, focus on yourself. Do yoga, cardio, or whatever activity refreshes your mind.
- Do mini-workouts. When we think of exercise, we think of it as a solid block of workouts. However, everything adds up. If your child is distracted by a show or toy, use that time to do some squats. Another tip is next time you’re cooking or cleaning, introduce small exercises here and then: squats, sit-ups, dancing, etc.
#2 Maintaining a balanced diet
A CNN study suggests that the longer a mom works, the more likely their kid is to gain unhealthy weight. Why? Maybe they resort more often to fast foods or pre-cooked meals. Be that as it may, the study highlights the importance of maintaining a good diet.
Moms need to make sure their children eat well without forgetting about themselves. As previously mentioned, maintaining a balanced diet means projecting a good parenting model.
Here are some tips to make life easier for you as a mother:
- Meal prep. Life gets in the way. If you meal prep ahead, you’ll have healthy meals and snacks ready to eat whenever you lack the time. Say your “day off” (moms don’t really get days off, do they?) is Sunday. Set time aside to prepare meals for the week and delicious healthy snacks, like fruit or yogurts. If your children are old enough, get them to help you cook – it will be a great bonding experience.
- Make meals colorful and varied. Kids enjoy colorful dishes, as it makes the food more appealing. Moreover, the greater variety of colors, the more nutrients you and your child get. Make meals varied and include a bit of everything. It’s okay to eat an entire plate of pasta occasionally, but don’t make it a habit!
- Eat with your family. It’s not uncommon for parents to eat in a hurry and leave their kids to eat alone while watching a show. However, whenever possible, enjoy the meals with your loved ones. Not only will the food taste better, but all of you will associate eating with a positive experience. Talking about your days and making jokes is a great way to keep a healthy mind and a good mood.
- It’s okay to eat out. Sometimes you can’t take it anymore. Maybe the day has been too long or the week too busy, and you don’t have time to meal prep. Either way, it’s okay to indulge in the occasional meal out with your partner or kids. Seize the opportunity and try new foods such as Asian, Indian, or Mexican.
#3 Getting quality sleep time
There’s no way of keeping fit when you are a mother without a high-quality rest time. Of course, the first weeks and months will result in sleep deprivation.
However, you should find a healthy balance between housework and rest time as time goes by. Parenting is stressful and tiring, and not only do you want but need a break each night.
Here are some tips to help you rest and recharge batteries:
- Skip household chores occasionally. You probably want to achieve a perfect house, but it’s far from realistic as a mom. Instead of vacuuming for an hour before going to sleep, use that time to get better rest. You will notice the difference in the morning, having more energy to overcome the day.
- If you have a baby, place the crib near your bed. If your baby cries during the night, having them near you will allow you to go back to sleep more easily. The less you walk towards your bed, the sooner you’ll fall asleep again. Pediatricians advise not to co-sleep in the same bed with your kid, though.
- Good sleep hygiene. You need to cut out some bad habits, regardless of having children or not. Avoid caffeine before going to sleep, reduce the screen time during the evenings and nights, and try to always go to sleep at the same hour. You need to be flexible and expect to be awakened in the middle of the night, but at least you’ll get used to a sleep schedule.
- Exercise regularly. We’re not going over the exercise tips and benefits again, but keep in mind that working out will leave you exhausted and ready to sleep!
#4 Finding time for yourself
Keeping fit as a mom also means unwinding and forgetting about responsibilities.
You may like to embrace it all, but you have to be realistic.
- When was the last time you took an hour-long bubble bath?
- How long has it been since you’ve seen your girlfriends?
Ask yourself these questions to determine if you have enough time to relax and have fun without family responsibilities.
We are firm believers that you don’t have to feel guilty about taking time for yourself. At least once a week, set aside two to three hours to read, take a bath, go to the movies, or hang out with your friends.
When you return home, you will have a wonderful family waiting for you. If you have a partner, make sure they have time for themselves too. Sharing responsibilities so that you can both enjoy “downtime” will strengthen your partnership or marriage.
Lastly, the romantic and sentimental life of a couple is essential. Often with children, we stop having dates with our husband or wife. We no longer remember the last time they had a detail, or we felt special. We reminisce about our dating time and feel nostalgic… What happened to all the love?
Therefore, at least a couple of times a month, you should leave the children with a babysitter or their grandparents to enjoy an afternoon or evening with your life partner.
Parenting, unless you are a single mom, is a two-way street. That’s why it’s crucial to make sure you’re on the same page and support each other.
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We hope you find these tips useful and implement them in your daily life. There’s no doubt it can be very challenging to maintain a healthy and balanced life as a mother, especially in such a fast-paced world. But remember, moms are super strong, and anything is possible!
