As a parent, finding time for yourself can be very difficult. Looking after your little ones becomes your priority and the 1% of the day you do get to yourself, you’re too exhausted to even consider working out.
But it is important to remember that you matter too. Your health should still be a priority, especially during this physically and mentally draining time of your life. Having a crazy 2 year old boy myself, I know how difficult this can be. However I hope the tips on this page, from my own experience, can help you stay on track with your fitness goals.
Finding The Time
Perhaps the most difficult factor, is how do you find the time to exercise? Working out, however, does not need to take up as much time as you think.
Crazy as it may sound, you can get a great, complete workout done in as little as 20 minutes. No travelling to the gym. No equipment necessary. Just a bit of space in your front room.
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) style workouts are an excellent option for squeezing a big workout into a small time frame. The framework for a session could be something as simple as:
10 exercises -> 30s per exercise -> 20s rest between exercises
you could then repeat this for as many times as you can fit in to the slot you have given yourself.
Here is a list of exercises, requiring no equipment, that you could pick to get yourself started:
• Squat
• Press Up
• Burpee
• Mountain Climbers
• Star Jump
• Tuck Jump
• Lunges
• Ladder Climbs
• High knees
• Plank Jacks
There are thousands of bodyweight exercises out there, so you can make every workout different to keep it enjoyable. It is very possible to get fit in your own home! If you are thinking about getting some equipment, click here to see your best option.
Why not get your little ones involved, too? Kids will often love to join in with some simple exercises like the squats and jumps! This also saves you having to wait til the evenings or nap time!
Battling The Tiredness
I know what you’re thinking; ‘This is all well and good, but when it comes down to it I am always too tired to be active, I need a rest!’, and as true as it is that you should get plenty of rest in, exercise can actually boost you energy levels.
‘How can that be possible?’ I hear you cry.
It’s all to do with endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals naturally produced by your body. After exercise, endorphin levels in your body are increased, creating a feeling of happiness.
So if you’re feeling tired and down after a long day, a quick workout may be exactly what you need.
Improving Your Diet
As important as the exercise is, diet also plays a key part. The food you eat fuels your day and without proper nutrition, you will find yourself hitting a wall with your fitness goals.
As busy mums and dads, it’s easy to resort to fast foods and you may even find yourself skipping meals too. Neglecting your diet affects your health, fitness, mood and energy levels. The key tip here is to plan ahead.
A great option is to meal prep. Make up a large dish and split it into portions to freeze for use throughout the week. My personal favourite is a Chilli Con Carne. Mmm…
Make sure you pick a nutritious dish that will give you the fuel you need (and deserve). You are looking for foods high in protein (meats, eggs, nuts) and low GI whole foods (brown rice, oats, vegetables).
Remember that if your goals are fat loss or muscle gain, total calories are important too. More on that another time, though.
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I hope this has given you some help and insight to enable you to focus on your own fitness aspirations on top of doing the immense job of raising a small human being.
Good luck!
If you would like some help reaching your goals, and you live in the Hampshire region, drop me a message to find out about personal training in your own home.
