One of the most common excuses for those who start a health and fitness routine and don’t stick with it is “I’m too busy for this”. This applies to everyone, not just moms, but it is without a doubt the biggest reason I have heard over the course of my fitness career for why people don’t stick with their fitness routine.
I’m not usually a tough love kind of coach unless it’s absolutely necessary for a particular client but since this isn’t directed at anyone specific I’m going to say this: someone who is busier than you right now is getting it done. How you ask? Well that’s what we are about to discuss.
First of all, when you become a mother, your life changes, drastically. You now have this tiny human who relies on you for absolutely everything. Since your life has changed so dramatically, doesn’t it just make sense that your fitness routine is going to change?
One of the biggest mistakes people make when they start a fitness journey is they don’t try and match that journey to their lifestyle. So, let’s start there. You have a tiny human that relies on you for everything so you may only have a couple of small windows of time each week where the baby is napping or your partner is around to watch them and you don’t have other things that need to get done. If you only have let’s say 2 times per week where you could realistically fit a workout in then maybe we shouldn’t aim to workout 5 days a week…how about we start with those 2. It’s important to remember that even if you are starting a fitness journey your life is not ALL about fitness. Not only are you going to be taking care of your little one but you are going to have to do household chores, you’re going to have to cook, you’re going to need to catch up on sleep and all kinds of other things. All of these things should be balanced with your fitness routine, not competing for your time. I want you to be truly realistic with yourself and decide what is going to work for you and start there. It’s also important to note that this routine if going to ebb and flow, its going to change as time goes on. Be sure to adapt your fitness routine as your life changes. There will be times in your life when you will have less time to commit to your fitness routine and there will be times when you will have more time. Know that you are able to change this as your lifestyle allows. Nothing is ever set in stone.
Although I believe that it is important to set a schedule for yourself and put your workouts in your calendar it’s also important to be flexible. Whatever the number of workouts you have realistically chosen to fit into your week know that this can ebb and flow through different weeks. I think we can all agree that sometimes there are weeks that don’t go according to plan and not everything plays out the way that we want it to. When this happens I want you to know that it is okay. You are not going to lose all your progress if you miss one workout, you aren’t even going to lose all your progress if you miss a week of workouts. Sometimes kids will have activities, kids get sick, families go on vacations and sometimes life just feels like chaos and plans just fall apart. Sometimes making memories is more important than your workouts. Remind yourself of this when you have weeks that just get away from you.
I also want to talk briefly about what you consider exercise and physical activity. As kids grow, they get more active, and you as a mom you have to keep up. So, consider chasing your kids around the backyard or the playground or the house, consider the fact that you have to keep them out of well everything, consider how much your kids are moving because I bet that you are moving just as much as they are. Remember that activity does not have to be structured weight lifting in a gym or out running a trail. Sometimes activity and movement is just chasing your kids around…and isn’t the best kind of movement the stuff you don’t even realize your doing. Don’t neglect this activity, it still counts and it’s still important, I may even argue that it’s more important.
Finally, I want to touch on the example you are setting for your kiddos. Fitness and exercise are something that I know I want to be part of my future kids lives and kids are like sponges, monkey see, monkey do right? When you prioritize your health and fitness it sets the example for you kids as they grow, whether you realize it or not. The more active you are, the more active your kids are. And when these habits are ingrained in children at a young age, they are more likely to carry them through the rest of their lives because…well they don’t know any different. If your family is always active, your kids learn that behaviour and they will one day pass it on to their own kids. Behaviours are largely impacted by the environment around us…yes, there are other factors including things like genetics…but environment plays a very large role. So let’s create an environment that fosters activity and movement in our children’s lives. Get them involved in your workouts, let them see you doing it, encourage them to try new things, to jump in with you, teach them about the equipment your using, answer their questions, keep them engaged. Like I said, kids are sponges and if you set this example it will carry forward into your children’s lives.
So momma…don’t beat yourself up over your fitness routine. Remember that there are actually more important things in life than your workouts. Sometimes you are going to have chaotic weeks, sometimes your going to have great weeks. Live your life, and let fitness and movement be a part of it, but don’t let it run it…there are way more important things.
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