When you’re a busy mom finding time to workout can feel nearly impossible. What if you could get your workout done while spending quality time with your kids? It’s time to ditch the guilt and make fitness a fun family activity! Whether you’re new to fitness or a seasoned gym goer, remember, your workouts won’t always look like this. In the hard seasons, I try to remind myself, it’s just that, a season.
These five simple exercises are designed for moms with young kids, helping you stay fit while keeping the little ones entertained. Now remember, if you’re a seasoned gym mama, these may seem silly, but any form of movement is better than no movement at all.
Personally, I used to get so frustrated because my baby seemed to ALWAYS be hungry or crying in the early days. Time seemed to run on fast forward when I wanted to squeeze in a workout, but if I had just scaled things down to a 10-15 minute workout, I would have been much more content at this stage. I just needed a reality check. It’s a time to be flexible and a time to CHANGE your workouts. A shortened, interrupted, or split apart workout is still a workout.
1. Squats- Holding the baby is optional
Squats incorporate larger muscles in the lower body. You can turn it into an aerobic activity or just do it for strength training. For a clingy baby, you can hold them or pop them into the baby carrier so that they are close to your body.
How To: Start with feet shoulder-width apart, hold baby tight to you, squat down keeping your back straight, sticking your butt out, and slowly lowering down until you’re nearly parallel with the ground. Push up to a stand and repeat!
To progress your exercise, you will want to do it weighted by holding baby or another household item. (If you’re not already holding your baby, that is.)
How Many: 3 sets x10-20 repetitions. Start at 10 and work up to 20.
2. Lunges- Holding the baby is optional
Lunges are also going to incorporate your legs, balance, and core. Just like a squat, you can do so many different variations of lunges. Depending on if you’re going to be holding the baby, you can perform lunge jumps for a little aerobic component, you can do alternating, forward, lateral, and reverse lunges.
How To: For a forward lunge, start with feet approximately shoulder-width apart step forward, lower your back knee down until you nearly touch the ground, push up to a stand, and step backward returning to start position. Repeat for desired repetitions.
Form Tip: Make sure that your knee doesn’t push past your toes on the front leg. If you experience any knee pain while performing lunges, check your alignment. Chances are your form is off and causing excess pressure to be applied in the area that you feel discomfort. What does this mean? When you lunge assess your knee position and observe if it moves inward or outward in respect to your hip.
Knee problems: Perform a reverse lunge, which just like it sounds will be stepping backwards from your start point and returning to start.
How Many: 3 sets on each side x10-20 repetitions.
3. Plank Holds While Singing a Song or Telling a Story
Planks are great for core, but also target the whole anterior aspect of your body. Don’t believe me, do one.
How To: Get into a plank position on your forearms making sure that your elbows are directly beneath your shoulders. Sing a nursery rhyme or read a short little story to your baby while they’re right in front of you. It will help pass the time!
How Many: Hold for 30-60 seconds x3
4. Shoulder Press Holding Baby
Developing your shoulders can help give the illusion of a narrower waist and makes your shoulders look fabulous in a tank top or dress.
How To: Start in a seated position holding baby close to your chest, engaging your shoulders, press baby up towards the ceiling, and slowly lower back down. Repeat.
How Many: 3 sets x10-20 repetitions
5. Push-ups with a Kiss or High-Five
Push-ups are a great body weight exercise that incorporates a lot of muscles on the anterior side of your body, including your chest. You will feel similar muscles working that you felt in the plank.
How To: Get into a push up position making sure your hands are beneath your shoulders, slowly lower down towards the ground and give your little baby a kiss. Alternative: Lower down and push up and alternate hands giving a high-five to a child positioned in front of you.
If you can’t do a push-up, start on your knees! With practice you will build up to doing them from your toes!
How Many: 3 sets x10-20, I’m giving a wide rep range because if you’re doing them from your knees, you may benefit from squeezing in a few extra reps!
Final Thoughts
As a mom, finding time for yourself can be tough, but these simple exercises can help you squeeze in a quick workout and make it easier to stay active without needing a lot of equipment or space. Involving your kids not only helps you get fit but also shows them that staying active is an important part of life. So grab your little ones, and let’s make fitness fun!
My daughter has been around workouts, step counts, carrying water everywhere we go, and consuming fruits and vegetables her entire life. Our healthy habits are the norm to her and I LOVE that! My husband and I love ice-cream so she does see the other side too…it’s all about balance.
Ready to get started? Try incorporating these exercises into your daily routine and remember that consistency is key. Even if you only have 10-15 minutes, it’s enough to make a difference! Even if you get interrupted by needing to get a snack, change a diaper, or make a bathroom run, it still counts!
Check out this read for additional daily habits you can start incorporating into your daily routine.
Now that I started you off, I’m sure you can get creative to incorporate baby as a weight! Tell me your ideas in the comments!