As a mom, juggling family, work, and your personal life can be incredibly challenging. Adding a health and fitness routine to the mix might seem daunting, but it’s not only achievable—it’s essential for your health and well-being. Here are some practical tips to help you stay motivated on your health and fitness journey!
1. Set Realistic Goals
Start with small, achievable goals that easily fit into your busy schedule.
For example, aiming to add a 10-minute workout, a healthy meal prep session, or a daily walk with the kids are all excellent ways to help build your healthy lifestyle. Setting attainable goals will keep you motivated and help you build the momentum to achieve your larger fitness goals.
Building upon each of your daily habits will allow you to incorporate more healthy choices into your daily routine making it feel like less of a hassle. It will all become just a part of your normal day and you won’t have to consciously think as hard about it.
Tip: Write down your goals and track your progress with a tracking sheet. The visual and sometimes a sheet of paper are what help me the most. Check out my monthly tracker.
Avoid trying to pick up 3 new healthy habits at once. This will ultimately end up causing additional stress and increase the likelihood of not following through.
2. Find a Workout You Enjoy
Exercise shouldn’t feel like a chore. Find activities that you genuinely enjoy, whether it’s Pilates, running, yoga, swimming, strength training, or a brisk walk in the park. When you enjoy the activity, you’re more likely to stick with it.
Tip: If it is helpful, involve your family in your workouts. This can make the experience more enjoyable and help you bond with your kids.
3. Create a Routine
Consistency is the key to success. Establish a routine that incorporates your workouts and healthy eating habits. Plan your workouts like any other important appointment and prioritize them.
Tip: Schedule your workouts at a time when you have the most energy, whether it’s early in the morning before the kids wake up or in the evening after they go to bed.
Check out this blog read to help you establish your workout routine.
4. Make Use of Technology
There are numerous fitness apps and online resources designed to keep you motivated. From workout plans to healthy recipes, technology can be a valuable tool in your fitness journey. For nutrition, MyFitnessPal is free and has a lot of popular foods in it’s library.
Using a smart watch is useful for sleep and step tracking. The Garmin has been a reliable watch for me with great GPS tracking. This is especially helpful for pushing a stroller to ensure you get credit for all of your steps! It also gives you alerts to keep moving your body throughout the day.
Tip: Use fitness trackers or apps to monitor your progress and help to stay accountable.
5. Find a Support System
Having a support system can make a significant difference. Join a fitness group, find a workout buddy, or participate in online communities where you can share your journey and get encouragement from others.
This is definitely a helpful addition, but don’t solely rely on this to jump start your journey. If your buddy can’t meet up on a day that you planned to workout, don’t let that be the excuse to skip. Think of the support system as more of an accountability partner or group.
Tip: Consider joining a mom’s fitness group in person or find an online community where you can meet like-minded individuals who understand the challenges you’re facing.
6. Prioritize Self-Care
Taking care of yourself is not selfish—it’s essential. Make self-care a priority by setting aside time for activities that help you relax and recharge, such as reading, meditating, or applying a face mask.
While these may not feel fitness or nutrition related, they are still vital in the healthy journey. Your body still requires rest and time to recharge after workouts.
Tip: Incorporate relaxation techniques like deep breathing or stretching into your weekly routine to reduce stress.
7. Be Flexible and Forgiving
Life happens, and sometimes you might miss a workout or indulge in an unhealthy meal. It’s important to be flexible and forgiving with yourself. Remember, it’s about progress, not perfection.
From here on out, remove yourself from the all or nothing mindset. If you overindulge on a treat, that does NOT mean you continue to make poor diet and exercise choices for the rest of the day, weekend, or week.
That’s like saying well, I got a flat tire, might as well slash the other 3 tires. Absolutely not! You would never do that! View your fitness and nutrition through the same lens.
Tip: If you have a setback, don’t dwell on it. Refocus on your goals and get back on track. Make the 1% better decision when faced with your next meal decisions or make sure you hit your step count for the day.
8. Stay Inspired
Keep your motivation high by surrounding yourself with inspiration. If you can find realistic fitness influencers, follow them. This one is a bit controversial because there are some unrealistic influencers out there. Find one that is in the same stage of life as you that is providing realistic motivation and tips. Find motivational fitness quotes that keep you inspired to continue on your fitness journey.
Each day remind yourself of what prompted your fitness journey and run with it. Use it to motivate you every morning to jump out of bed and hit all of your daily habits that will eventually lead to your fitness goals.
Tip: Create a vision board or Pinterest board with images and quotes that inspire you to stay committed to your goals.
9. Celebrate Your Achievements
Recognize and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. Rewarding yourself for reaching milestones can boost your motivation and keep you focused on your long-term goals.
Tip: Treat yourself to something special when you reach a goal, like a new workout outfit or a spa day.
10. Remember Your “Why”
Always keep in mind why you started your health and fitness journey. Whether it’s to have more energy to play with your kids, improve your health, or feel more confident, your “why” can be a powerful motivator.
Tip: Write down your reasons and keep them somewhere visible, like on your fridge or bathroom mirror.
Staying motivated on your health and fitness journey as a mom is all about finding balance, being kind to yourself, and making your well-being a priority. By implementing these tips, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals and living a healthier, happier life. Remember, you are worth the effort!
