Introduction
Starting your fitness journey can be so exciting! However, it can easily take a downward spiral if not done correctly. Keeping a simple routine, setting realistic goals, and being consistent in your efforts will bring you the most success.
Learn from my mistakes and the mistakes I hear most often from other moms. I will walk you through 3 of the most common fitness mistakes and provide you with the solution to help you avoid it. A bonus tip on habit stacking to help you create sustainable habits and turn it all into a lifestyle! Let’s go!
Mistake 1: Overcomplicating Your Routine
Many people think that more exercises translate to better results. This couldn’t be furthest from the truth. Simplify the routine and you should be repeating the same exercises each week. This is the most effective way to ensure you are progressively overloading for best results.
Solution: Select 4-6 exercises for each workout. Choosing compound movements that target multiple muscle groups at one time will be the most efficient.
Think exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, chest press, rows, shoulder press, and glute bridges. You may be left wondering about all of the smaller muscle groups, but when you break down the list of exercises above, they incorporate the smaller accessory muscles.
That doesn’t mean you can’t add a specific exercise to target a specific muscle group in order to achieve your desired outcomes. Just keep your routine simple. Ensure you are selecting exercises you actually enjoy, but make sure they are still effective in achieving your fitness goals. There are many different exercise variations for each of the compound movements I mentioned.
Mistake 2: Setting Unrealistic Goals
Moms are up against some pretty unrealistic expectations. We are supposed to wear 12 different hats to be Super Mom. After you have a baby you are supposed to bounce back and be the same as you were pre-pregnancy. News. Flash. You’re not the same. You have a whole new body, routine, priorities, and not to mention, the new member of your family. Get off social media and figure out what is best for YOU and YOUR family.
Solution: Focus on small goals that fit the season of life you’re currently in. Saying something like I want to wear my pre-pregnancy jeans by next week is a little far fetched for most new moms. Let’s reframe that to say, I want to incorporate a daily walk to increase my activity with the end result being I want to wear my pre-pregnancy jeans. See the difference?
Now that life looks a little bit different, let’s apply a little habit stacking to your new routine. Start by sprinkling in activity where it actually fits. Don’t be like me and try your damnedest to fit the old workout routine into the new life. You will run yourself into the ground and most likely, be less successful.
So what does habit stacking look like? Add in one habit at a time and make it a part of your daily routine. For the challenge below, you will add 1 habit each week and continue on living your healthy lifestyle as it all becomes a part of your routine.
I want to preface this for goal ranges to say that if you are severely under my suggested ranges, work your way up to the goal. If you’re already hitting my suggested ranges add 10-20% to the target.
Habit Stacking Challenge
- Week 1: Add a daily walk. I don’t care when you do it, but add it in where it makes the most sense to you. It will probably be easiest if you are consistent on the placement in the day, however kids skew the routine so just make sure it happens every day.
- Week 2: Add in eating a fruit or vegetable with every meal. This is just going to give you more energy, more volume at each meal on top of whatever else you’re already eating, and keep you fuller for longer. If you feel better, you will show up better as a mom, wife, etc.
- Week 3: Drink 60-80 ounces of water daily. This will be dependent on many factors for what will be appropriate for each individual. I’m going on the assumption that all the mamas are dehydrated so I’m starting on the lower side of things.
- Week 4: Walk 6-8k steps per day. Use your phone or watch to track your steps. The tracker is designed to provide a gentle reminder to move throughout the day and provide a visual aid for how much or how little daily movement you’re getting. The truth is your workouts make up a small percentage of the actual day and are not nearly enough movement.
Here is a habit tracker that you can download to track your progress all month long.
Mistake 3: Focusing on Time Instead of Consistency
Many women believe that if they can’t devote an hour to working out, there’s no point. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Think of it this way, if I sat on the couch all day and did nothing, but then the mom across the street sat on the couch most of the day, but got in daily movement for 30 minutes, who is further ahead in the fitness journey? I think it’s pretty obvious.
Your small efforts can yield big results. In fact, our daily choices and habits make up the success or failure 6 months from now. In the moment, it may not feel like a big deal, but if 50% of the time you choose the easy way out or to blow off a workout, again, you may find that you’re not where you want to be in 6 months.
Solution: Aim for consistently hitting your daily habits and incorporating 10-30 minutes of movement each day. Develop a short routine based on exercises listed above to complete 3-4x/week.
Conclusion
Your fit mom journey is about progress, not perfection. Making the 1% better decision will make all the difference. If you slip up on your daily habits or fitness goals, don’t completely sabotage the remainder of the day or week, just do better at the next opportunity.
What are your non-negotiable daily habits? Tell me in the comments!
