The Busy Mom’s Guide to Creating an Effective Workout Routine

As a busy mom, finding time for yourself can be challenging, especially when it comes to maintaining a consistent workout routine. However, carving out time for exercise is essential for your physical and mental well-being. For me, I feel like I show up better in all areas of my life. It’s not selfish!

In this blog post, we’ll explore how you can create an effective workout split, prioritize your health, and seamlessly integrate fitness into your busy schedule.

Step 1: Assess Your Schedule

Before you can create your workout plan, take a close look at your daily routine. Identify pockets of time where you can consistently dedicate the time for exercise. This might be early in the morning before the kids wake up, during nap time, or in the evening after they’ve gone to bed. The key is consistency, so choose times that you can stick to regularly. This is not one size fits all.

The perfect example is within my own household. I wake up early to do my workouts and my husband prefers to workout at night after our daughter goes to bed. Personally, I lose all motivation by that time of day, but do what works best for you!

Next, determine the duration of time you can commit to for each workout. This will definitely vary from person-to-person. Now, it’s important to schedule those time blocks into your weekly schedule.

When you’re calculating the estimated time to complete each workout, the commute to the gym will need to be factored in as well. If you’re like me, and you have a home gym, no need to worry about this part.

I’m just laying it all out on the table because we are being realistic here. If you have 60 minutes including commute, we’re probably looking at a solid 40-minute workout routine. This is a perfect window of time.

I also want to throw this out there for my new moms, I have been there too. It took me two full years to build back up to be able to complete 45 to 60-minute workouts 5-6 days a week. I once did 20 to 30-minute workouts wherever I could squeeze them in ladies!

Remember…

An interrupted or shortened workout is still a workout!

Don’t let that deter you from attempting to get a workout in. Think about it this way, if you spill a little bit of water are you just going to flip the whole cup upside down and say “f*ck it”? No, we save that sh*t for our toddlers. Just kidding, but on a serious note, avoid quitting because your workout gets interrupted.

Consider the season of life that you’re in and what’s most realistic. Also, most times, it’s a phase and you’ll look back begging for an interruption.

If you just want to build healthy habits for now, read this.

Step 2: Determine Your Fitness Goals

Are you looking to lose weight, build muscle, improve cardiovascular health, or increase flexibility? Your fitness goals will influence the type of workouts you incorporate into your workouts.

For example, if weight loss is your primary goal, a combination of cardio and strength training might be ideal. If you’re aiming to build muscle, focus your efforts on strength training, heavy strength training.

Step 3: Choose Your Workout Split

What is a Workout Split?

A workout split divides your exercise routine into specific muscle groups or types of workouts on different days. This approach allows for balanced muscle development, adequate rest, and prevents burnout. It’s an excellent strategy for busy moms because it maximizes efficiency and helps you stay committed without feeling overwhelmed.

Here are a few workout split options:

3-Day Split:

• Day 1: Full Upper Body Strength Training – Incorporate exercises like rows, chest press, shoulder presses, reverse fly, biceps curls, triceps extensions, and lateral raises.
• Day 2: Cardio – Choose activities like running, cycling, or a high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
• Day 3: Lower Body Strength Training – Focus on exercises like squats, lunges, single leg glute bridges, hip thrusts, step ups, and anything else you wish to include. There are so many options!

4-Day Split:

• Day 1: Full Upper Body Strength Training
• Day 2: Cardio – Engage in a 30-minute cardio workout of your choice.
• Day 3: Lower Body Strength Training
• Day 4: Full Body – Find a HIIT workout that mixes strength training into the cardio intervals.

5-Day Split:

• Day 1: Chest and Triceps – Push-ups, bench press, tricep dips.
• Day 2: Back and Biceps – Pull-ups, rows, pull downs, bicep curls.
• Day 3: Cardio – HIIT, running, or cycling.
• Day 4: Legs and Glutes – Squats, lunges, leg press, hip thrust, single leg glute bridge.
• Day 5: Shoulders and Abs – Shoulder press, planks, crunches, bicycles.

Step 4: Carve Out the Time

Here are some practical tips to ensure you can carve out time for your workouts:

• Set a Schedule: Treat your workout like any other important appointment. Put it on your calendar and stick to it.
• Involve Your Kids: If childcare is a challenge, involve your kids in your workouts. Many exercises can be modified to include them, or you can use a jogging stroller for your runs.
• Multi-task: Combine exercise with other activities. For example, do squats while waiting for the laundry, or calf raises while brushing your teeth.
• Use Short Workouts: If you’re really pressed for time, opt for short, intense workouts like HIIT that can be completed in 15-20 minutes. Another option here, would be to do supersets, which incorporates 2-3 exercises completed with minimal rest between.
  • I have found that using this for different muscle groups works best for being efficient. (ex: biceps curls and lateral raises)

Step 5: Stay Consistent and Flexible

Consistency is key to seeing results, but it’s also important to be flexible. Life as a mom can be unpredictable, so if you miss a workout, don’t stress. Just get back on track as soon as possible. Remember, something is always better than nothing, and your health and fitness journey is a marathon, not a sprint.