Everyone knows that regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but when you’re a single mum, you have so many other things to think about that exercise often goes to the end of your to-do list. Often, it doesn’t get done at all. Whether you’re trying to find quality waist trainers that last to lose a few pounds or you want to fit in some strength exercises at various times during the day, these exercise tips for busy single mums will help you reach your exercise and fitness goals.
Exercise tips for busy single mums
Waist Trainers
Using a waist trainer is probably the easiest tip we have on our list. You simply put it on and wear it as you go about your regular day. High-quality waist trainers not only burn fat, but they also help you regain your core strength after giving birth, assist with improved posture, and give your body the curves you want. Of course, if you don’t want to wear a waist trainer all day, you can wear one only during your workouts to boost their effectiveness.
Use Your Children as Weight
An excellent way to incorporate strength exercises throughout your day is to use your children as weight. Lift them whenever you can and perform repetitive actions such as raising your toddler over your head or shifting your body side-to-side as you move your baby from arm to arm. Certainly, you need to be careful when you exercise with your children, but with the right precautions, you can entertain your kids and exercise a little bit at the same time.
Use the Time You have
It’s a common misconception that you have to block off huge amounts of time to get a workout in. There are benefits to working out even 10 minutes at a time, so whenever you have a few minutes when you’re not actively doing anything, take the opportunity to do some squats or lunges. You can actually fit in quite a few of these body-weight exercises in 10 minutes and they can be done almost anywhere.
Make a Plan
It’s easy to avoid exercise if you don’t make a plan to do it. Procrastination gets in the way of busy mums who always put others before themselves. For this reason, make your health a priority and plan some time for your exercise routine. Whether it’s in the morning before your children wake up, during your lunch hour when they’re at daycare or school, or a couple hours before you go to bed after you kids have had their baths and are asleep, put some time on your schedule that you don’t skip for anything.
Walk Everywhere
Many of us rely on our vehicles too much. There are usually plenty of places that we can walk to but we choose convenience instead of exercise. Think about where you can replace your vehicle with walking and grab your child’s pram and just walk. This is the easiest and cheapest form of exercise for anyone. Plus, if your kids are old enough to walk with you, they’ll get into the habit as well.
Even more walking can be incorporated if you park your car far away from entrances and force yourself to walk further from your vehicle to stores, banks, parks, schools, and other places. There are other perks to this as well, including the fact that you don’t have to worry about finding a close parking space because you’re purposely parking far away.
Multitask
Sometimes, you just want to binge on your favourite Netflix program instead of exercising. No one will ever fault a busy single mum for wanting to indulge in a little escapism. But, there’s no reason you can’t do both tasks at once. There are plenty of exercises you can do while you watch television. Walk in place, do some planks, do a few sit-and-stands from a low chair, or even grab a gallon of milk and do a few arm curls. Again, these free exercises will really make a difference in your strength and fitness levels.
Conclusion: Exercise tips for busy single mums
Exercise is often the first part of our routines to go when we become busy and this is especially true for single mums who only have so much time in the day to get everything done that needs to be done. But, remember that you can’t parent well if you don’t feel well, and keeping your body healthy through exercise is a large part of staying well.
