For years I have made excuses for why I don’t exercise, and they usually include the fact that I have a bunch of kids. I can’t leave the house for very long. There isn’t enough room. I’m too tired. There aren’t enough hours in the day. But moms, and particularly large family moms, need to be strong! We need to find the time to get fit and stay that way. It’s not easy, but it is so necessary. So, how do we manage to find the time to exercise when we are managing a large household?
Finding Time to Exercise
I have a lot of kids AND I homeschool. Those two together can easily consume my entire day, leaving me very little time for anything else. While I’m tempted to count picking up toys off the floor and lifting the toddler as exercise, it isn’t quite the concentrated exercise a mom needs to build her strength. Certainly, you are exerting yourself, but you truly need to be exerting yourself for several repetitions to really help you. BUT…where in the world are you going to find the time?!
Here are a few ideas:
1. Get up earlier. This is what I’m doing. I am getting up every morning after the baby has her morning bottle. The reason this is working for me is because Mercy sleeps through the night until 6:30 or so, then goes back to sleep again until 9 or 10 am. I can feed her, put her back to bed and then head to the living room with my laptop. I’ve gotten a good night’s sleep, and the house is quiet.
NOTE: I am a member of a great site for large family moms who want to be fit and strong for their families – Fit2B! I’ve been a member for several years now, and I love that they have all the exercises laid out for you in pathways with goals to work toward – Beginning, Advancing, Challenging. They even have workouts for the kids, and most everything there is considered “tummy safe” – meaning if you have diastasis recti like I do, the exercises actually help you rather than make the condition worse.
Fit2B memberships are on sale now through the 15th!
LEARN MORE HERE!
2. Stay up later. This only works if you aren’t someone who gets energized from exercising. Not everyone ends up super wide awake after exercise. If you find yourself relaxed after a good workout, then this may be the answer for you. Put the kids to bed and get moving!
3. Carve out time in the afternoon. This is what I used to do. We would finish school and I would take a walk. This is also a great time to listen to podcasts or downloaded sermons. It was my time to decompress from the busy school day. I hope to add this in once the weather warms and my life isn’t quite so chaotic.
4. Exercise together. For years, the kids and I did T-Tapp together. I would pop in the DVD after school time and we’d work out together. Fit2B is another good option to do as a family. The girls and I did the neck routine the other night – it was wonderful!
5. Circuit-training homeschool. If you homeschool, I’d encourage you to take those in between moments to purposefully move your body rather than check Facebook or email or just stand there. Do a set of lunges in between helping kiddos. Read aloud standing up and doing leg lifts. I know you’re laughing at me right now, but seriously…try it!
A quick note about finding time…
I had to get to a place in my life where I was ok with finding time for this sort of thing. You have to see this as a way to help your family. They need a strong mommy. They need a mom who can keep up. This isn’t some selfish frivolity. This is serious life stuff. Your body is a temple – treat it that way. I spent far too many years not taking care of myself and staying strong, and I am paying the price.
Staying Motivated to Exercise
So, it’s mid-January. Chances are your New Year’s resolution energy has begun to wane. You might be beginning to feel like everything else needs to take precedence over exercise. And let’s face it…sometimes exercise is the last thing we want to do. I’d about rather do ANYTHING besides exercise. And I could let even the lamest of excuses keep me from moving my body in a purposeful way. BUT, I know it’s good for me, and somehow I have to stay motivated. Here’s how I’m doing it
1. Set a reminder. This is one reason I seriously love smartphones! I have a reminder set on my phone for every. single. day. It reminds me to exercise. It’s set for 2pm…NOT the time I actually exercise. I used to have it set to the time I usually exercise, but then I moved it so that IF I haven’t yet exercised by 2pm, I have that nudge to do so.
2. Understanding that it takes time to make this a habit. We all know that it takes 28ish days to form a habit. However, what no one tells you is that for the first 14-20 days you are fighting the desire to NOT form the habit. In other words, every ounce of your being is going to tell you not to exercise, but you have to be willing to FIGHT. Simply being aware that there will be a fight is half the battle!
3. Rewards. For some people, this works great. For me, not so much, but I thought I’d mention it since it is a great motivator for many. Give yourself a goal and when you reach it, give yourself a reward. Simple as that.
4. Tell your kids. Kids are really good at reminding! If you give them permission to nag you, they will! And chances are, they will join you too!
5. Get a grip on WHY you are doing this. If you are simply exercising because someone told you it was good for you, you are going to last about 5 seconds. For me, the game changer was wanting to be strong. I don’t need to be super thin. I don’t even need to “look good for having 10 kids.” My motivation comes from wanting to be in good enough shape to run, play, pick up, and wrestle around with the kids (and frankly, to not have people wonder how I ended up with such a good looking husband!). I wanted to be able to hike with my family as they get older, rather than it always being dad who does that sort of thing with them. I wanted to feel strong.
My core is shot, and a couple of years ago, I began to really feel it in my everyday life. I have to do something about it. I have to get stronger just to hold myself up! (By the way, The Tummy Team has a HUGE sale coming up. If you are looking for a great program to work on your core, especially if you have a diastasis recti, this is it! I’ll send out a message when the sale happens!)
What Kind of Exercises?
1. Exercises you like. We all know no one sticks with something they hate. I like exercise that involves dance, stretching, and the ability to talk with my kids. These are the types of exercise that have been a part of my life for ages. So, think back – what type of exercise did you enjoy as a kid? Chances are, you might still enjoy that same kind of thing!
2. Exercises you can LIVE WITH. You have to make exercising a part of your every day LIFE. That means it has to fit neatly into your day in order for you to stick with it. For me, this means exercises I can do at home or nearby. I could try to carve out time for the gym, and I hope someday that will be the case, but right now, that is not going to work. So, I have to find something that can be done at home amongst the family.
It also means it has to fit into my home. I don’t have a huge house. If I did, I’d have a home gym type setup. What I do have are some free weights, an elastic band, a medicine ball, and a foam roller. All of these fit into a corner in my bedroom.
3. Exercises that work my weak areas. I’m looking to build strength. My biggest focus right now is my core. While I anticipate that someday I will need to go ahead and have surgery to repair my diastasis, I am not going to go into that surgery all flopsy-mopsy. I can work my core (safely), giving me more stability and a better recovery when I do have the surgery. Again, I highly recommend the workouts from The Tummy Team (which are often incorporated into the exercises on Fit2B because the two companies work together).
So, I encourage you to think about what areas of your body are the weakest and concentrate your efforts there. Don’t neglect the rest of you, of course!
A couple of other things I highly recommend –
A Pinterest board for Fitness. You can find mine HERE.
A way to track your progress. There are tons of apps out there to help you track what you are doing. It’s a good way to see where you’ve been and where you are going.
I’d love to hear about how you fit fitness into your day! I’m always looking for inspiration!
Marita says
Excellent advice!
Peta says
Well done Amy! You are right about enjoying the exercises you enjoyed as a kid. I always fall back on riding my bike and walking and always outdoors as this is what I loved to do growing up on my family’s farm.
God bless, Peta
Noel says
I recently bought an exercise bike with a desk (FitDesk) and am able to exercise while I do menu planning, etc. on my laptop. It’s been an easy way to add movement to my day.
Amy says
Love that idea!
Jennifer says
Thank you for the inspiration! I have eight children and, not surprisingly, it has also taken a toll on my body! I am 48 now and a little overweight (which I’m working on), but I realize that I need to be in better shape. I think it’s important to get fit and strong in EARLY middle age … it can only help as we move into “grandma” stage!
But I LOVED what you said about “how I ended up with such a good looking husband”!!! 🙂 I definitely can relate! My husband is incredibly good looking, and the last thing I want people to think when they see us together is, “She must have a great personality!” 🙂 I would want people to say, “What a nice couple! And with eight kids!”
Thanks for the motivation, as always!!!
Jennifer
Adina @royal blessiNgs says
Hi! I love this post! I exercise every morning before my crew of 5 wake up. I have to get up extra early but I never regret it. It’s the only time of the day I can get it in.
I workout to Beachbody DVDs and really enjoy them.
Coby says
I love your reminder that exercising and taking care of ourselves isn’t selfish or a frivolity! Not only are we caring for the bodies God gave us so that we can play and run around with our kids, we are setting an example for our children!
One thing that helps me to be consistent (and it sounds a little silly!) is to put on my workout clothes as soon as I wake up. If I’m dressed for it, I’ll do it! I try to exercise before breakfast, because then it’s DONE and I have that sense of accomplishment! But usually I end up doing it in the afternoon after we finish school. I also give myself permission to do shorter workouts some days- if all I can squeeze in is 15 minutes, then great! I really like 30 or 40 minute workouts, but that’s just not realistic every day!
Amy says
I’ve been trying to throw on my workout clothes first thing too!
Sarah says
Great post, and just the reminder I needed this morning. Thank you. With my clan of 11 it seems after each sweet baby a few pounds lingered. Multiply it by 11 and it has become a daunting task! I was one of those that found excuses and just didn’t put enough importance on it at all, I felt selfish. My brain is willing but my flesh is week. I love the idea of mornings with the reminder in the afternoon. It is a habit that is so hard to form, the reminder is a great idea.
Heidi says
I so agree with you little paragraph on our body needing taken care of. I just recenrecently realized how much I neglected my body over the years. My 7th baby is almost 5 months old and it has been really really tough. My body is mad at me in so many ways. Thanks for all the great tips and links, i fell of the wagon over holidays and need to get with it!!
Lisa says
My FitBit has been really motivating to ensure I use those bits of time you mentioned to not just stand or sit still. We also got our oldest (14) one, as she was becoming more sedentary as school was taking longer. Now if she hasn’t met her step goal, she doesn’t get her free computer time in the evenings.
I’m very pregnant right now (37 weeks), but I’m looking forward to recovering and increasing my step goal. It feels better to move, even if I’m just taking laps around the living room when it’s freezing outside. Hard at first, but now I realize I feel and sleep better when I do. Once you start feeling the benefit, it’s a mental game changer (at least it was for me!)
Great post and encouraging words as usual Amy, thanks!
Amy says
I have thought about getting a FitBit, but haven’t made the leap yet.
Gwen says
Thank you for the encouragement Amy. I have been having some back trouble since the birth of my youngest in September and am sure it is down to my core. I will look out for your news about the Tummy Team sale!
Samantha says
I too have been exercising in the morning, we’ll before I got sick. I found some great exercises on Youtube. I really need to use my Fit2B account more.
Rachel says
You are so right! I’ve been doing 30-day (and 2-week) challenges for about a year now, and I love how I get results without a huge time or money commitment and without getting bored. I went from a size 18/20 this time last year to a 14/16 now, and I’m now able to do full push-ups. I have never before in my life been able to do those! It’s exciting!
http://trialanderrorhomeec.blogspot.com/2016/07/30-days.html
Christina says
Such great points that you shared. I just had my 5th child in August and I am at my highest weight ever. I developed blood clots in my leg during my first trimester which has made it very difficult to be active. When the weather was decent my kids and I would take a break in the morning and head to a local playground. This allowed me to walk, the baby to nap in a carrier and my kids to burn off some energy. My son is just starting to sleep through the night so I am hoping to get back to working out in the early mornings soon.
Jen Holm says
I don’t think it’s silly at all to do little exercises in the midst of the busy day! I often do this too. And sometimes just to enjoy feeling my body move in a way that is not baby/toddler lifting, hamper lifting, picking up toys or sweeping crumbs. Being a busy homemaker requires getting creative in ways we never thought we’d come to, so I have found some neat ways to use my children to workout. I do baby and toddler squats, holding them while squating which is just as good as using 19 lb, 28 lb and 38 lb weights! I do this with lunges and calf raises as well and lay on the floor, they lay on my bended legs (shins) and I use a lot of leg power to pump them up and down on my leg, and they have a blast. And with my 38 lb 4 year old it is a HARD workout!
Other times it’s me doing a video and sometimes they just get bored and mopey because mama is giving attention to a video and myslef, but I think this is healthy for them sometimes. They learn that mommy sometimes does something for herself, it’s okay to learn to wait for your own needs while someone completes something for themselves, and really to just get up and go entertain themselves if they are THAT bored.
And lastley….could you write a blog on baby sleep….how do you have such a young baby that sleeps through the night and sleeps in! Has this been easy with other babies of yours or has Mercy just been a special case this time?
Amy says
I have had other babies who sleep through the night early on and then go back to waking up in the night around 5 months, so I’m not holding my breath that she will continue to sleep through, but so far, this is her pattern and it’s pretty easy to work with. That said, she’s pretty fussy during the day, so she’s probably worn out at night! 😉
Ka says
Love this post! this is something I’ve really been working on. It is HARD for me to balance the motivation–because I know Ireally do need to do it to be strong; I have core and hip issues if I don’t keep up my muscles and three VERY active teenies to mother 🙂 But, I find myself being more motivated by weight/look…and then I guilt myself over my priorities until I that TRUTH is this is a priority–not to become an idol, but a priority–and I can pray for help on the motivation!
A couple thi ngs that work well for me: I do a stretching/light weights/alignment/core/cardio combo set up my chiro who has a PT in office. So, I have built in motivation, and I can talk to her about tailoring exercise to my body needs. And you’re right, getting consistent was HARD! for me the best time really was the morning, but here’s what I did: started with a minimum expecttation. Get up and do 5 minutes of stretching. After that if I really felt the need to go back to bed I could, and sometimes did, but more often once you’re started you realize it feels good and you can keep going! Now, about 2 months into being really consistent, I can usually get up and know that I want to exercise, and how much it will help the rest of the day.
Second–we make a point during the morning to take a break from cleanup, learning, etc. to turn on some music and dance. 2-3 songs is a great cardio burst and the kids love it. I can tell when I’m on a good track by how long I can dance with the baby in arm without dying 🙂 This + lots of water is probably the single factor for me in actually losing weight.
Heather says
We have five kids and I decided this year, well late last year, that I was done making excuses as to why I can’t exercise. I have started doing one 10 min workout everyday and try to get in three longer cardio workouts during the week. I love that the kids see me exercise and I feel so good when I’m finished. It’s nice to finally make time for me!
noone says
I was going to suggest a free site called fitnessblender.com! You can also pay to have a schedule as well, but the workouts really are great, and you can do them at home! Also they have a great FB page. Keep track of your eating/exercise on MyFitnessPal. Try eating smaller meals, cut out ALL soda, sugary drinks, reduce carbs, and double your veggiest. Try aiming for 1/2 plate of veggies at all meals. Also, don’t eat fast foods!! Try eliminating wheat/dairy for 10 days along with soda, add in workouts, and be amazed by the results!