The following is a guest post written by Rozanne Dioso-Lopez of Tomfoolery & Shenanigans.
Prep lesson work for three children. Draw a topographical map of North America on the chalkboard. Plan a felting craft for a 4-year-old. Bake a loaf of bread. Gather materials for a project on government and democracy. Research the answer to my 6-year-old’s burning question: “How do jellyfish eat?”
… and it’s not even 6 a.m. yet.
I began my homeschooling journey with my five children three years ago. I was consumed with choosing a curriculum, planning their year and participating in a homeschooling group for support that would preserve my sanity.
As we entered into this new chapter in our lives, I was psychologically ready to educate my kids at home.
However, I sorely underestimated the physical demands of homeschooling. I was on my feet doing lessons, cooking, clearing tables, resolving conflict and engaging in constant activity.
I found myself hitting the proverbial wall by 2 p.m. and instituted mandatory “quiet time” because one more question about the internal anatomy of a jellyfish would send me over the edge.
It was a Catch-22.
I had to find the time to take care of myself in order to increase my energy so I would be able to present a feast of wonder to my children. Time and energy are precious commodities — finding any extra amount is akin to finding the holy grail.
Close to burnout, I began wistfully believing in a genie in a magic lamp that could grant me more energy or a magic elixir from a fountain of youth. Then my husband, sensing my desperation as I was looking to fairy tales for a solution, asked a simple question: “When was the last time you exercised?”
Oh right.
The puzzle pieces started to fall into place — why I hurt after nature hikes, why I couldn’t wake up in the morning before the kids anymore, and why I lost patience with my 4-year-old son who I had sent upstairs to get some socks, only to find him 10 minutes later naked without an explanation of how that came about.
How would I find the time?
I approached this plan just as I approached planning my homeschooling lessons. I thought about what would work for me and how to start simply. I made goals and remembered to be flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances.
Are you looking to start your own at-home fitness regimen?
Step 1: Define what works for you
First I wrote down definitive criteria for a fitness regimen that I knew had to exist otherwise I would not be able to sustain it. I needed to be able to exercise at home only 3 times a week, and each session couldn’t exceed 15 minutes.
Step 2: Decide on a simple fitness regimen with short-term, attainable fitness goals
Because I was going to exercise at home, more specifically in a 6’ x 8’ living room space, I needed a routine that required minimal equipment.
My first goal was to do a full push-up, with my nose touching the ground. Very simple and easily measurable. It took me about four weeks to reach the goal. I did four exercises — bodyweight squats, lunges, side planks and, of course, push-ups.
I trained on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and did the following circuit:
- 10 Bodyweight Squats
- 1 Push-up
- 10 Lunges (5 per side)
- 20 second Side Plank per side
I set my timer for 15-minutes and I performed this circuit as many times as I could within that time frame sticking to my “rules:”
1. always making sure that I felt “fresh”
2. NEVER going to failure.
For the push-ups, in the first week I started with my hands on the fifth step on our staircase. As the weeks went by, I felt the push-ups getting easier so I would lower my hands to the next step down. I was doing “nose to the floor” push-ups by the 12th workout.
Step 3: Include your children into part of your regimen
It was nearly impossible to keep the little ones out of the living room. We warmed up together with yoga poses and crawling. I would have an obstacle course ready for them to do in another part of the house and they would go through it while I did the “meat” of my exercise session.
As we kept up the routine, I found that they adapted to this new rhythm and let me exercise alone for longer periods of time.
Step 4: Don’t forget to document your progress
Remember to write down exactly how you are feeling at various times of day.
After a month of welcoming exercise back into my life, I noticed that I was already able to wake up a half hour earlier and my patience now extended to 3 p.m.
Photo by Brian Telzerow
Here are some tips to help you keep going:
Incorporate exercise into your family lifestyle
Use any spare family time to something physical. Go running up hills and then roll down them. Race each other down the street. Go for family bike rides and try to bike further each time.
Have a clear purpose for keeping a fitness regimen as a priority
I practice physical skills to develop strength. I wanted to wake up at 5 a.m. to have “me time” before the kids woke up. I wanted to carry my youngest on our hikes when he couldn’t keep up. I wanted to deliver all the things I had planned for the day without burning out by lunch. I wanted to model strength for my daughters as a purpose for exercise instead of appearance.
Have a signal for yourself and the kids that it’s time to take care of yourself through exercise
For me, the signal is wearing my exercise clothes. It took a while and a lot of communication on my part but now they understand that it’s important to me and for our whole family that I take care of myself in this way.
Accept that there will be set-backs, derailments and forced breaks in your regimen
Life happens. Illness happens. If you have itty bitty ones, it’s a given that you can’t get in a full 15 minutes.
Be kind to yourself and know that this isn’t a race but a part of your life and sometimes you will need to accept that tomorrow will be better than today.
After a recent break in my routine, I was a little short with my kids and more on edge. When I came downstairs one morning, I saw a collective look of disappointment on their faces. The second-oldest bravely spoke up and said, “Oh. It’s just that you’re not wearing your exercise clothes again.”
Ah, the wisdom of children. I marched back up the stairs to not only change, but to marvel that our homeschooling journey reminds me that the lessons we teach don’t always go according to plan, but surface where you least expect them.
Have you found a way to make exercise part of your homeschool day?
Create your own Little House unit study
This article by Rozanne was fantastic. We homeschool three boys and finding time for exercise is nearly impossible. Going to give this a shot. Great writing. Thanks
Thanks Daniel! Good luck!
Thank you for this post! Finding time to exercise is a definite challenge for us homeschoolers. I’ve had a hard time incorporating strength training on any regular basis, and the tips you’ve given are great.
I find that the things that work best for me to be able to exercise are:
-Yoga during quiet time- yoga makes me feel so much more calm and relaxed, and I can get stronger through yoga too. The days when I do yoga during quiet time, I am noticeably happier and more patient while cooking dinner and throughout the evening. I have found a great free online yoga video source at doyogawithme.com
-Short walks- Ideally, once or twice a day, I will take a short 10-15 minute walk outside. The kids are welcome to join me (and when they do, the walk is often longer), but I have also found that I can go for such a short walk and leave them home if they don’t want to join me. (My kids are 4 and 7.) At first I felt the need to take my cell phone with me “just in case” something happened, but since then I have found that my kids have adjusted wonderfully to me being gone for just a few minutes (and I think this has also been beneficial to them in developing a little more independence and problem-solving skills).
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That’s awesome Sarah! Sometimes even holding myself in “child’s pose” is enough to give me that little ounce of extra patience I need 🙂
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This was eye-opening for me. I was a dancer for over 20 years and taught at a dance studio for many, many years. Ask me how much exercise I get now. Other than chasing the kids? None. I’ve tried so hard to fit something in, but our house is so crowded, there’s no room to do anything without a child hanging on each leg. And going for walks? Not so much fun when I spend the entire time making sure that my kids are holding their partner’s hand and walking in line. It’s the only way I ca keep the 10 of them rounded up and not scattered chaotically all over the sidewalk (and street). This is something that I’ll really have to put my mind to. You’ve reminded me how important that is. Thank you.
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Shelly, 10 kids! Amazing! It has taken me a few years now to figure out what works for our lifestyle and there were many ways that I tried to incorporate exercise where it just didn’t work. It was a slow process when the kids were really little – just trying to move with them was sometimes the best I could do. I think the biggest “a-ha” moment was making it a part of our family culture and lifestyle so it was another separate thing on my never-ending to-do list but also to be patient with myself and do what I can when I can. Good luck!
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For years I had a set exercise routine but when I had children ‘fell off the wagon’. I replaced my exercising with walking (quite a bit of walking with a stroller). We now live in the country and I have replaced walking with chores but need something more. 15 minutes sounds perfect!
Hey Brooke! I think that’s when I fell off the wagon too but after the fifth was born, I really was energy depleted and I knew I needed to take care of myself or I would burn out in a few years or always play catch-up with energy levels. In the last 4 years, I can honestly say that I have never trained longer than 15 minutes…and sometimes I can only manage 5 minutes of warm-up before someone “needs” me and I’ve learned to congratulate myself for even getting those precious 5 minutes in! 🙂
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Fantastic Rozanne! 15 minutes is such a manageable place to start! I would love to hear more about how you set up your obstacle course. I think my kids would love that!
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I find longer that 15 minutes is the sweet spot…if it’s longer than that, the kids’ patience and respect for my space/time wanes pretty fast! As for the obstacle course, we push the dining table to one side and we have a pretty open space. When they were little, I would set up hula hoops to jump through, then a tunnel to crawl through, bean bags to throw, a jump rope for skipping or twirling, pylons to run around, etc. It’s more of a circuit now and less of an obstacle course now that the kids are older. One station is step-ups on the stairs/push-ups on stairs, going through the floor ladder, lateral jumping over a low log-type pillow, and skipping for a minute. After a minute, everyone switches. The kids love this and we switch it up every now and then!
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I needed this reminder to fit the exercise in wherever and whenever I can. I have a habit of trying to schedule things in and then when the schedule is off I just don’t do it because it isn’t my “perfect” time. Incorporating my boys is a great idea as well. Hopefully by doing that I will be passing on the lesson to take care of themselves as well.
Thanks Lara. And you are exactly right. That’s the other reason why I like to integrate exercise as a family activity: to transfer that love of physical activity right to them. Hopefully, they won’t have to figure how to make it a part of their life because it’s been such a natural part of it.
Thanks Lara…I love this – “passing on the lesson to take care of themselves as well.” It’s a huge reason why it’s now a part of our family culture. I don’t want them to struggle trying to find time for physical activity. Hopefully, it will be a natural part of their life 🙂
Love this post! After 3 years of Homeschooling my 2 babies, I finally decided to get back to exercising! I can’t do it at home though. Our apartment is teeny-tiny. When my husband gets home from work, he handles the night time routine of getting the girls bathed and into PJ’s and feeding their dinner, which I cook before heading out. I head to my local Caribbean dance studio for an hour for some Afro-Brazilian rump shaking or Samba! The wonderful thing about this place is that it’s run by a single mom so if hubby is running late, I can take my girls with me! I go at least 3 times a week. Not only have I lost 14 lbs since January but I feel so much better knowing that I’m taking better care of myself and setting this example for my very active daughters! My husband is an ex NFL athlete so he has always been very active physically with them but now they get to see me in my element (dance) and they look forward to it just as much as they’ve ways looked forward to our daily walks . I just needed something MORE and this does it for me. I ways leave feeling like I can climb a mountain and the socialization with these wonderful women is priceless! We’re like family…I didn’t really realize how much an hour of socialization and working out would change my life, but it has! Great Post!
That sounds wonderful Tywana! I am loving hearing what works for everyone. I took a few adult ballet classes in the fall which was a nice change and I really enjoyed the socialization and dance aspect too.
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I am expecting #7, we live in some deep woods complete with rattlesnakes, Panthers, and coyote, and 1 car. I’ve been toying with the idea of a Diy treadmill desk. Has anyone tried this? I figured I could do read aloud, history, and maybe foriegn 4 on the treadmill. Thanks for the post!
Hello! This is our first year homeschooling. We have 3 children (ages 2,3 & 6). I’ve found that the best way to exercise is with them. In the mornings we go for a walk around the neighborhood (wich helps us begin the day with more energy). In the afternoon, we like to end the day playing at the park, going for a walk or riding our bikes. This way we are all exercising while spending some quality time together.
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That’s great, Diana! We do the same! And for us, it’s been really nice going for family bike rides a little further out as they get older 🙂
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I’m doing it! I have 3 kids 6 to 11 years old that I homeschool. It’s very hard to find time for yourself when you are responsible for everyone else and you are greatly out numbered. I have committed to making this a part of our lives. Your article hit so close to home, if you can do it with 5, I can do it with 3. Thank you for the push I needed.
Thanks for your comment, J’nessa! It’s one of those double-edged swords. On one hand, you have no energy because you give so much of yourself, but then if you take care of yourself and your body, you will find that energy to sustain not only yourself but all those around you. I often forget that when there are periods of illness or just plain busy-ness where physical activity has to take a backseat. Good luck!
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Much needed advice! I often feel guilty about making time for myself, but what good am I without the energy they all require? Thanks for this.
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I think we are all guilty of that 😉 It’s just so hard remembering that sometimes!
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We do short bouts of exercise through out the day here. It took some time for me to adjust my thinking on exercise. I am an Exercise Physiologist with a Master’s degree. Until I started homeschooling my oldest almost 6 years ago I had a set time to go do a full cardio and strength work out in one block daily.
Now that we homeschool and have added 2 more children to the family we squeeze it in where we can. We’ll do push ups, planks, body weight squats, flutter kicks or whatever else comes to my mind randomly through out the day. I used to have signs posted around the house for various exercises and when I see them it’s a reminder to do that exercise if I hadn’t done it yet that day. The children seem to enjoy when I call out an exercise was at random and then we do that for the next minute. We also have a mini trampoline in the living room for rebounding and a stationary bike that they or I can hop onto for 5 or 10 minutes. We walk a lot of places we need to go and ride our bikes when the weather permits.
Thanks for sharing, Amy! I love the idea of short bouts here and there and visual reminders!
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I like the idea of doing exercises throughout the day. It reminds me of an idea I saw to take “brain breaks” when we have been sitting working for awhile. The idea was to write down activities such as 10 jumping jacks or 10 sit ups, and then when someone is feeling antsy they can grab a stick, do the exercise and then go back to whatever they were doing.
Some places I use to help with our fitness journey. FitnessBlender.com is the best for a great selection of videos, which are easy to follow, and encouraging. I get up a bit early and do at least 30 minutes before I head to work.
To get the girls involved, we use adventuretofitness.com. You may be able to sign up as home schoolers without cost, but it would be worth the cost if not. I signed up with my school for free, since I am a teacher. My girls love the videos!
Also, check out Cosmic Kids Yoga on Youtube. 15 minutes where my girls will be occupied and I can exercise along with them or do my own thing.
That’s awesome, Jessica! And I like how you mentioned ‘fitness journey.’ It’s definitely a journey we take that changes as our family has grown and as the kids have gotten older and it is definitely a different journey for each family – I love hearing about what other families are doing to keep fit! Thanks!
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I was tired of feeling down on my weight so I decided to do something about it. I started doing an exercise video 5 days a week and it makes a big difference. My kids see the exercise clothes and know I am going to workout. They usually have some free time and occasionally will join me. In the summers we take walks and go swimming. The “me” time is important but also teaching kids the importance of physical activity and setting a good/healthy example. Great article. Thank you for posting!
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That’s great to hear, Katie! Sounds like you are really feeling the benefits of creating a fitness regimen for yourself!
Great post Rozanne. Good for you about slotting in regular exercise, something that I am passionate about. The benefits of regular exercise not just for mum (both physically and mentally) but for the whole family cannot be underestimated. So many mothers make time for so many other things but often say they don’t have time for exercise. You have shown it can be done. I recently wrote a post giving ten tips on exercise and it has a link to a four part series I did last year on getting started on a regular exercise program:
http://www.allaboutmama.com/2014/03/10/ten-random-exercise-tips/
Thanks Lynda! Some days it is still challenging to make it a priority for myself especially when there are a lot of things on my plate but I remind myself that exercise will give me that extra bit of energy to tackle all those other to-do’s! 🙂
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I do 5 different exercises each week, for 30-60 minutes a piece. I have a Zumba class at a gym that is *early* on Saturday mornings. No sleep ins, but I go by myself and I feel great the rest of the day. I take a 40 minute run Sunday mornings right after I wake up. My husband is home Sat & Sundays. He is gone from about 6AM-5:30/6PM M-F, so I usually work out two or three times during the week. We live on a second floor apartment, so I try to exercise during the afternoon hours when it seems the family downstairs is least likely to be home, but if they are, oh well. I can’t do it too late (I’m exhausted) or too early (I’m sure they’d find that frustrating). I have a spinning bike I do once a week for 40 minutes, and then 2 Jillian Michaels kickboxing workouts back to back on another day. The ‘5th’ day of exercise is a family hike, we usually go about 3 miles. It’s easy, but it’s still about an hour of moving, so I count it. 🙂 Exercising is hard, but I know if I just suck it up, do it, and get it done, I feel great, I sleep well, and I know I’m staying healthy, so I do it. My kids are in quiet time, too, when I work out in the afternoons during the week. I don’t know when else I’d have time to do it, though if there wasn’t a family living below us, I’d totally do it early in the morning. I did that for years (before we moved here) and just felt great the whole rest of the day.
Sarah M
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Sarah, I definitely prefer to workout in the morning too! That’s great that you’ve made the adjustment to the afternoon due to your current living situation. For me, it’s hard to flip the switch sometimes and train in the afternoon instead but sometimes that’s the only time I can fit it in. Thanks for sharing!
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Working is so important for yourself and to your kids so they see you can do it too. We love to challenge our kids and make it a fun game. Racing to get 20 pushups is so fun for us all! I also use essential oils to help reduce the toxins in my fat cells. It has given me results when just working out was not working out.
My transformation is on my website http://www.mamahasanoilforthat.com
Get up and move!
Amy, making it a game is a great idea! This can help motivate everyone on those lazy days when it’s tough to get going!
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Hi Rozanne!
I loved this post as I found it on FB through Simple Homeschool while I was nursing my 7 month old after I came back from a run at a park close to my home! My 7 month old is #5 and has me up 2-3 times/night still with nursing. I’m not complaining, but I do long for a full night’s rest since I homeschool my five also ages 13, 12, 9, 6, and 7 months! I’ve been squeezing in exercise when I can with running and kettlebell workouts in my garage. I strive for 20-30 min. workouts. It’s hard to pull myself out of bed each morning, especially if the baby is sick or has me up alot at night. But, it’s always worth it to get up and go before the kids wake up! 2 years ago I ran a half marathon and loved it! My goal is to run a half/full marathon before I’m 40 (I’ll be 40 in 2016) 🙂 Anyway, thank you for this encouraging post and it seems like we have alot in common! Have a blessed homeschool journey!
Hi Tracy! We do have a lot in common!! Oh I remember those long nights – they feel like they were only yesterday! And I agree that it’s totally worth it to force myself up before the kiddos even if my workout is just 10 minutes of kettlebell swings to get the blood flowing especially after a difficult night of being up with sick kids! Thanks so much for commenting 🙂
I have found working out at home to really be a key to keeping myself sane. Not only have a lost 100 lbs in the last 2 years but I am calmer, can literally play with my kids more, happier, and so much more. I’m currently doing P90X3 and loving it (but I have done a whole range of workout videos to get to where I am now). Being a homeschooler too I think it is wonderful that my children are learning that fitness is fun and an integral part of living. We are all stronger for my having made the decision to make fitness a part of our daily lives. Plus it is only 30 minutes!! Anyone can fit that in, and it is a strange paradox that exercise gives you more energy.
I wish there was a “love” button to hit! I cannot begin to fully express my gratitude. I was just crying last night to my husband that I’m “happy”, but feeling completely wiped out and depressed. My husband would never say to me “when is the last time you exercised” simply because of the fear I would take it wrong. (and I totally would have LOL)
But reading it here. Seeing it here. Having the opportunity to read of your struggle and success and one day at a time approach….is just what I needed!!!
Thank you for sharing!
NIcole, thank you so much for sharing…I feel so grateful for your feedback! Good luck on your journey!
Great post! 10-15 minutes of real exercise can make all the difference, and even in that short amount of time, you DO get stronger over the weeks and can add either more difficulty or time to your routine. And I loved how you made a point of making exercising be about building strength, not looking acceptably thin. I try to workout every other day and have a very similar routine: squats, lunges, pushups, chair dips, and two ab moves that I do in a circuit for 20 minutes or 5 sets, which ever comes first 🙂 But be sure to warm up everybody! Very important! I get almost all my fitness advice from nerdfitness.com, it’s awesome and has some great workout ideas in the free resources part.
Hi Amanda! Great tip about warming up beforehand! The kids love warming up with me…sometimes we crawl in different ways, do some active yoga poses, and play tag or jump rope together (if we are outside).
Thank you so much. I am embarrassed to admit that I’m not exercising at all. I have a 4 yr old daughter and I pretty much always feel too exhausted and depressed to play with her. I have started to clean up my diet, and I’m determined to get moving again. Your article is so inspiring- if you can do it with FIVE little ones, I can certainly do it too! Thanks again from a new reader! 🙂
Thanks Pam! There is absolutely no reason at all to be embarrassed! And that’s exactly it – just start moving again. Keep it simple and start slow. And now my biggest one isn’t so little anymore – she’s almost 16 🙂 Best of luck!
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Regular physical activity is so important for everyone’s well-being. It does not have to be super intense. You just need to spend some time moving your body. We have designed a fitness/physical education program for homeschooling families. Moms and dads can exercise in a fun way with their kids or the older kids can lead the younger kids through each lesson/workout. The great thing about our program is that mom or dad do not have to plan any lessons. Feel free to email me at mike@familytimefitness.com or visit our site at http://www.familytimefitness.com
I’m feeling a little frustrated upon seeing this, because I haven’t been able to work out in two weeks! And I realize just how great it made me feel, physically and mentally. We’ve had a nasty , lingering bug and I was taking care if sick kids and now, am sick myself. I’m so looking forward to getting back to it! My husband and I do Crossfit at home, and it’s been a great thing for all of us! Fun, varied, challenging, quick, and easy to get the kids on board.
Heather, I hear you! I feel the same way when I have setbacks like illness – I hope everyone is on the mend now and you all can get back to your routine!
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I have to go to the gym at 5am to be able to get a workout in. I also enjoy running races and so running outside on Sunday mornings before everyone is up is a great way to get some exercise. If I have to run with the kids, I will let them ride their bikes with me. I think exercise is extremely important for moms, especially homeschooling moms as it helps me have a little time to myself and helps me keep my sanity!
PS….I’m still working on becoming more regular at making sure my kids get more regular exercise. Your suggestions are a great starting point.
Hi Jacquie! Another thing that you could do to make it more regular is for the kids to join you after your run on Saturday mornings and run up and down some hills. We’ve done that a few times in the spring/summer where we race each other up and down the hills and then go for a family walk.
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I am planning to hs my 3 year old. Right now I am not doing anything structured. I’m just taking her fun places to play, reading books and feeding her healthy food. My older child has autism and is doing well in a public school program. My husband and I recently started a routine where we switch off, one watches the kids while the other uses the treadmill. I always walk the kids in the sunnier months, it is a must for my son’s sleep. It is important for my health that I do moderate exercise. I have been having health issues that I feared would interfere with hs. But I have resorted to eating really healthy, taking supplements and exercising because I know that I get stressed easily and then I can end up with headaches and other physical problems. I love this article because it addresses the parents’ needs. I am so glad your husband saw your need. I think sleep is definitely a must for what yoy described as well. If I can sleep from 12 to 7, heck that is 8 hours. It is hard to get enough sleep but well worth it in terms of our health. Our children need most for us to be healthy.
That is a great point about sleep, Charlotte! I notice a difference when I’ve gotten less than 7-8 hours of sleep for a few nights in a row especially when I am exercising. I find my overall strength and stamina are less. Thanks so much!
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Thank you. I needed to read this right now. Funny how when you need something, if your eyes are open the solutions present themselves.
Ali
That happens to me all the time, Ali!!
Wow! I can’t tell you how much I needed this! ” When was the last time you exercised?” is one I hear all the time…my response is “when is the last time you taught the kids, feed the dogs, cleaned the kitchen, did the laundry, went to the store…….”. That pretty much ends that but I really needed to figure out a way to fit it all in. Thank you!
I know! Normally, I would roll my eyes at him but he was dead on this time! 🙂
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Great post, lots of ideas and inspiration, Rozanne. It makes me think of the Proverbs 31 woman: “Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day”. As a mother of 4 kids I need energy and endurance. I started to do some exercises outside while my kids are at the playground. I am also doing some 30 min. long programs that give me the needed stretching and exercise. Sometimes I just enjoy the company of the trainer (on the video) but do by own exercises that helps me keep on. Your reader from Moscow, Russia:)
Hi Maria! I love that verse. That’s wonderful. There are days when I run up and down the stairs as fast as I can just to get my blood flowing…sometimes I just need to do the simplest thing to get that burst of energy. And sometimes a good stretch also does the trick. I can’t wait to do more outside too…the weather is just not cooperating in my neck of the woods! Thanks for your comment 🙂
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Love this! I swear, part of the reason I feel that I’m in the winter doldrums with homeschool this year is that we had less opportunity to work out due to sickness. I can’t wait until everyone is feeling better so we can get back into a routine. I’m lucky in that I attend a small, affordable group class for women and our children are welcome at no additional cost. Thanks for this!
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That’s awesome! Illness is always a tough set back. To shake things up, some other mama friends and I were thinking the same thing…start a small group to keep a routine going and try different things like yoga and pilates.
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Loved this article! Just what I needed! Just started our 1st year of Homeschool with a 4th grader and Pre-K’er and pregnant!
-Natasha
I love this! We are in our third year of schooling and I am still working on getting my day under control. I wake up at 5 too and it seems as if I am trying to fit a LOT in the couple precious hours before kiddos wake up.
I am working on the opposite problem. Having a love/hate relationship with food in my twenties has made me hyper vigilant about my exercise. I am slowly learning that 25 minutes a few times a week is okay…which is down from 40 or so minutes 6 days a week. I love this article!! Thank you so much for posting!
I wrote about what has worked for me over the years. http://www.sarahbadatrichardson.com/does-exercise-matter/
It’s definitely a moving target. Right now I’m in a slump because I’m going to bed too late…
Time to change that ????
Sarah Badat Richardson’s latest post: One year blog anniversary
Devouring Oreos and coffee for breakfast while reading your post I thought, I can do this! I know I need to exercise but it all seems too overwhelming after not exercising for 4 + years. But I’m tired of being tired and irritable. I followed your steps switching out wall sits for planks, repeat cycle for 15 minutes. I was shocked how difficult it was at first but then equally shocked at how easy the last five minutes were. Moving and stretching has already boosted my energy! Tomorrow I think I will add intermittent fasting and only eat 2 Oreos after a healthy lunch. 😊
Such great tips!! I am a busy mom of 5 kids. I’ve always tried to make fitness a priority. But that means that my own fitness routine has adapted many times to the needs of my little ones over the years. I love how you talked about including the kids in your fitness routine. That is the one thing that I have always found to be a necessity no matter what their age. When they were babies, I would balance them on my legs or bounce them while sitting on the stability ball. As they age, they can ride their scooter or bikes along side while I run. I have even paid my son to be my “trainer” and gave him $2.00 for every work out that he woke me up for and counted my reps. Recently we have put together a YouTube channel to share some workouts for kids to follow along at home. Check it out if your looking for some fun routines for your little ones.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzA4wxJkn1gjPmqaE4z3uuA?view_as=subscriber