Fitness For Busy Moms - 5 Tips to Help You Find the Time to Exercise

by Anik Giguere-Biollo

If you're a mother, then you know that there never seems to be enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done. Between preparing meals and snacks, doing laundry, housework, shopping, taking care of the kids and maybe a part-time or full-time job on top of all that, physical activity is often the very last item on your never-ending "to-do" list.

We know that regular exercise is vital to our health and general well-being, and that the benefits, which include a stronger body, a healthy heart, increased energy and a more positive outlook on life, are worth the effort. Still, many mothers can't seem to find the time to fit it in the minimum 30 minutes of daily exercise health experts recommend.

But don't be discouraged - there is a way for you, busy mom that you are, to find the time for regular physical activity. Follow these five tips to help you fit in fitness every day:

1. Be physically active with your kids - Children instinctively love to move, so take advantage of this whenever you can. Go for a walk or a bike ride together, play soccer in your backyard, go for a swim at the pool or ice-skating at the local rink. Being physically active with your children benefits the whole family and also shows them a good example for living an active life.
2. Ask dad to take over - At least once or twice a week, ask your partner to take care of the kids for an hour while you go to the gym or for a jog. The time alone will do wonders for your peace of mind. You will come back home energized and refreshed, and dad will have gotten some quality time alone with the kids.
3. Make a regular exercise date with a girlfriend - This is a great way to get some exercise and catch up with a close friend. Attend a yoga class together or go for a nice long walk.
4. Turn on the TV or the computer - Yes, you read that correctly! Sometimes, busy mothers need to get their exercise time any way they can. Your children won't be irreparably harmed if they watch television or play on the computer for an hour so that you can work out on your treadmill or do some strength training with dumbbells. Just make sure that what is on the screen is educational.
5. Take your opportunities for physical activity wherever you can - Experts tell us that as little as 10 minutes of exercise here and there during the course of a day are as beneficial as one long workout session, so be active whenever you can. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, or park a little farther away from your destination and walk the rest of the way. At the park or during your kids' soccer practice, walk around instead of sitting down on a bench. When you're at home, go up and down the stairs a few times in a row, do some squats with your young child in your arms, dance around with your kids to music, or jump on a mini trampoline for a few minutes. Every little bit of physical activity helps.

Mothers are very busy taking care of their family, often to the detriment of their own health and well-being. However, if you don't take the time to take care of yourself, both you and your family will lose out in the long run. Remember, fitting in fitness regularly is possible if you believe it is and commit to taking every chance you can to be active.