Whether you’re a SAHM, WFH mom, or a mom who works outside of the house, you are a FULL-TIME MOM. From the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep, you are making decisions that you know will affect your family in one way or another. You’re constantly carrying the heavy (buzzword alert) “mental load,” that our counterparts often don’t carry.

With all that we have going on, it can be daunting to have to think about taking care of ourselves–especially when that means working out. For some reason working out has a stigma attached to it, that makes it hard for us to get up and just do it.

As a busy mom myself, I have to admit that working out is the self-care activity that requires the most effort on my part. But, I’ve found a way to make it work for me and if you’re a mom who struggles with this, I think these tips will help you too!

If you’re a mom who struggles to go to the gym, doesn’t have child care, or can’t afford expensive gym equipment, I want you to use what you’ve got. Let me give you a few examples:

Stairs: you may not have a stair stepper, but if you have stairs in your house or apartment complex, you can definitely use them to workout.

Soup cans: you may not have hand weights but you do have soup cans in your pantry that can double as hand weights.

Nature: you may not have a treadmill but you can use nature’s treadmill and go for a walk (or run) outside. Walking is full of so many benefits and doesn’t always get the credit it deserves. Did you know that you actually burn more fat by walking, than running? Another perk to walking outside is getting sunlight. Not only does movement help give you a “high” but the sun gives you a natural boost of energy.

Start thinking of ways you can start working out by using what you have available to you.

When I first started working out after having my son, I had NO TIME for going to the gym. I was working full-time, in school full-time, and planning a wedding, all while solo-parenting because my husband traveled for work. The ONLY way I was going to workout was at home, watching a youtube video while my son slept. I found a group that I absolutely love, Team Body Project, and still their videos 6 years later. I’ve linked their youtube page below. Here are a few things I love about them:

They are extremely body positive. They have people of all shapes and sizes in their videos, and preach the message of not comparing to others (positively or negatively). I love their positive attitude.

They have high and low impact modifications that are equally as challenging. I love this, because sometimes doing low impact activities can make me feel like I’m not doing enough, but with Team Body Project I never feel this way.

The trainers are fun to watch + listen to and they make sure to switch the exercises up. This prevents me from getting bored and helps me stay engaged in the workouts. If you’re like me and get bored easily, their HIIT workouts are exactly what you need.

Click HERE to find Team Body Project on Youtube.

When trying to add any habit into your life, you need to start slow and be realistic with yourself. By setting goals that are achievable, your momentum pushes you into a cycle of feeling good about yourself because you’re achieving your goals, and continuing to achieve your goals because you feel good about yourself. If you’re interested in learning how to set SMART goals that will set you up for success, you can read this blog post HERE to help you get started.

Bottom line, start slow and start small. Maybe in the beginning your goal is to move 30 minutes a day for 2-3 days a week and eventually be working out 30 minutes 5 days a week.

If you are with your kids on a daily basis, I know how hard it can be to step away and get a workout in without interruptions. One way to fix this is to involve your kids. Try to put a “brain break” on for your kids while you work out (you can find these on Youtube–I’ve linked one below). This helps your kids feel close to you, get their energy out, and see you prioritizing your health. It’s the perfect combination–your kids release pent up energy and they get to see mom being a good example by working out and investing in her health.

Click HERE for a fun brain break your kids will enjoy.

Now that you have a few tips that can help you get started–I’d like to know which of these tips you will start today?

Comment below and let me know how you’re going to kickoff your fitness journey!

“Just believe in yourself. Even if you don’t, just pretend that you do and at some point, you will.” -Venus Williams

I believe in you–Just start!

-El