Busy parents will know that it often feels like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Between work, looking after the kids, looking after themselves, and fitting in family and friends’ time, finding time in a busy schedule to fit in regular workouts can be a challenge. In fact, it’s something Unit Saddleworth Personal Trainers are asked quite often – how and where can exercise fit in amongst kids, work, appointments, household chores, the school run, parties and all the rest?
How Can Exercise Help Parents?
Because so many parents struggle to fit exercise into their schedules, many people assume that it’s simply not worth the effort. After all, if you don’t make time for it, it won’t happen! It’s easy to get into the mindset that exercise isn’t essential, or that it’s a luxury you simply don’t have time for. In fact, exercise can be a huge help for parents, whether you’re a stay-at-home or working parent. It can help you manage stress more effectively and improve your sleep quality. It will also help you stay in shape, which means you’re less likely to get injured, get sick, or feel run down – something parents know all too well!
Exercise can also help you to feel less stressed, angry, and depressed – especially if you choose to exercise outdoors, where you can get away from the noise and distractions of your home life. Exercising as a parent also helps you to set a great example to your kids of how to stay healthy, happy and energized. It can also help you to maintain a healthy weight, both now and as you get older.
How To Fit In Exercising As A Parent
When you’re busy, it can be easy to let yourself feel like you don’t have time to exercise. After all, it’s not like you can give up one of your other commitments to fit it in, right? Well, actually, there are lots of ways you can fit exercise into your already busy life. – Make time for yourself. This can sound a bit selfish but it’s essential. When you feel better about yourself, you’ll be able to cope better with everything else in your life. So, fit in some time to chill out and do what you enjoy. Whether that’s reading, going for walks, meditating, or whatever else helps you chill out, make time for it. – Make it a family affair. Take the kids out for a walk, go for a run with your partner, join a sports team with the kids. The more you can make exercise a family affair, the easier it will be to fit it in. – Start small. Even 10 minutes a day can make a big difference. Once you’ve built up a level of fitness and see how good you feel, you’ll be able to increase the amount of exercise you do. – Get outside as much as you can. Go for a walk, go for a run, play a game of football or basketball with the kids, ride your bike. Not only will you get the added health benefits of being outside, but you’ll also get away from your busy life for a while.
1.) Team Up With Another Parent
If you have a friend, partner or neighbour with kids who are a similar age to yours, why not exercise together? Not only is this a great way to get fit, you’ll also be able to spend time with other adults and make new friends. This is a great way to get fit if you’re a parent because you can work out with your friend whenever is best for you. If your friend is also a parent, this could be during the school run or after the kids are in bed. If your friend doesn’t have kids, you can work out with them at a time when your kids aren’t around.
2.) Invest In Some Home Workout Equipment
If you don’t have time or the space to join a regular fitness class, why not invest in some home workout equipment? A good set of dumbbells, resistance bands, a yoga mat and an exercise mat can all help you to get fit at home. If you have young kids, you may not be able to make it to a regular fitness class and working out at home is often a better option if you want to exercise regularly. However, it’s important to make sure you don’t create a messy, cluttered environment at home that makes it harder to fit in your workouts. If you have a small home gym, make sure it’s cleaned regularly and kept tidy. You don’t want to be spending more time cleaning up than you do exercising!
3.) Make The Most of Lunchtime Breaks
If you work full or part-time, you’ll know that lunch breaks are essential. However, many of us don’t make the most of them. If you’re one of these people, why not make the most of the time you have in a busy working day? If your office is quiet and you have no meetings or presentations to attend, you could try walking or jogging outside for a quarter of an hour. This is preferable to sitting still, which isn’t good for your health. If you can’t walk or jog outside due to weather conditions, try using a treadmill at home. Similarly, if you have access to weights or resistance bands, you can spend 15 or 20 minutes working out during your lunch break. This will help you to get fit and it will make you feel better during the rest of your day too.
Conclusion
Exercise can be a real challenge for busy parents. Finding the time to fit it in can be tough, especially if you have young kids. However, there are plenty of ways to make it easier and more effective. In fact, there are a whole host of benefits to exercising regularly that you don’t want to miss out on! Not only will exercising make you feel better, but it will also help you to sleep better, manage stress more effectively, and even help you to lose weight. Furthermore, it will help you to lead a healthier life overall, and set a great example for your kids too. So, there really isn’t any excuse not to find time to exercise.
