These tips could really be put to use by anyone, with or without kids. But for those of you with little ones, I don’t need to say write it.
You know this.
The regular demands and stresses of parenthood, especially for those with multiple younger ones, make it fairly difficult to keep up any habits you might have had to stay in shape pre-kids. Throw in a pandemic + civil unrest + a tanking economy + a rapidly warming globe, and any semblance of routine and normalcy disappear down a chaotic poop hole as the demands for your attention and your stress levels skyrocket. I don’t know about you, but at this point the best words to describe my state of being are along the lines of “beyond-exhausted,” “depleted,”…maybe a little “resentful” (Will folks stop posting about how bored they are? It’s just cruel.)
However, since it looks like we’re in this for the long-haul, it’s probably best to figure out how to do and be your best for the sake of everyone’s health and sanity. Here are a few tips (borderline hacks) on how to stay (or get!) healthier with a chaotic busy lifestyle.
One thing to note, a lot of the suggestions in this post assume you have the privilege of working from home or of having a partner around to help with kid duties. To those without these advantages, I recognize the challenges are exponentially harder. Do the best you can, but also be kind to and forgiving of yourself. Remember- they say these are “unprecedented times” for a reason. Everyone’s just figuring it out as we go along. Taking care of yourself physically is important, but without good mental health, the physical part won’t do you much good.
And with that, we proceed:
TIP 1 | Take turns with your partner
This tip doesn’t seem all that novel, but you’d be surprised at the number of people who’ve reacted with something along the lines of, “I never thought to do that!” when I tell them that my baby daddy and I have an agreement to take turns working out on alternating days. We started doing this before the pandemic and have been able to continue this arrangement to this day. The way it works for us is this:
On weekdays the person working out gets to take around an hour to go for a run, bike ride, or any other workout of choice. For us this works best in the evenings. The other parent takes charge of the kids during that hour, and is generally in charge of getting dinner on the table, too. On weekends we usually figure out a way for both of us to get out on both days (one will take an hour in the morning, the other an hour while the younger kid naps.) Weekends are also when we each get an “epic” workout day. So even though both of us get to work out both weekend days, one of us will get to leave for longer than an hour if we want to do an “epic” workout (like a longer bike ride or run). If I get to do an epic on Saturday, then my partner gets to do an epic on Sunday.
If you can swing it, this hour of alone time every other day is a great way to get the mental break you need while getting those steps in. Can’t make an hour work? Try starting with 30 minutes! You’d be surprised how intense of a workout you can squeeze into that time.
Tip 2 | Drink lots of water
This one is as easy to do as it is easy to forget. The benefits of drinking water are a-plenty: from aiding digestion to carrying nutrients to your cells, to maintaining sodium balance there’s not doubt it’s important for you to be drinking enough water through the day to keep hydrated. Drinking water can also help replace bad snacking habits (try sipping on some water when you have a hankering for a snack), and help prevent you from over eating (try having a glass of water before each of your meals). How do I remember to drink water every day? It sounds petty, but finding the right thing to drink from can make all the difference. I’ve tried all sorts of re-usable water bottles, but for some reason none of them have stuck. The magic combo for me is water with a lemon wedge in a 32oz mason jar and a re-usable straw. I’ll sip water out of that ALL day long. The other water bottles? Not so much. I have a cabinet full of them (and a disgruntled husband) to prove it. Experiment with different drinking contraptions until you find one that works, then stick to it!
Tip 3 | Workout in 5-10 min spurts
I get it. Little kids won’t leave you alone long enough to pee in privacy let alone to get a workout in. First, see Tip 1. Try really hard to prioritize setting aside time if not for an intense workout then at least for a walk alone for the sake of your sanity. But if it’s just impossible, try squeezing in a few 5-10 minute workout sessions through the day. This is where YouTube can be your best friend. There are a TON of fitness gurus out there who offer uber short workouts. Just do a search for “5 minute abs” and you’ll see a ton of videos pop up. Wake up 10 minutes earlier than usual to get a quick 10 minute cardio workout in to get your blood flowing for the day. Squeeze in a 5 minute butt bridge workout while the kids are napping. Get another 10 minute ab session in before bed. Before you know it, you’ll have gotten a 20-30 minute workout in for the day!
Tip 4 | Mix things up with a fun challenge
Having a hard time motivating yourself to get some extra physical activity in? Or bored with your current routine? Try mixing things up with one of those many physical challenges you see floating around on the social medias (and no, you don’t have to post yourself doing it, though if that keeps you motivated go for it!). A challenge that I found fun (and not too time-consuming) was a water-chugging-push-up challenge. I don’t remember the official name of the challenge, but the idea was to drink more water through the day than you usually do, and then do 20 push-ups every time after you pee. There were some days when I did nearly 200 push-ups in one day, and yes- I was very, very sore. I kept it up for a couple of weeks and saw a difference in my upper body strength, and plan to do it again in the next couple of weeks just for fun!
Tip 5 | Ease into it
We all have those days. Days when you just can’t muster up the energy to go for a run, or do a super energetic workout. When this happens, try easing into it. Do a video or two of easy 5 minute work outs. Or try to find a video of a work out that starts of slow and gets progressively more difficult. Chances are, once your blood starts flowing and your body starts warming up, you’ll feel more and more motivated to get through with a full workout.
We’ve got some more tips which we’ll post soon. In the meantime, what other things have you been doing that have helped you stay fit? Comment below!