Just about any parent you ask has run into this struggle: with the busy schedule of parenthood, working out tends to fall by the wayside until exercise becomes a boring and time-consuming chore. This leads many parents to skip or completely forego exercise altogether. However, this doesn’t have to be the case; there are plenty of ways to fit regular exercise into your day without it feeling like extra work. Try a few of these strategies to stay strong and in shape, even with the stresses of parenting.
Get The Kids Involved
While the kids are younger, it can be tricky to keep them involved with your workout. Once they’ve gotten into school, though, there’s a good chance that they’ll develop an interest in sports or other active extracurricular activities. Not all schools will have athletics available to all ages, particularly if your child doesn’t go a private school, which only make up 25% of schools in the United States. That being said, if your child shows interest in athletics, do what you can to get involved in their activity of choice at home. For example, if your child is interested in tennis, take them to the local park to play with them on the tennis court. Playing tennis for fun can burn around 208 calories in 30 minutes for an average man, making it a great exercise for both you and your kids.
Plus, exercising is always more fun when you do it with your kids.
Try Something New
If your kid doesn’t seem interested in athletics, that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. You don’t need to bring your kid with you to enjoy a new activity or sport, and there are some sports that are best done while the kids are still at school. Try something new and exciting while the weather’s still nice and the kids are busy at school. As many as 19.6% of Millennials participate in water sports; why not try swimming at a local gym? If you live in a big city, you can probably find a local rock climbing gym. Making your exercise into an adventure and an opportunity to get out of the house for a break in routine could be what it takes to keep you active.
Look For Something Laid Back
If consistent exercise is a struggle because it seems like too much additional stress, maybe what you need is a way to work in exercise and relaxation at the same time. Recently, yoga and other isometric exercises have seen a surge in popularity, and for good reason. Yoga can be a great way to meditate and unwind from the stress of parenting while also strengthening your muscles and improving flexibility. Nowadays, there are about 36.7 million yoga participants in the United States. It might be worth seeing if there’s a class near you to try it out, but if that’s too much of an investment, you can always give this type of exercise a try in your own home while the kids are at school.
Use Daily Tasks As Exercise
If there’s really no time in your schedule to squeeze in activity, why not turn your existing routine into your workout? Instead of taking the elevator next time you head to the office, try taking the stairs. Try to complete some of your regular chores around the house a bit faster to turn it into a cardio exercise. There are plenty of opportunities to be more active from day-to-day if you look at your regular routine in small pieces.
Staying active as a parent can sometimes be a challenge, but by looking carefully at your daily routine and integrating activity where you can, you’ll soon be exercising on a daily basis without even realizing it. How do you stay active as a parent, and what activities would you recommend for staying healthy?
