How’s it going? Feeling like you’re in a slump? Can’t quite get with it? Not moving and shaking like you used to? I feel you! I just finished going through a similar season. I was tired and uninspired, and I just wanted to sit on my computer and get “desk work” done all day. And then I told myself, “Self, get with it!” And now I’m telling you, "Girl, get with it!” If you need to get moving again, these 10 stay-at-home-mom tips are sure to help you.
Spend time at the pool.
If you don’t have a backyard pool, get into someone else’s or the neighborhood pool. And sorry, but the plan isn’t to relax poolside while sipping a margarita. The goal is to get INSIDE the pool and get moving. Swimming is a fun and effective exercise and the best way to cool off in the Texas summers! The kids will enjoy long days at the pool, and they might even take a nap afterwards. Win-win!
Go for a walk.
It’s hot outside, but nobody said you have to go in the heat of the day. Walk along The Woodlands Waterway or a path closer to home in the early parts of the morning or after sunset. Take on a shaded, wooded park such as Creekwood Park in the Village of Panther Creek, and bring along a bottle of cold water. Our natural “sauna” of a town will help you sweat out toxins and burn calories, plus walking can help improve your heart health, reduce stress, and boost your metabolism.
If it’s a no-go with the outdoors, figure out a loop that you can walk inside your own home. This is something I do ALL the time. I start at one corner of my kitchen and walk from the kitchen to the dining room, the foyer, the living room, and back to the kitchen. That one loop is about 50 steps for me (yes, I’m counting), and it’s easy to do over and over again while I’m talking on the phone to a girlfriend or listening to one of my kids tell me about the lo-o-ong dream they had the previous night.
Play with the kids.
Why is that even on this list? Because we moms – especially those of us with multiple kids--sometimes get very comfortable sitting back to chillax while the little ones have all the fun. Not anymore, chica! Next time you’re at the park, instead of sitting along the sidelines, challenge your kiddos to a game a freeze tag. Lace up your skates and hit the rink with them. Monkey around and have an energy-wasting pillow fight at home! Kids know how to keep busy, and if we do even half the things they’re doing, we’ll find that we’re being way more active!
Find a gym that you love.
In my mom’s day, there were aerobics classes and basically nothing else. In our day, we’re so fortunate to have many options (maybe too many even) for working out. Get out and try a free trial class at one of our local gyms. You can workout in a ballet dance style, do boxing, stationary bikes, rowing, yoga… the options are plentiful, and it would be fun to take your time to explore them all to learn what suits you. For me? Give me some dance club music, and I’m all good for cardio!
Wear workout clothes throughout the day.
I love dressing up and wearing heels, so when I say wear workout clothes, I certainly don’t mean All Day Every Day. Choose a day or two or three each week to wear workout clothes. You will automatically be more active if you’re dressed appropriately. I can’t count the number of times I’ve not squatted to put away the towels, or I didn’t run to fetch a ball that was about to roll into the street because I was too cute and delicate to break a nail or a heel. Put on leggings, a tank, and sneakers, and you’ll naturally want to move more. Try it!
Make use of your own body weight.
No equipment, no gym? No problem! Many moms stay active by using their own body weight for exercise, and so can you. Leg lifts, push ups, sit-ups, squats – all those count, and you have NOTHING to put away when your workout is done. Studies show that the easier it is to prepare for your workout, the more likely you are to get moving. So… drop and give me 20!
Don’t park in the front.
Is it crazy to choose one of the rear parking spaces in 100+ degree temperatures, just so you can be more active? Yes, it is! But guess what? Parking further away from the door is an easy way to include some extra steps in your day, plus it saves you the stress of trying to find the perfect parking spot closer up.
Keep up with your fit friends.
Ha ha – here I am, encouraging you to keep up with the Joneses. Okay, not THE JONESES, but really just Mrs Jones – the one who is always posting her cute photos in her workout outfits, and photos of her green smoothies. Those are the friends you want to keep up with for inspiration. It’s a fact that birds of a feather flock together. When you see your friends on social media posting photos of their morning hike, certainly you want to take one too, no? If you’re the most active person in your friends group, try following some Instagram fitness influencers for your daily dose of you-can-do-it-ness.
