Today I want to talk with you about exercise. I believe that exercise is important to embracing your true feminine power. When you regularly commit to this type of action, you build strength, confidence, sexual energy, endorphins (all those good feelings), and you are doing so much for your health. I see it as an opportunity to have all these things and lead by examples for so many others. If you have a young child or children, this may have felt like a challenge. It does not have to be!
Today I am going to share with you how to get your work out on when you are a mom. I have three young kids and I have been able to work out with them daily, no excuses, and my kids know that this is what “we” do. Today I am going to share with you how I got there and 8 tips for how you can get there too!
#1- Make a Decision- Decide today that this is something you need to do for yourself. To love yourself. To really own your true feminine power and feel good about yourself.
#2 Take Action. Do something each day, whether it be big or small. Just start somewhere and begin. Now that you have decided and ready to take action do so immediately. If you do not take action immediately it can slip off the radar. Other priorities get in the way.
#3 Set your intention early in the morning. Do you want exercise to be part of your day? Set that intention first thing in the morning. If the intention is there, you are more likely to make it happen. Working out in the morning is also a great way to start your day.
Wait, do you have a child that is like ALL three of mine, that loves to wake super early? The tips I am about to share are perfect for working out with your child. Especially if going to a gym and having them play in the childcare is not an option. I work out at home or outside all the time and these work for me.
#4 Create Routine & Ritual. Make exercising part of your daily routine. It needs to become part of what “we” do in your message to your children. For example, “Mommy exercises now and you play with your special toys.” Consistently hold this routine for your family and they will learn that it is part of the day. Create rituals around it, like preparing the night before, setting up your child with toys or in a special space, sing a song that transitions you into this activity from the previous one.
#5 Have Snack and Toys Available. Having either a snack and/or toys available during the time you are working out will keep your child occupied during your workout. The snack will also help to hold them over until the next meal, especially if it is an early morning workout and before breakfast.
#6 The Surprise Technique. I got this idea from a Simplicity Parenting Coach around offering a child a surprise to help with transitions. I call this the Surprise Technique and it is the offering of a surprise to motivate your child to move from one place/thing to another. The key is to create the surprise effect, i.e. “Mommy is going to her workout area to exercise and there is a surprise for you there.” It creates excitement. The surprise would be a toy of some sort. It does need to have novelty. So, gather up your child’s toys and keep them away. Bring out one item for the surprise. Since your child has not seen it in a while, it has novelty.
EXTRA TIP—You can use this for different transitional situations, like getting into the car seat or into the bathtub.
#7 Get your child involved and make it a game. Asking your child to workout with you, or to try some of the routine you do can be fun for your child. I ask my boys all the time if they want big muscles. They love this stuff and they typically show interest enough to move us into the activity and then lose interest within a few minutes. Of course, there are always toys around for them to jump into.
Another great way to get them involved is to take your workout outside. If you have an infant then a stroller is your best workout tool. Go for runs/walks with your little one and make that a game. Use a timer to see how fast you can both get to one point to another or around the block. Play I Spy and look for things on your path. If they are old enough to ride on their own, a scooter for your child can help them move faster than if s/he was walking with you and then you can keep up a brisk walk or light run with them by your side. My boys have been riding scooters since they were two and the brand Gllider Scooters, has one with two big wheels in the front and small ones in the back, that make it really easy for them to ride at a young age. We also race on the scooters. There are adult size scooters you can look into if you feel up to riding with them.
Bike riding is another option and is a love for my family. Whether you ride with your child on a bike seat (I prefer the one where they sit in front of the bike, like the Ibert) or attach a small trailer for your child to ride in (especially good if you have more than one small child).
#8 Tap Into Resources. Trading time with a friend is a really fun way to get some free time to get your workouts in. Plus, your child gets to build a connection and play with other children. It is a great arrangement for you and the other mommy.
Hire a local neighborhood teen to help babysit outside of school hours. If they are young this can be a great way for them to gain that experience, and for a lower fee than some more experienced sitters. Plus, if you exercise at home and in the vicinity, it gives you an opportunity to build your trust with that person. Do I hear “date night potential?”
I know every child is different and these may not work for everyone. Although I advocate for minimal screen time for young children, I also believe there are times when I choose to use this as a means to an end. I recommend trying out the first 8 tips and doing so consistently for at least 1-2 weeks. But, please, feel free to choose this option. Your health is vital to your wholeness, which directly impacts the way your parent. If getting your workout on for an hour requires you to put your child in front of his/her favorite show for that time, then so be it.
Some final thoughts I want to share with you today….
Do not wait for perfection or expect it. Sometimes I will stop my workout video more often than not and multiple times. At times a 25 minute workout takes me 40 minutes. Do not give up. Stop it and go back to it. Send the message to your child that this is what “we” do and that this is important to YOU. There are times when I have to just let it go for the day. Maybe I have stopped it one too many times, maybe the kids are just not working with me. Let it go. There is always another opportunity the next day. And who knows, maybe another one that day.
I would love to hear from you. So, if you have tips you would like to share to inspire me and others, please share them in the comments. Have an amazing day!