Parenting Shortcut: Five Workout Routines for Busy Moms

It’s Friday, and therefore time for our new series “Parenting Shortcut”! The term “busy mom” is redundant – regardless whether you work in an office, run a business out of your home, or your home is your business we are all “busy working moms”!  I will over the next weeks introduce you to various parenting shortcuts – meant to make your life easier, healthier and give you more time in a day!

I am thrilled to kick off our series of Shortcuts with a guest post by Kaitlin Gardner from “An Apple per Day”. She wrote: “5 Quick Workout Routines for Busy Moms.” I am excited to share her advice – and use it myself!

Your daily life is packed with activities – the kids have to be where right now? You have trouble finding time to fit exercise into the whirlwind of your day. But workouts can be added to your routine, by taking advantage of short time slots, planning them ahead of time, and committing to do them.

“But I’m just too busy.” Let’s address this one up front. It’s like my husband says, “If Mom’s cranky, the house is cranky.” It really benefits not only me, but my husband and my kids, to take good care of myself. I may have to get creative to get in my workouts, like taking advantage of the day care at my gym. But exercise can be fit into the schedule, even for a busy Mom.

Here are some great resources with more information:

• Water Aerobics and Water Fitness Exercises
• 5 Fast and Fun Workouts For Busy Moms
• My Best Fitness Tips For Busy Moms

Here are 5 workouts that have worked well for me, and I can do them in 30 minutes each:
1) A brisk walk with the dog. My husband wants to see me get my exercise enough that he comes home early several days a week so I can get in a walk with my dog. We have a lovely blue heeler that just loves to walk, and he’s not one who wants to stop and sniff everything on the trail. He wants to keep moving, and even makes me pick up the pace. After 30 minutes out on the nature trail with him, I feel relaxed and refreshed.

2) An aqua jogging session. I go to the gym when the lap lanes are open, and take off down one in a good running posture. I wear ratty old tennis shoes to keep my feet from scraping on the rough pool bottom, and put a water bottle at the end of the lane to stay hydrated. I really push myself, and after 30 minutes I’m breathing pretty hard, and feeling my legs. The soothing light feel of the water makes this a wonderful option when it’s too hot and I don’t want to go outside.

3) Zumba at home. I have fallen in love with the sexy hip swinging moves of Zumba, but I feel to shy to try those moves at the gym with everyone staring through the glass window at the workout class. But I found some great CDs and I pop one in at home, and go to town with it. I’ve learned to do this when the kids are still in school, or they will cut up and make me lose my concentration. After a fast 30 minute workout of Zumba – I’m so relaxed I love the feeling.

4) A session on the elliptical. While the kids are in the day care center at the gym, I can pop over for a 30 minute elliptical workout. I like this machine because it’s low impact and doesn’t jar me the way a trail run would, so it’s easy on my legs. I put some upbeat music on my iPod Shuffle, and set the machine for a 30 minute interval session. It gives me the feel of hill work, with great cardio.

5) Weight work. To keep it simple, I just use machines and do two sets. I alternate 3 upper body and 3 lower body machines. I do bicep curls, the leg press, lat pulldown, leg extensions, shoulder press, and hamstring curls. Don’t worry, I didn’t know what they were either – one of the gym employees gave me a quick explanation, and they were pretty straightforward.

When my husband comes home and sees me nice and relaxed, he smiles, knowing that Mom has worked out and it’s a happy house.

Kaitlin Gardner started An Apple Per Day to explore her passion for a green living lifestyle, and healthy family living. She and her husband have just moved to rural Pennsylvania, where they enjoy exploring the countryside to discover interesting and out of the way places. She is also learning how to paint watercolors.

Don’t miss the rest of my Parenting Shortcuts! They are the secret to my sanity!