Exercise Routine, Schedule, & Tips For Busy Moms
Whether you're a stay-at-home mom or a working mom, the reality is that we are all busy. I'm sharing my best tips, personal fitness goals, current weight loss journey, and sample schedules to help you find that spare time to take care of your health.
I want to start off by saying that these are just suggestions and tips based on my personal experience. I've discussed everything I do, including supplements, with my Primary Care Provider. This information is not to take the place of your own medical advice provided by your doctor. Before you start a new exercise routine or try a new supplement, please discuss things with your doctor first.
Finding time to perfect an exercise routine can feel daunting when looking at your daily schedule. I admit I was guilty of not making enough time for myself after my son, Orion was born. As a first-time mom, it's all so beautiful and overwhelming. You're sleep-deprived, eating whatever you can grab that fits in one hand, and dreaming of what life was like when you could find some quiet time in your day.
I know firsthand how hard it is to prioritize yourself. As a type-2-diabetic I needed to find a way to take better care of myself so that I could have the energy levels to keep up with my son.
I made all the excuses; maybe some sound familiar to you. I'm not here to judge, but these are things I've actually said to myself.
- I don't even have time to shower, how am I going to find time to exercise?
- If I exercise while he's asleep, I'm going to wake him up.
- Working out in the morning doesn't work for me. I'm too tired in the morning. I'll just stay up late and finally catch up on Netflix shows instead.
- There are only so many hours in the day, and I'll never have any alone time for myself.
This leads me to a prevalent question...
How Do Busy Moms Find Time To Workout?
How does a busy mom find time in their schedule to work out? For me, the answer was to work out at home. I wake up early in the morning before I know my son will be awake and it's now a permanent part of my routine. When I first chose to stay home with my son, I had been used to the daily 9-5 grind of my full-time job.
I loved not waking up and rushing to get ready for work. However, by not waking up early, I was missing out on an opportunity to have 2 whole hours to myself in the morning.
I didn't even bother worrying about a gym membership. The reason for this is that I was already feeling limited on time as it was. But add even just a short 5-minute commute to the gym in there and it easily eats up a big chunk of time that you could dedicate to a longer home workout.
I get it. Sleeping in is glorious. I love waking up and feeling fully rested. If you're wondering how many hours of sleep you personally need to feel good in the morning I would suggest starting out by letting yourself sleep in without an alarm for two days. Pay attention to how many hours of sleep you get.
This is probably the normal amount of hours you need to get every night. I learned that I need 7-8 hours to feel rested, so in order to make sure I don't hate the alarm when it goes off at 5 AM, I try to be in bed no later than 10 PM.
Not a morning person? Try squeezing in your workout during nap time. This is actually how I started out many months ago before starting my morning routine. I was only doing yoga at the time. But I didn't like that I was getting sweaty in the afternoon after showering in the morning. I felt like if I had done my hair or makeup it was all in vain once I was sweating it all off.
This is what ultimately led me to change to mornings. You just have to find the best time for you that fits into your daily routine. Even if you just start out with a quick workout of ten minutes. Something is better than nothing.
See if you can commit to working out for 10 minutes, 3 days a week for two weeks. I know it's easy to feel like you need to do something that will show you results right away, but trust me when I say that finding time to fit in a great workout during your busy schedule is a habit that takes time to build. Consistency is so important. Practice simple consistency first and you will feel less discouraged.
The Easiest Ways To Find Time In Your Day To Workout
- First thing in the morning. This is my current routine and is what works best for me.
- After breakfast, while your little one has some independent playtime.
- If you can afford it, hire a personal trainer to keep you accountable.
- Working mom? Try working out during your lunch break if you can. I used to take walks around my works building when I was pregnant and battling what I thought was just gestational diabetes.
- Get a jogging stroller if you have a newborn. You don't have to jog, even just taking a long walk is great for your health. Fresh air is great for your little one too!
- During naptime or after bedtime. Your living room, dining room, or anywhere in your home that you have space for a yoga mat can work to squeeze in some home workouts.
How Many Times A Week Should You Workout?
There is no one size fits all approach to how many times a week you should work out. Factors like a daily schedule, current health, and personal preference should always be considered. Personally, as someone that has Type 2 Diabetes and is working to manage my blood sugars, I work out 7 days a week. 5 days are active days with strength training and walks that include jogging sprints and the other 2 days I consider active rest days where I do slow flow yoga followed by a walk.
Rest days are important and you can choose to not do any physical activity on those days if you choose. I've found that in order to properly maintain my blood sugars I need to be somewhat active every day.
Not only has this been great for my physical well-being but also my mental health. It gives me a chance to focus on myself, let go of the stress in my life, and really reflect on what makes me feel good. I used to barely fit a ten-minute walk into my day and now If I'm not able to do any exercise I feel the effects at the end of the day.
How Do You Find The Motivation To Workout When You Don’t Feel Like It?
It took me a long time to truly find my motivation. For me, it was when I had the results of an a1c test come back and for the first time since I had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it was in the diabetic range. Previously I had managed to keep it below prediabetic levels, but as my son became a toddler and he wasn't enjoying sitting in the stroller for long periods of time, my once daily walk of 45 minutes disappeared from my routine.
This was my wake-up call. I knew I had to make a change so that I could not only keep up with my son who is now almost two and running everywhere but also be around when he's older. Type 2 diabetics are more prone to have a myriad of health issues and the thought of not seeing my son grow up was not an option for me.
That day I told myself I would start waking up early, with no excuses, and work out every single day that I could. I don't treat it like an option, because as far as my health is concerned, it's not. When I turn 40 in two years, I want to be in the best shape of my life. It's not about being skinny, it's about being strong, energized, and healthy.
Think about why you want to make a change and start working out again, or even for the first time. The best way to decide what motivates you is to ask yourself how you might feel once you've dedicated some extra time each day to take care of yourself. Think about the great example you're setting for your children when they see that you're taking time to prioritize exercise.
Find the type of workouts you enjoy most so you don't dread them every day. Not a fan of running? That's ok! Walking is still great exercise. So is dancing, going on bike rides, high-intensity interval training, hiking, pilates, and the list goes on. Try a couple of different things if you need to at first to see what sparks joy in your routine so you want to continue with your new wellness practice.
How Do You Get Started If You Feel Out of Shape?
If you're feeling out of shape, it can be stressful thinking about how to get started with a new workout routine. At my heaviest outside of pregnancy, I was 218 pounds. In less than two and a half months I've lost 25 pounds. I had hovered around 200 for years before finding out I was diabetic. But growing up I had always been fairly thin so when I put on that much weight I was shocked, sad, and frustrated. I struggled for years to try and lose weight.
Nothing worked or stuck until this recent lifestyle change of fully committing to change my diet and exercise. Every time I would lose 5 or 10 pounds I would put it right back on again and sometimes even more than before.
Yo-yo diets aren't the answer. Starving yourself with protein shakes and juices isn't a sustainable or healthy option either. You have to understand that if you really want to make a change that it's going to be gradual, take some time, and need to be something you can stick with for the long haul. Otherwise, you will end up right back where you started.
Example of My Current Workout Routine
Every month I set new SMART goals for myself in terms of my health. It's a great way to reflect on what I want to accomplish and break it down into smaller more manageable chunks. Wanting to lose a total of 70 pounds is a goal of mine but it's not going to happen in one month. So instead of focusing on such a large number, I focus on the steps I need to get there instead. A big part of that is focusing on my workout routine.
I'm on my third month of setting SMART goals for myself and this is my current workout routine which I will adjust again next month. I also want to note that I currently use Apple Fitness + for all of my workouts. It's great for home workouts and you can filter them based on the amount of time you want to spend doing them. Plus, many don't require any equipment!
Monday:
5 Minute Morning Meditation
30 Minute Upper-body Strength Training
5-Minute Mindful Cooldown
30-Minute Walk/With 5, 30-Second Jogging Sprints
Tuesday:
5 Minute Morning Meditation
30 Minute Lower-body Strength Training
5-Minute Mindful Cooldown
30-Minute Walk/With 5, 30-Second Jogging Sprints
Wednesday {Active Rest Day}:
30 Minutes of Slow Flow Yoga
30 Minute Walk
Thursday:
5 Minute Morning Meditation
30 Minute Total Body Strength Training
5-Minute Mindful Cooldown
30-Minute Walk/With 5, 30-Second Jogging Sprints
Friday:
5 Minute Morning Meditation
30 Minute Upper-body Strength Training
5-Minute Mindful Cooldown
30-Minute Walk/With 5, 30-Second Jogging Sprints
Saturday:
5 Minute Morning Meditation
30 Minute Lower-body Strength Training
5-Minute Mindful Cooldown
30-Minute Walk/With 5, 30-Second Jogging Sprints
Sunday {Active Rest Day}:
30 Minutes of Slow Flow Yoga
30 Minute Walk
Here is an infographic you can pin to Pinterest so you can reference this later:
I would like to note, that when I first started this routine back in August it looked a little different. I wasn't doing any meditation, I was only doing strength training 3 days a week and yoga 3 days a week, and I was only walking. I started adding 3, 30-second jogging sprints in September to my morning walks to slowly build up my strength and stamina.
I was also advised by my primary care provider to increase my strength training to 5 days a week to help me better manage my blood sugars. Strength training burns a lot of calories even after the workout is over, and this was necessary to help me get better fasting numbers in the morning.
What My Typical Morning Routine Looks Like
Want to know what my typical morning routine looks like? Here's an example of what my first two hours consist of these days.
5 AM - Wake up, head downstairs to change into my workout clothes, check my blood sugar (I hope it's not high), and mix my pre-workout.
5:20 AM - Read a book. (This is something I like to do before jumping into my workout routine. It's better than scrolling mindlessly on my phone!)
5:40 AM - Meditate.
5:45 AM - Do strength training or yoga workouts depending on the day.
6:15 AM - Do Mindful Cooldown
6:25 AM - Go for my morning walk/jog.
7 AM - Back home in time to start breakfast before Orion wakes up.
The following sections contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of the links below I will make a small commission at no additional charge to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!
My Favorite Supplements
Supplements are something that should be discussed with your PCP before adding to your own routine. That being said there are a few that I personally love and I'll share why.
- Bloom Nutrition Greens & PreWorkout: I love all of the Bloom Nutrition products that I've tried. Mari and her team have done a great job creating a product that is low-carb so that it can easily work into a type 2 diabetic lifestyle. Plus they actually taste great! I take just half a scoop of the original pre-workout every morning before my workout. I recommend starting with just half a scoop because you might be more sensitive to it and it's good to find what works for you. For the greens, I usually mix them in a blender for an afternoon pick-me-up around 4 PM. I'll add half a banana, a few frozen strawberries, and sometimes a scoop of Bloom protein powder if I'm feeling extra hungry.
- LMNT: This is my favorite electrolyte drink mix! Again, it's something that is low-carb and has zero grams of sugar. When you're working out as regularly as I am and sweating up a storm before the sun even rises, it's super important to replace your electrolytes. I know many diabetics shy away from adding additional sodium to their diets due to the fear of it causing high blood pressure, but I've not had any issues personally and have found LMNT to help me with my fitness goals. I have more energy, I sleep better, and my blood sugar has been great since adding LMNT into my routine. Again, I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice, but there has been excellent research lately on the benefits of adding more sodium to a diabetic diet. I drink one packet a day either in the morning after my workout or around noon with my lunch.
My Must-Have Items For Working Out From Home
You don't need a ton of equipment to work out at home! Here are some of the must-have items that allow me to get in some great exercise from the comfort of my own home.
- My Apple Watch with Apple Fitness +: I LOVE my Apple Watch! I even gave it an upgrade recently with a luxury watch band from Chalonne so that I can take my favorite fitness accessory and turn it into a fashion accessory in a snap. I wear my watch all the time so I love that I have a way to upgrade my look when I wear it out and about. (Use my code: PROMO15 to save 15% off your purchase of a luxury watch band from Chalonne) As I mentioned earlier I use Apple Fitness+ for all of my workouts and it has been a game changer for me. If you're worried about cost, I recommend checking with your health insurance to see if it will cover it. Our health insurance gave us a full year for free!
- A Yoga Mat: Before I had my Gaiam mat, I was using a cheap one I bought on Amazon years ago. It did the job, but I love my new Gaiam mat because it's so much thicker and more comfortable. I use it for yoga and my strength training workouts.
- Dumbells: I started with a few light weights and have been slowly adding in some heavier ones as my strength has improved. The ones I have are from Target and I love the neoprene coating because they don't hurt my hands. No gloves are needed, so one less piece of equipment to purchase!
- Airpod Wireless Headphones: When I wake up early to work out, my son is still sound asleep...and so is my husband lol. These headphones allow me to listen to my workouts without disturbing them. Plus, I wear them for my cardio routine as well. They have an option for spatial awareness so I can still hear cars, birds, or another jogger coming up behind me without missing out on my tunes.
- Nike Pegasus Running Shoes: Proper shoes are a must especially if you're going to start walking or jogging. Nothing will cause injury, soreness, or shin splints, faster than a pair of old uncomfortable shoes. If you're on a budget, I suggest checking out Poshmark or waiting for a good sale. Trust me, your body will thank you! If you want to take it a step further, I also recommend investing in some compression socks as well. It helps with leg fatigue and circulation.
My Workout Tunes Playlist
One last note to leave you with as I wrap up this lengthy blog post. I made a Workout Tunes Playlist on Spotify! It's filled with all sorts of music that gets me pumped up for the days that I add running sprints to my walk. I'm a firm believer that the right song can help you push harder through the parts where you feel like giving up. If you're looking to add a burst of motivation to your workout routine, check out my Workout Tunes Playlist and favorite it for later.
Final Thoughts
If you've made it this far, congratulations! You must be inspired to make a change in your daily life. I love that! My hope is that sharing my stay-at-home mom schedule will help you find a way to make some free time for yourself again.
If you're looking for some accountability, hop on over to my Instagram @natashasfoodadventures and say hi! It can always feel overwhelming to start a new fitness routine, especially if you're a stay-at-home mom and you spend all day with a toddler that can't talk in full sentences yet. I'm here to support you!
At this point, I know I sound like a broken record but I think it's important so I'll say it one last time. This blog is not to take the place of actual medical advice. I'm not a doctor, nutritionist, or fitness instructor.
I'm just sharing my personal experience and what has worked for me on my journey to try to send my type 2 diabetes into remission while losing weight in the process. I hope you're able to find a groove that works for you and that you're able to stick with it because at the end of the day consistency will get you where you want to be!
XOXO,
Natasha
Leave a Reply