How to Stay Fit as a Mom: 4 Simple Lifestyle Habits That Actually Work
Everyone knows that being a fit mom is a good thing, but how do you actually make it happen? Between dirty diapers, messy kitchens, and crumb-covered floors, moms hardly have enough time to sit and relax, let alone get a workout in. Sure, there are some options: expensive gym memberships, cheesy mommy-and-me workouts, and unchallenging follow-along routines. But what can a fit mom actually do to make fitness stick in real life—not just in theory?
Until I started taking fitness seriously I always wondered how moms were expected to find time to work out when we’re so exhausted from taking care of everyone else all the time. I didn’t understand until I had first hand experience that fitness didn’t just improve my overall health and help with weight management. Staying fit gave me more physical strength, mental toughness, confidence, and (can you believe it) ENERGY! Those benefits became especially obvious to me during pregnancy and postpartum.
It’s so hard in this generation to see past the self-pity and victimhood that is so often embraced in motherhood culture. We always serve everyone else and no one serves us. We suffer! But therein lies the fault. As mothers, especially as mothers who stay at home and determine our own schedules, we GET to choose what to do every day. We GET to choose whether we, ultimately, enjoy our life. Let go of the pity talk and embrace hardness! It’s so good for us. Here are my top tips for staying fit as a mom.
Top 4 tips
- Clean up your diet
- Choose an exercise program you like
- Take time to play every day
- Lower your stress
1. Diet
When people talk about cleaning up their diet so often the emphasis is on whatever the latest fad is. Low carb, low fat, keto, carnivore. There are so many ways you’re “supposed” to eat. But my biggest successes have come from simply eating real, whole foods. The less processed your food, the more nutrient dense and sustaining it is.
Once I saw my diet as a series of lifestyle changes, things weren’t necessarily easy, but they were simple. Whole foods naturally have less sugar, more protein, and limited additives of any kind. I have noticed a complete difference in my energy, cravings, and gut health just by making simple swaps. These same principles were some of the biggest factors in my postpartum weight loss journey as well.
2. Exercise
Just like with diet, exercise is all about lifestyle i.e. consistency. Anything you do is great. But if you don’t do it consistently it’s not going to make much of a difference. Choosing a program, gym, or activity that you know you can stick with the key.
Walking is always the easiest and most accessible activity to add to your daily and weekly schedule. But strength training is really one of the primary ways to increase longevity and stay fit. There are tons of great options online that don’t require much equipment, or you can consider investing in a gym membership if it’s realistic for you.
I personally always did at-home workouts until I was postpartum with my second baby. Then I decided that going to a gym to get out of the house would be really valuable to me. I love being home, but being able to leave my husband completely in charge and focus on my workout has made a huge difference for me. Plus, having a gym membership and community gave me a little boost of confidence because I felt like I was a fit mom before I even started seeing any progress.
3. Play
One of the primary reasons that fitness as a mom is so important to me is being able to keep up with children. Without exercise, just caring for my children is exhausting. But when I am strong and in shape, I am able to actually play with my children. Chasing them down the halls, pushing them on the swing, going down the slide with them. Those were all things that I found really difficult before I started seriously incorporating fitness into my daily life.
Play isn’t just something for relationship building and investing in our kids. Taking time to play every day is crucial to our mental health. As moms, the to-do list is never ending. The schedules are jam packed. We need to take time to let go of it all. Be present and just enjoy the presence of your children, put on your favorite music and have a dance party, or race your kids to the mailbox. Our days are busy, but they should be fun. Movement ought not be confined to our 45 minute workout for the day. Playing helps us mentally and physically.
4. Stress
These last two are kind of dove-tailed together. But stress is a fitness and health killer. Everyone knows it and many are finally starting to change because of it. God did not design us to be working at max capacity 100% of the time. We need downtime. We need to move slow sometimes, and even slower at others. Mitigating that stress is, like everything else, a lifestyle change. Society in America continues to live fast-paced and productivity driven, so we have to determine, especially as mothers, to find a way to cope.
One of the biggest game changers for me in terms of lowering stress beyond growing in my faith was implementing time blocking. As moms it can be so challenging to manage time properly. There are so many interruptions and so many tasks on the list. Creating some structure for my time wound up giving me so much freedom. I was able to slow down and yet still feel like I was moving forward. Learning to do things with kids in tow is a whole new skill! But it’s possible and it’s good for us.
Concluding Thoughts
Learning to lower stress and implement peace and joy is crucial to becoming a fit mom and improving your overall health. Spend some time thinking about your diet, exercise routine, and stress levels. Are you where you need to be? Is there anything you need to add or take away to start taking better care of yourself? Then finally, don’t forget to play with your kids. It will keep you in shape and make their day.
I hope you found these tips helpful and that you can find some changes to make in your daily life to improve your fitness as a mom!
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects my personal experience. It is not intended as medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider before making significant changes to your diet, exercise routine, or health practices.
