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Let’s be honest, exercise looks a whole lot different after having kids. It’s harder to be consistent, it’s harder to be productive, and it’s harder to know what to do after your body has changed. It’s such a learning curve trying to be active post-having kids, but it’s also so important to set that example of an active life style now that little humans are learning from you. And more than that, being a parent means having to put your kids first, but it doesn’t mean giving up on taking care of yourself. So, even though it looks different, there are still so many ways to work out with kids.
Gyms with childcare/ having other childcare:
First off, working out in a gym is an amazing luxury that helps with exercise so much. They provide a space just dedicated to working out and provide a ton of equipment. A lot of times they also provide education to help as well. You can often find gyms that have childcare to drop your kids off at in order to get your daily work out in which is so helpful! The cons of this is that first, you might not feel comfortable leaving your kids with strangers (which is totally understandable and not for everyone). Second, your kid might not be comfortable being left with strangers. My husband and I found a gym with a kids room right next to the work out area so you could see your kids the whole time, but my son was NOT having it. And that’s okay! Not every baby loves being around strangers and that’s perfectly natural, it might just eliminate that option for you. Lastly gyms with childcare often have specific hours the child center is open. This means you’ll have to fit your workout schedule around those hours, which isn’t always possible.
The other option to work out at gyms is if you have other childcare at home (I.e. your partner, your parents, a friend, or a babysitter). For me, my son is still breastfeeding so I was never able to go to the gym for long. That might be the case for a lot of you if your babies won’t take a bottle, but remember, even if your work out is cut short it’s still a work out. In addition, I preferred going to the gym with my husband so when I did leave my baby at home with him I didn’t enjoy going as much. In the end, a gym wasn’t the best choice for me because of this, but the good thing is that’s not the only option for us moms.
Strength training at home with dumbbells, resistance bands, or body weight:
Working out at home feels impossible sometimes, but it’s honestly a pretty good option. If you have the space and money you can buy dumbbells which allow you to do most strength training exercises at home. The only problem with weights as a mom is making sure your little ones don’t get hurt if they try to play with them. One option I sometimes utilize is to make sure my son in a safe area when I work out with dumbbells at home, such as a playpen or a room I can see into blocked with a baby gate. I don’t always love doing that just because I don’t like feeling like I’m containing my son, so if I do work out with him next to me I just make sure to be super aware of where he is to avoid injury. I don’t let him play with the weights in between sets and I’m conscientious of my own body movements with the weights while using them.
Weights can be hard to store, expensive, and dangerous around kids if you’re not careful, so if you want alternatives you can try out strength training with resistance bands. I personally think bands have their own benefits, and most strength moves can be done with bands just as easily as dumbbells. I’ve heard some people say you can’t build muscle with bands, and while you won’t be a body builder with them, it’s still a good work out, especially if you’re working around children’s schedules. Or, if you really don’t want to invest in any equipment, there are plenty of great calisthenics exercises you can do at home too! A lot of these exercises just involve your body weight and maybe a chair or bench and are super easy to do.
The cool thing about doing strength training as your home work out is with most strength training you’re trying to hit a certain amount of reps for a certain amount of sets. This means you only really need a minute or two at a time to do each set, and can respond to and interact with your kids in between. I’ve taken breaks in between sets to read stories, pick up, nurse, and play with my son and it works out great. An hour later and he doesn’t feel ignored and I’m sweaty and sore from a great home work out!
Exercise using your baby:
You also have the option to exercise with your baby at home. If you can pick up your kid, you can use them to do bicep curls, weighted squats, chest presses or any variety of exercises that involve lifted or adding weight to yourself. It’s also easy to turn this into a game that has your kid cracking up by the end!
Yoga or Pilates:
Yoga and Pilates are two amazing exercise options for moms as well and here’s why. Firstly, you can do them as an in person class if you’re looking to get out of the house. If you have someone to watch your kid then you can go out for an hour or so class and get a great full body work out that leaves you feeling amazing! If you can’t find childcare, there is actually a surprising amount of yoga classes that let you bring your kids, especially if they’re not walking yet. In addition, you also have the option of hopping on YouTube and following along with yoga or Pilates videos at home. Your kids can be playing right next to you, a lot of times you need minimal equipment, and it’s easy enough to just pause the video if you need to. There’s also exercises in both yoga and Pilates for all levels, and also for moms in their postpartum period. So even if you’re a beginner, an advanced athlete, or struggling with recovering from pregnancy and childbirth, you can find beneficial exercises with these options.
Get your kids involved:
If independent play is not your kids strong suit and you don’t have childcare options then get them involved in your exercise! Similarly to using your baby as a weight, this turns your fitness into a game for them. They can do yoga moves with you, practice push ups, sit on your back while you do push ups, or even do a work out of their own. There’s also yoga videos online geared towards toddlers and young kids, so instead of them working out with you, you can work out with them!
Mommy and Me fitness classes:
I touched on mommy and me classes slightly when talking about yoga and Pilates, but there are more options than just that. I personally go to Fit4Mom classes, which provides not only exercise, but also a community. The memberships can be a little pricey compared to gym memberships or not spending any money at all by working out at home, but they do come with a lot of added benefits if you’re looking for something like that. If that’s not your cup of tea, or there’s no group around you, I’ve also seen mommy and me barre classes, personal trainers that focus on busy moms, and the occasional free, gather in the park mom work out group. Just keep your eyes out and don’t be afraid to search for and reach out to places that might interest you.
Go for a jog or walk:
If you have stroller aged kids walking and jogging can be a super simple way of getting exercise since you can just pop them in the stroller and head on your way. If your kids are a little older this can be difficult if they don’t feel like walking with you, but you can always have them ride a bike or scooter along with you! To keep it interesting you can also find new places to go for walks, or walk/jog to a destination like the park or beach if there’s any nearby.
Hike:
If you feel like walking isn’t getting you enough exercise and jogging isn’t really your thing then try hiking! You can throw your younger kids in a carrier and have your older kids walk with you, and it has so many benefits. Your whole family gets good exercise while nurturing a love of nature and fitness for your kids. There’s tons of beautiful places all over that you can hike at, so hop on Pinterest or Google and find places near you!
Go for a bike ride:
Another form of cardio that’s great to do with kids is riding bikes! It’s particularly amazing for moms because kids of all ages can be involved. Babies (that can sit up on their own) and toddlers have seats that can be attached to your bike while you ride, while slightly older kids can either have a seat behind yours to practice peddling or be hooked up in a carriage that you pull behind you. Once they get a little older and more independent you can even stick them on their own bike next to you and ride together!
Active Play:
As parents, we also see a whole new side of exercise called “active play”. This is when we’re chasing our kids around and doing all these crazy games. If you’re playing tag outside for an hour, or constructing and participating in crazy obstacle courses in your house, don’t discount that! You’re getting your body moving, your heart rate elevated, and breaking a sweat. That definitely counts! While I’m sure most of us don’t want our entire work out list to be active play every day, don’t feel bad if you miss the gym (or whatever other exercise you choose to do) for a day. It’s not skipping a day of exercise when you haven’t sat still for hours on end because your toddler won’t stop jumping off the couch. Being a mom is a work out in itself and I’m proud of you for giving it your all!