Fitness Update: A Busy Mom’s Journey

A health and fitness journey isn’t easy. It is a change in lifestyle and mindset. I started on a personal fitness journey at the beginning of the year and it has taken a while for me to get into a rhythm. I want to be a positive role model for my kids which is why this isn’t about losing weight for me. I don’t even own a scale so I have no weight goal to meet. For me, it’s just about feeling good.

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Like many busy moms, I don’t have time to go to a gym. I have to work out at home, using apps to guide me. It can be really difficult, but I have learned to prefer exercising in front of my kids so that they can watch and see the effort I put in. Hopefully, this will turn into them trying to emulate me and leading a healthy lifestyle.

Finding the Time for Fitness

This is the biggest issue for moms like me. How do I find the time? Workouts can be short 15 minute sessions while my kids follow along (or watch tv). It might be a stroller walk. After my first son was born, I love about 80 pounds by adding simple workouts into my daily life. You can read more about my first fitness journey here. I created the “busy mom workout routine” and I am using that again. However, this time, I decided to step it up a notch and work toward my peak physical fitness.

Working out while kids are home and awake increases the difficulty level as they love to climb on and around me, but I love involving them in my fitness journey. When my 3-year-old tries to do the exercises with me, it confirms that I am making the right decision in my mind. Plus, I love the added challenge!

My Fitness Goals

If you follow me on Instagram, you have seen some of my workouts and progress. You also saw that I completed a Terrain obstacle race (and my son did the mini race). It was so much fun and was a real challenge. After that race, I set myself the goal of completing a Spartan Race in the summer of 2020. That gives me 1 full year to reach peak physical fitness that I will need to achieve my goal. I set a strict schedule for myself to work on all areas of my fitness that I will need to complete a Spartan Race.

Working toward a healthier, fitter self is also good for my mental state. It is an important part of my self-care that can be so easy to forget about in my busy schedule. You can’t pour from an empty cup, which is why self-care is so important for moms. We give so much of ourselves that we need to do something for us. Exercise is part of my personal self-care. It gives me more energy and keeps me centered.

Workout Routine

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

These days I work on my endurance with HIIT cardio (High-Intensity Interval Training). It has been proven to be the best way to work on my cardiovascular fitness in a short session. It is amazing how much a 15 minute HIIT session can kick my butt!

I also do grip training. Obstacle races include things like rope climbing that require a strong grip. That’s why I need to work on my hand strength.

Tuesday, Thursday, and Weekends

I need to get stronger for the race. To achieve this, I do resistance band training and yoga. Yoga is a total body workout and also increases my flexibility. It also helps to center me, which is important as a mom. With the bands, I focus on a different section of my body each session: upper body, lower body, and core.

To a Stronger Me

Doing each of these exercises 3 times per week is my goal, and other than getting sick, I have stuck to it. If I miss one, I add it onto another day. With this routine, I am building strength, endurance, and flexibility. I’m proud of my gains with my physical fitness and I hope my children are watching and learning so that they can form healthy habits.

Next in my health and fitness journey is to focus on my nutrition and diet. Although I do admit, I will never give up pizza and pasta! Everyone deserves tasty foods after all. Especially busy, overworked moms!

What do you struggle with the most when it comes to physical fitness?