How did you find the motivation/time/dedication to fit fitness into your life with two young kids (5.5, 1.5) who go to bed late…and your new family diet is primarily bread and pasta?

Question

Laura · Answer

Burn Boot Camp / community workout: I found Burn when my kids were 3 and 6. My gym is mostly women, they have complimentary child watch, and they meet you where you are (modifications are your best friend when you start). It was the first gym I felt at home in, and then I started building a community there. Now both my sisters go too. It is baked into my daily schedule and is just as important as getting the kids to soccer or whatever thing they’re up to. The strength training literally transformed how I felt on a daily basis, it made me feel so freaking strong which is a drug in itself.

Andrea · Answer

For parents: Get your partner on board as you create your exercise plan: In my experience, exercising does not feel doable if I’m also in any way perceived as being available to the kids.

So I recommend having an honest chat with your partner about how important this is feeling, and  establishing a certain time of the day on whatever days you plan to exercise, and that becomes your time to exercise and your partner’s solo time with the kids.

Maybe they have late afternoon time together, or take over dinner prep, or dinner cleanup, or the beginning of the bedtime routine? Or maybe it’s a morning time?

It’s been helpful for us to have a stationary bike in the basement and yoga mats, weights, eventually we also got a rowing machine, so it’s very accessible. BUT you don’t need any extra stuff. YouTube has so many videos where you need no extra gear, just to lock yourself in a room and show up. I haven’t tried Range by Kara Duval yet but have seen it rec’d about a million times here - people seem to love it! Or maybe it means going for a run or on a hike or bike ride or to an in-person class?!

As you create this plan it may be helpful to know:

The CDC recommends adults get:

150 min / week (or about 30 min 5x a week) of moderate cardio exercise, like a brisk walk. OR 75 min weekly (perhaps 25 min 3x/week or 15 min 5x a week) of vigorous cardio exercise. OR a combo of the 2.

PLUS at least 2 days of strength training (working all muscle groups, using weights or body weight, like pushups and squats for ex)

Good luck, and remember that it’s not about adhering perfectly to a plan; every little bit counts - and any time it doesn’t go according to plan is an opportunity for learning more about yourself & what works or not for you!❤️

Jennifer · Answer

Seasons: You’re in a particular season. Now is a great time for finding ways to fit in movement even if it doesn’t look like traditional exercise. Take a short walk while the kids play on the playground, kick the ball around and jog in place, just move. You’re carrying so much, don’t let it exercise stress you out.  There will be a time where it makes more sense to lift or go to the gym, but just find what fits now. If you want some structure for this kind of functional movement, Kara Duval’s Range is a great place to start.