As it's Mother's Day
......we thought we would focus on you Mums who very rarely get the credit you deserve for having such a tough job and sometimes sacrificing your own personal health and well-being for the good of your children and the family.
Whether you’re a mum with a career or a stay-at home mum, you’re a full-time mum as far as we’re concerned because we know there is no clocking-off time. But why should your health, fitness and general enjoyment of life suffer just because you take your job as a mum seriously?
The answer is – it shouldn’t.
Once you have children, fitting in a trip to the gym or a quick run can become difficult, regardless of your motivation to exercise. That’s not to say parents should give up on exercising whilst their children are young, quite the contrary in fact. Parents need to exercise at least as much as other adults because
- You need to be fit enough to keep up with and chase your children
- It is a great way of getting some time on your own
- It teaches your children the value of exercise
- It can be a great release for frustration, instead of taking it out on the children
- It builds self-esteem
Formalised exercise may be much harder to fit into your life as a parent, but there are many other ways to exercise than going to a gym, so our gift to you this Mother’s Day is a few hints and tips on how to maximise your fitness as a mum:
Watch Fitness TV
We have many workouts that are perfect for young mums, mums-to-be and even workouts that you can do with your children. Check out the TV Schedule here to find your perfect workout.
Go for a walk
Babies and toddlers love being pushed in a pram, and it’s a great way to settle them when crying. Older children will walk with you – it may be slower but it’s still fun and still counts as exercise if you do enough of it.
Put on some music and just dance!
Fifteen or twenty minutes a day is a great workout for you.
Lift some weights
Grab some tins of food from the cupboard and lift them! A simple activity you can do when watching TV, talking on the phone or even surfing the net. It all helps you to move your body.
Play games with your children
Games of tig, chase, cricket, football and leapfrog are just a few examples of fun family exercise.
Walk instead of driving
Many people get in the car and drive out of habit. Sometimes, leave a little earlier and walk to the shops, the school or the park.
Play in the park
So many times in the park parents will sit and watch the kids play. Just for a change, why don’t you have a play, too?
Walk and watch
Go for a walk or jog around the playground whilst your children play. Try giving your child a push on the swing, lapping the equipment and giving the next push. Toddlers love seeing you walk past and waving as they play!
Exercise together
A baby can lie on your tummy or legs as you exercise on the floor each day, and become the weights for arm exercises. Older children will mimic you doing exercises or yoga, which is fun to watch. Be creative and make your exercises fun – don’t do squats, walk around as a monster.
Don't have an ad-break
During the ads on TV, get up and move around the room, do some stretches or maybe some sit ups instead of sitting on the couch.
Get on your bike
By yourself, with kids alongside or kids on your bike, riding is a great exercise that can be shared with the whole family.
