Anyone who’s become a parent knows it can throw a major wrench into your exercise routine. But working out doesn’t become less important when your kiddos land earthside. There’s no denying that parenting is easier when you feel good in your body and have energy to spare, and it can be an important part of mental health management. Plus, you’ve got kids to keep up with!
To help you maintain your exercise routine (and potentially restore your sanity), we spoke to personal trainers who are also parents to get their tips on balancing family and fitness. Read on to learn their top recommendations for staying active while parenting.
- ABOUT OUR EXPERTS: Amanda Grimm, P.T., CIRF, is a UK Athletics certified running coach and personal trainer at We Run. Meredith Witte, C.S.C.S., P.C.E.S., C.F.S.C., R.Y.T., is a certified strength and conditioning specialist, yoga instructor, and founder of the Playground Fitness App.
1. Integrate fitness into daily parenting tasks
“My biggest tip is to try and weave parenting and movement together,” says Amanda Grimm, P.T., CIRF, a UK Athletics certified running coach and personal trainer at We Run. Luckily, parenting involves plenty of ways to naturally incorporate movement. From bouncing on a yoga ball while comforting a crying baby to tossing your toddler overhead, look for opportunities to flex a little muscle while you go about your day.
“Squatting to pick up little shoes, carrying a heavy car seat, tossing your kid in the air, lunging in a game of tag—these are all natural movements that support your physical health,” adds Meredith Witte, C.S.C.S., P.C.E.S., C.F.S.C., R.Y.T., is a certified strength and conditioning specialist, yoga instructor, and founder of the Playground Fitness App. “I actually find that I move more now as a parent! Getting down on the ground with my daughter, crawling around, playing, going on walks, pushing her on the swings—all of these are fantastic ways to stay fit and mobile.”
Embrace all of the opportunities to move that parenting involves. They may not look or feel like the usual structured workouts you’re used to (don’t worry, we’ll get to how to make sure those happen, too), but they go a long way in keeping you active. “Regular movement throughout the day is vital for cellular health, circulation, and energy levels; we’re designed to move!” says Witte.
2. Make ‘family time’ Active
“From the beginning, bring energy, sport, activity, and wellness into your child’s life and routine,” says Grimm. “By embedding fitness into your family lifestyle, you’ll reach your movement goals with less resistance.”
One easy way to do it? Make family activities active! “I encourage clients to shift their mindset around fitness; it’s about making movement a natural part of their routine,” says Witte.
Start by replacing a few sedentary family activities with active ones. “Walk together, follow yoga classes on the TV together, encourage sports clubs, and go on adventures as a family,” suggests Grimm.
A drive to find a new, interesting playground or local hiking trail can get everyone moving and having fun. You can also look for indoor sports arenas, laser tag, and trampoline parks if you really want to make an adventure of it. Some even offer monthly memberships for families.
3. Set up your space for home workouts
In seasons when getting in the car to hit up a workout class or the weight room feels inaccessible, make a few investments to make home workouts a suitable alternative. If you have enough space for an exercise mat, you can do it.
Sure, you can stick to bodyweight moves if that’s what works for you, but otherwise, the experts recommend investing in a few key pieces of equipment. “I’ve found a treadmill is one of the most beneficial items to have at home as I can vary the intensity and follow pre-programmed runs to keep it interesting and challenging,” says Grimm.
Read More: After Muscle Gains? Make Sure Your Workouts Check These Boxes
If strength training is a priority for you (and it should be!), Witte recommends purchasing a set of dumbbells that includes five or six pairs of different weights. “It’s a big upfront cost, but it makes strength training an accessible part of your routine (which is key for long-term health),” she says.
And with the nearly endless number of digital fitness platforms, YouTube workout videos, and Instagram trainers floating around out there these days, you’ve got plenty of options if you’re looking for some guidance on programming or fun workouts to follow along with—and you can do it all while steps away from a little one.
4. Don’t completely ditch your solo routine
As easy as it can be to let your solo workout routine fall by the wayside, know that it still serves you. Of course, there are still benefits to working out alone that you may not get from exercising with your kids. “It’s important to have time to work out alone as an adult for added focus and also mental health benefits,” Grimm says.
“My daughter and I move and play together all the time, but when it comes to formal strength training sessions, I aim to do those alone,” says Witte. “Trying to watch her while lifting means I end up doing a poor job at both.”
The first step in making formal, kid-free workouts happen? Remembering that you still deserve time to yourself and to do things that fill your cup, the experts agree.
5. Plan ahead and ask for help
“When we become parents, we find that we can become time-poor, and this can result in logistical juggles when it comes to fitting in exercise regimens,” says Grimm.
Both experts agree that planning is the antidote here. “Finding time to work out as a parent does require planning ahead when it comes to logistics with meal times, nap times, and the like,” says Grimm. “I find it’s best to plan a week in advance and try to be as organized as possible by batch cooking and blocking time out.”
“The workouts themselves haven’t changed much, but the planning and preparation around them definitely have,” Witte adds. “My husband and I tag-team to make sure we each get time to work out solo.”
Read More: 7 Things To Do At Night For A Solid Workout The Following Morning
To the best of your ability, coordinate with your partner, close family members, friends, or other sources of support or childcare about prioritizing time for yourself to exercise. Ask for help and work together to create a plan and schedule that works for everyone. The days of spontaneous bootcamp classes and hours-long gym sessions may be (mostly) in the rearview mirror, but that doesn’t mean all routine has to go out the window.
For example: “I fit in a 30-minute strength session before work on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays while my daughter is in daycare,” shares Witte. Meanwhile, Grimm has shifted to setting an earlier alarm to get a sweat in before her children wake up.
6. Go for efficiency over duration
Training for an ultramarathon that requires hours and hours out pounding pavement multiple times a week might not be the move when you’re in the trenches of parenting—but you can still stay incredibly fit by shifting your focus to efficiency.
Witte and Grimm suggest aiming for brief, concentrated workouts that pack a lot of punch but don’t take up your whole afternoon. “For example, with a solid program, just 30 to 35 minutes of strength training three times a week is plenty,” says Witte.
Otherwise, opt for quick but powerful formats like HIIT over longer, more moderate sessions. You’ll feel just as accomplished (and sweaty!) in half the time. The unstructured movement of parenting will more than cover the rest of your needs for health and well-being.
7. Be flexible when life and little ones throw you curveballs
“Becoming a mom has stretched me in so many ways, but the biggest lesson has been flexibility—with schedules, expectations, and priorities,” Witte says. “Some seasons of parenting allow for more structured workouts, while others require more flexibility. The key is consistency over time, not perfection in the short-term.”
Yep, this means you may have to go back to the drawing board and adjust your approach to getting your workouts in just when you’ve settled into a groove—but consistency, not rigidity, is the name of the game here.
If your baby is going through a phase of not letting anyone else hold them, know it’s just that: a phase,” says Witte. “While it can seem like an eternity, these periods always pass. In the meantime, use the opportunity to increase your upper arm strength and bond with your little while doing it.”
8. Be prepared
Want to be ready to squeeze in a quick workout video during that unexpected nap or better ensure your little one will keep their cool on a group stroller one or family hike? A little prep work will set you up for success.
For example, make workout-friendly clothes your go-to so you’re always ready to get moving, the experts suggest. That way, you don’t have to worry about changing your clothes when the opportunity to sweat arises.
It can also be as simple as keeping activities, snacks, and other necessities handy for your kiddos. “Always pack plenty of snacks and water if going out together,” suggests Grimm.
Of course, if you’re in the early years of parenting, the right gear (like a jogging stroller or sturdy baby carrier) can make it all the easier to get out and move with your little one in tow. “They can have a nap, be occupied with interesting views, or get from A to B [while] you get your cardiovascular and stamina exercise in,” Grimm says.