I know I normally post about adoption, but since a large part of adoption is what happens after the papers are signed (ie. parenting), you’ll see occasional posts about parenting and taking care of yourself. Today I am blogging about staying in shape!
Before I had kids, whenever I wanted to get in shape, I would start going for runs and would make the gym part of my daily routine. Now that I am staying home with our little one and not earning a significant income, I can’t justify the cost of a gym membership. Sure I could still get up early and go for a run before the little one wakes up, but I’m not much of a morning person and I’m not that motivated 😉 Plus, as I’m sure many of you can attest, every minute of sleep is a treasure. Little kids are exhausting!
Don’t get me wrong, taking care of a toddler keeps you in decent shape – you are “lifting” regularly, chasing them around, and cleaning way more than you normally would. However, I personally want to be in better shape, so I have started finding little things to do throughout the day, with my little girl, that will help me be in better shape! I can’t promise you’ll lose weight, but I can promise that you’ll feel better about yourself, you won’t get quite as winded when you take the stairs (Oh, is that just me? I blame the altitude ;)), and your little one(s) will be happier.
Here are some of the ways I am getting in shape:
1) Take the stairs – often! I normally pile stuff at the bottom of the stairs waiting to load my arms for that one trip of the stairs. Yes, this may have been slightly more time efficient, but I have been challenging myself to climb those stairs, even if only one thing needs to go upstairs. Added bonus workout? Carry a little one with you or run the stairs! Taking the stairs only takes 30 seconds each time, but throughout the day it can sure add up!
2) Go for walks, even if they are short, throughout the day: Getting stir crazy in the house? Put the little one in the stroller or grab a little hand and go for short walks – they’ll love seeing new sites or exploring the neighborhood and you get moving! We’ve been doing this lately and it’s gotten to the point where my daughter will grab my hand and drag me to the door to go for a walk when she’s bored (she’s only 18 months). Talk about motivation – she’s my own personal trainer! 😉
3) Play with your kiddos! Chase them around the yard, swim with them in the pool, play super(wo)man (running around the house or yard with capes on), swing with them, or have dance parties. Not only will you get some exercise in, your kids will love it and the whining will turn to giggling!
Playing “superwoman” in our unfinished basement (the only cool spot in our house). Sorry for the poor photo quality – it was the best we could get in the moment 😉
4) Watch a workout video: Okay, a workout video may not be your thing. To tell you the truth it isn’t mind, but one day we were inside going stir crazy and I decided to find one online. Abby and I had a blast. She kept trying to repeat everything the people on the video were doing and it was hilarious to see her interpretations! Trust me, workout videos with kiddos around are a completely different experience!
5) Look for Opportunities (this could go along with “playing with your kiddos): I’ll give an example – My daughter loves playing in the kiddie pool. She always wants me to play with her, so the other day, I thought, “this could be an opportunity to play with her and get a workout.” I started jumping in and out of the kiddie pool. Then when my legs got tired, I would lift her up and then bring her down for her feet to gently splash. She thought both were hilarious and kept saying “pease” (her version of please) and making the jumping motion with her arms. The continued “pease, pease,” kept me motivated to keep going. Warning: you could get exhausted, but you will have fun!
These ideas won’t get you in marathon shape, but they will help you feel better about yourself and your kiddos will have a blast and may even push you to get more exercise, like my little “personal trainer” does.
His Power, My Weakness 