5 Quick At-Home Exercises for the Busy Mom
Posted by Kurt Schell on January 14, 2020
For so many moms, there never seem to be enough hours in the day. However committed you may be to staying fit, it can feel impossible to find the time to get to the gym. But we are all aware of both the physical and mental benefits of a fitness regime, so the question is: how does a busy mom make it happen?
At Stellar Health and Wellness, we are in the business of finding natural solutions to problems. Having spoken to thousands of moms since our practice opened, we know that finding time for exercise is one of their biggest frustrations. So we have created a list of exercises that can fit in your routine and deliver results at the same time. At the very least, we hope to inspire you to be creative in how you get your exercise during the day.
1. Squats While Drying Your Hair
Squats are one of those exercises that deliver a lot of benefits and are easy to do whenever you’re standing. After your shower or while you’re brushing and flossing, get in as many squats as you can. Of course, proper form is important to avoid injury. This exercise, depending on how it’s done, can target a wide variety of lower-body and core muscles. Focus on drying your hair while completing your squats, and before you know it, your hair will be dry, and your squats will be completed for the day, with no time wasted at all.
2. Tricep Dips on a Chair While Waiting for Food to be Ready
Rather than just standing around waiting for your toaster to finish or your pot to boil, use this time to get in some exercise. Use a stable chair – keep one nearby – to support you while completing some tricep dips. As you get more confident and fit, challenge yourself to beat your personal best!
3. Climb Stairs Two at a Time
How many times do you go up your stairs at home or work every day? Climbing stairs is an excellent form of exercise, and you can increase the difficulty and therefore the benefits by taking two steps at a time. Try it the next time you climb a flight of stairs and feel the burn. Remember, every time you get your heart rate up, you are making progress. Another option would be to take one step at a time, but move quickly. This is a great way to fit something like burst training into your day.
4. Complete Bridges During Commercials
Commercials during your favorite program or YouTube videos can be hugely frustrating, and we can all agree that there are way too many commercial breaks. But rather than sit there impatiently or fast-forwarding, look at this as a chance to do some bridges. They are quick, only require some floor space, and you know that you only need to commit and focus for a couple of minutes before your program returns.
5. Planks Before Bed
After a busy day, the last thing most people think about before crawling into bed is exercise, but planks are a quick and easy option that doesn’t take long to accomplish.
In case you are unsure exactly how to perform a plank, drop down into a push-up position, but rather than leaning on your hands, put your arms on the floor with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle. Your elbows should remain directly under your shoulders. Focus your attention on the floor directly beneath your head. Keep your back flat – once you are in position, your body should form a perfectly straight line, from the tip of your head to your heels. Hold for as long as you can without compromising your form.
If you are afraid that getting exercise right before bed is going to affect your sleep negatively, throw the plank in anytime during your day that you have a minute to be on the floor. It’s a great core-building exercise!
We hope that these ideas encourage you to figure out how you can fit exercise into your day. While it’d be great if we could all make it to the gym, that’s just not realistic for many moms in certain seasons of life. So do what you can! The exercises above are quick, easy, and – if you remind yourself to do them and push yourself whenever you can – can be really beneficial. Try them out! Give us a call if you have any questions.