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This post is really dedicated to self-care. As a mom, it can be easy to focus all of your energy into your children and other daily tasks while forgetting or not making time to take care of your own needs. In order to give the best care to your family, you really need to care for yourself too. Eating healthy food and finding ways to fit in daily exercise are really important to both physical and mental health.
*Disclaimer*: I am not a personal trainer or medical doctor. Use the information provided in this post at your own risk. Please seek qualified advice before starting any new exercise routine.
Health Goals
I have a decade long history with blood sugar issues. I had gestational diabetes with my first two pregnancies. After that, age and genetics caught up to me and my abnormal blood sugar levels stuck around without being pregnant. As I had really good training with how to eat as a pregnant diabetic, I was able to get my blood sugar levels within the normal range while not pregnant by limiting my carbohydrates.
After my last pregnancy, weight loss was a lot harder and I couldn’t get my fasting blood sugar levels within the normal range without medication. I knew I wanted to get off of medication and do the work it takes to keep my blood sugar within normal limits. I needed to find a way to fit exercise into my day to meet my health goals.
Starting an Exercise Routine to Fit in Daily Exercise
Just starting something that I could realistically do everyday was a challenge. My mom sent me a link to Zach Bush’s 4 minute exercise sequence that was very easy for me to fit into my day. The 4 minutes of exercise, which can be done multiple times per day, utilize the body’s nitric oxide to build muscle. Although I couldn’t find the detailed information I previously read on Zach Bush’s website about how the exercises work with the body’s nitric oxide, the video of the actual exercise sequence is still available on youtube here:
Completing this routine is short and realistic for most people. You can repeat every 3 hours as desired. As with any new exercise routine, consult your doctor and progress gradually to prevent injury.
Exercise Goals to Fit in Daily Exercise
Aerobic Targets
According to an article by Dr. Laskowski on mayoclinic.org, adults need 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week. This translates into 30 minutes of brisk walking or swimming per day or around 11 minutes of running per day.
4 Ways to Fit in Daily Exercise
1) Treadmill
If you are short on self-care time, one of the best ways to fit in that aerobic exercise is running on a home treadmill. In 11 minutes per day, you can meet the recommended exercise target. The NordicTrack T 6.5 S Treadmill helped me meet my aerobic exercise goals. CLICK HERE to read about 5 benefits of running on a home treadmill.
If you have small children, for safety purposes, be sure to use your treadmill away from your children. I keep mine in a bedroom that my young children do not access. I put up a baby gate when running so my little ones can see me, I can hear if they need something, and where they are safe from the moving parts.
2) Exercise Bikes
If a treadmill doesn’t fit within your budget or space limitations, an exercise bike is another good home option. Cycling is lower impact and may be easier on the joints, but you may need to try and fit in 30 minutes per day to meet the recommended exercise target.
3) Pool
Swimming is a great way to get low impact exercise. Depending on where you live and the season, swimming may or may not be a realistic option for regular exercise. When pool time is realistic, swimming can be a great way to fit in regular exercise.
4) Park
Local parks can also be a great free resource for exercise. Brisk walking, running, or biking in the great outdoors may work for you if you live near a park.
Conclusion on Finding Ways to Fit in Daily Exercise
I have found home options, like an exercise bike or treadmill, are the easiest ways for me to fit in aerobic exercise. I can 1) start exercising, 2) pause to get my kids something, 3) restart exercising, and 4) repeat until I get in my 10-15 minutes of total running time. If running doesn’t work for you, pick something that is realistic for you and stick with it. Start with Zach Bush’s 4-minute workout or anything else that fits within your time or other limitations. Get started and get healthy!
Additional Tips on Starting an Exercise Program
- Consult with your doctor as needed.
- Listen to your body. If something hurts, stop or decrease your intensity until you are pain-free.
- Stretch before and after exercising.
- Increase your intensity gradually. Increasing too quickly can result in injury.
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
