How to Stay Motivated to Workout As Busy Mom

Before I mention anything about staying motivated to workout as a busy mom, I want to remind you to take deep breath, relax and settle into the fact that YOU are doing a great job as a mom. I don’t want to come across that you need to do more, add more to your plate, hustle, or push harder than you need. We get enough of the “do more” message from our fast pace culture and comparison driven society.

First and foremost, your worth and value as a mom is not dependent on the way you look. It’s not dependent on if you’ve lost the “baby weight,” how many times you were able to workout this week or how productive you were. If you are a new mama, the only exercise you may need to do right now is holding & cuddling your newborn! Some times we all need to take a step back, rest, and slow down. We are all busy and the last thing you need is to add something to your long list of to-dos.

When speaking with other moms & friends that are trying their very best to juggle all their responsibilities with work and home, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed with the thought of adding “just one more thing.” However this “one more thing” is something that is so beneficial to your overall well being and outlook on life, that it’s important not to skip over. Taking care of your self will only allow you to better take care of others!

5 Tips on Staying Motivated to Workout as a Busy Mom

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1. Realize the importance of self-care and the benefits of working out

Regular exercise is so important for our outlook and mood. I know if I’m having a bad day, that if I get out and get active it will make a huge difference in my mental clarity and mood. I am a better mom and friend when I make working out (in some way) a priority and not being a couch potato scrolling my phone or watching t.v.. My reactions and overall mindset are much happier and my mind is clear when I am staying active. Research shows that regular exercise results in decreased feelings of depression, anxiety and stress. Exercise can increase the production of endorphins which are known to help produce positive feelings. It can also help with relaxation and sleep quality.*

We know that inactivity is a major factor in weight gain and obesity and regular exercise can aid in weight loss and toning up. Another fun fact that I learned is that moderate exercise can actually provide antioxidant protection and promote blood flow, which can protect your skin and delay signs of aging. Who doesn’t want that? Who knew exercising was anti-aging!? Sign me up!

2. Put it in your daily schedule, make a plan!

A lot of times we have good intentions but fail to make it a reality, simply because its not in our daily schedule. Just like with anything, if its a priority to you, you’ll make it happen. Get a planner you love (this one is my personal favorite) or put it in your phone and make a date! Make a specific plan with dates and times. Write down the dates and times and settle on how many days of the week you can workout. You may have to get creative on how and when you can hit the gym if you have littles, but I know you can do it! In fact, my next post in this series will help you get creative on HOW to stay active. We will dive deeper in ways to practically make it happen when you have a busy schedule and life gets hectic with kids.

3. Stay consistent even when you don’t feel like it (especially if you don’t feel like it)

RELATED: How to Start A New Fitness Routine

Consistency truly is KEY. Sometimes we start out strong on a quest to reach our goals (new year resolutions anyone?) but end up feeling like failure when we don’t meet those goals. We either don’t make a plan to reach those goals or just fall off the bandwagon when life gets busy. Again, its all about your priorities & if it’s important to you, then it’s essential to take the steps to make it happen.

Once its scheduled in your day, do your best to stay consistent and SHOW UP! The days when I am feeling the least motivated to work out are usually the days I need to workout the most. Our culture loves fast transformations and “before & after” journeys but we don’t often cheer for the consistency & work it takes to get there. We often look for the quick fixes or intense fad diets (that are not balanced) to help us quickly meet our goals. These only hurt us in the long run, mess up our metabolism and cause our weight to fluctuate like a yo-yo. The faster you lose the weight, typically the faster it will come back when you get off of said program. When you are working out regularly, you will feel a new found confidence in your body’s strength and capabilities and an improved energy level.

Track progress but don’t get discouraged or compare your results

Instead, we need to focus on consistency and slowed results. Those are the results that will stick around and help us reach our goals! It’s what you do on a regular daily basis that will really get results.

Don’t get discouraged if the scale isn’t budging when you’ve put in a lot of work. Remember that when starting a new workout program, it’s likely you’ll see the number on the scale increase as you gain muscle. Try not to obsess over the number on the scale, as that is not the best indicator of the changes your body is making! The more muscle you have, the faster you will burn calories throughout your day and it will accelerate your weight loss. If you are just getting started working out, snapping a before picture or taking your measurements is a better way to track progress. Stay consistent and you WILL see results that will last.

5. Find something that works for YOU & find various types of activity to keep things fun

It’s so important to find something that works for you. My dad is an avid tennis fan and it’s likely you’ll never see him step foot into a gym. So for him, tennis would be an obvious choice of activity for exercise. It would make sense for him to plan a weekly tennis date with a friend or join a tennis club to keep consistent.

There are so many different activities you can get involved in that will help you get regular exercise. It’s important for you to find something you enjoy. Group fitness is a great option, as it is so easy to stick with, since it has a built in schedule and different class types & teaching styles to choose from. My favorites to teach right now are Barre, Piyo, and Pound classes. Check out your local options & fitness studios for group fitness classes, intramural sports clubs, dance classes, etc. Look up running paths you can run or walk when the weather is nice or push your baby in the stroller around your neighborhood. Do an at home fitness video series during nap time or get your kids involved with a mommy and me workout. The point is get your body MOVING and have fun with it.

6. Do it with a friend!

A key component to staying motivated to workout as a new mom is to find a friend or group to workout with! Not only will this hold you accountable to show up, it may also challenge you to work harder. You are way more likely to stay motivated to workout if you have a partner or group to workout with consistently. Don’t wait around for someone to ask you, take the first step and ask a friend to do it with you! Besides, everything is more fun with friends!

Well there you have it folks, my top tips on staying motivated to workout even with a crazy schedule. When we make our health a priority, find accountability & put it in our calendar, we will see things happen! Remember, nothing changes if nothing changes. It’s time to up our game & take care of our health so we can be the best versions of ourselves, and be able to take better care of others in the process.

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I hope this encourages you to realize the importance of taking care of yourself even amidst of a busy schedule and managing your household. When you’re taking care of your family, nursing babies, or taking kids to multiple activities, it’s easy to unintentionally forget to take care of ourselves. Hopefully this post gives you the motivation and tips you need to create a fitness routine that works for YOU and your lifestyle!

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