Scheduling in Exercise  

For busy mothers, it is especially difficult to schedule time for exercise with small children, work, and other appointments.  Good news—even ten minute intervals of exercise have lasting benefits.  The next time you have a small slice of time, fit some cardiovascular exercise into it. 

The biggest obstacle to exercise is excuses.  When exercise is no fun, any excuse in the book will do to get out of it.  If something is boring you will be more reluctant to find the time to do it.  Moms, we’ve got to get over this hurdle. 

There’s no one exercise that works for everyone.  Some people like walking while others like a more vigorous activity.  Personally, I like kickboxing.  Figure out what you like to do.  Once you know what type of exercise would be fun for you, start finding the time to do it. 

Start with your morning routine.  Moms usually rise early to get the day started for the family.  If you wake early to lay out clothes or fix breakfast, do these things the night before.  Now when you get up early, you have some free time to go on a brisk walk.   

Moms usually make lunches the night before, so why not breakfast too?  This can be a great help for the mom who needs to find time to exercise.  If breakfast consists of a home cooked meal, switch to an easier menu on the days that you exercise.  Cereal bars, cold cereal, or even fruit smoothies can shorten breakfast preparation time. 

Get in a quick workout.  There are many thirty minute workout tapes on the market these days.  Pop the tape or DVD in the player and get started.  If a vigorous workout is too much for the morning, try a stretching routine that will get those muscles energized and awaken the entire body. 

If afternoons are better for you, set up a schedule with a sitter.  Start off with one or two days a week.  Ask a friend to watch your children for an hour or so.  This will give you time to workout (factor in driving time if you join a gym) and shower and change.  An afternoon workout may be just the boost you need to get through the evening at home with increased energy. 

A stay at home mom is busy, but has a better advantage as far as workout time.  When the kids go down for a nap, pop in an exercise video and get to work.  If that won’t do, consider a day out with other moms in the park.   

Take turns watching the children while the other moms take a jog or a bicycle ride.  Depending on how long you plan on being in the park, everyone in your group should get at least twenty or thirty minutes to exercise.  Having someone else to exercise with is also a plus.