Wouldn’t it be great if we could give ourselves the gift of time?
An extra hour in each day that could be completely dedicated to our wellness goals?
Instead it seems as though we often struggle to fit fitness into our day.
I know for myself, if I don’t do it first thing in the morning such as 5am or if I don’t schedule it. It doesn’t get done.
I can’t get more time in the day, 24 is 24 but I can use some life hacks to get in some movement on those days that I just didn’t make it out the door.
Between the grading of math sets, cleaning the kitchen counter, making dinner, letting the dog out, YOU get it.
Motherhood is a workout on itself but it doesn’t seem to help me lose the weight or tighten the arms.
But it does give me opportunities to squeeze in an exercise or two in nearly all of our motherhood daily task!
Let me share with you 5 ways that you can sneak in some fitness into your mama busy day!
✔️ Wake up with abs
Let’s be honest, not many of us jump out of bed the exact moment that the alarm goes off. We usually take a minute or two to come back to reality, to think about our day, maybe to wish we had a few more hours of sleep!
You can use these few moments to start the day with a gentle and EASY ab workout in your own bed!
- Lie flat on your back sideways across your bed so that your legs hang off of the side of your bed (with the edge of your mattress meets the back of your legs) and your arms reach past the other side of the bed when you put them above your head.
- Grab a pillow and hold it with both hands, extend your arms above your head.
- Now bring your legs up so that your feet are aimed towards the ceiling and your knees are slightly bent.
- At the same time, lower your arms to meet your knees and transfer the pillow.
- Place the pillow between your knees and straighten out again.
- Repeat by raising your knees (with pillow) back towards the ceiling and lifting your arms from above your head.
Do this for a few minutes while you plan your day and gather your morning thoughts or before the herb of children wake up and start smelling for you!
✔️ Brushing your teeth
Dentists say that you are supposed to brush your teeth for at least two minutes, twice a day. While you are managing your oral hygiene you can multi-task and get in a few minutes of squats, balance or quick standing, side crunches every day!
Hold your arms in a T shape and bend both hands towards your mouth.
Use one hand to brush your teeth. As you brush, lift your left knee and cross it towards your right elbow, crunching your midsection slightly to meet joints. Repeat on the other side.
Continue these movements for the length of time that you are brushing your teeth. (If you do a mouthwash or fluoride treatment, that is another minute or two time to side crunch!)
✔️ Rinse and Repeat
Okay, this one is easy. Do squats in the shower. Or as I watch baby girl take her “self-care” bubble bath (that should be me but I prefer bubble baths alone), I do squats.
Just do them slow and deep. I promise you that you will feel it.
I also do these when I also want to get in a rosary with the kids and they just can’t sit. So we do “Holy Squats”.
We are down for the Holy Mary and up for Hail Mary.
✔️ Deskercise
As a homeschool mother, I am at my desk or kitchen table just about all days. I am either going over an easy grammar lesson, spelling test, saxon math sets (why do boys take forever with these??) or just those lovely phonics sheet. Somedays, it is 5pm about 6 hours earlier.
I try to sneak some weights (outside of a heavy diaper). These light weight dumbbells are perfect to do some curls under the table or shoulder press while calling out spelling words. Trust me it helps with the stress of Saxon math and boys!
Another great workout while we are dying of phonic sheets is using ankle weights and do leg extensions! Work it!
✔️ Washing dishes
While you stand in front of your sink to rinse or wash your dishes at the end of the evening, work your calves by doing calf raises. You can actually do these anywhere and anytime that you are standing in one place!
These may seem like small steps – but small steps, done consistently over a period of time, can lead to big results!!
As mothers, sometimes it is the small steps, the little moments that done with love of self that is all we have! Don’t let the pictures or post of very fit moms make you feel that you need gym or a personal trainer to have wellness!
The beauty of this mindset is that in our home, right in the midst of the craziness of our vocation to motherhood, we find God’s mercy in our self-care and we will see the wellness that God calls us to strive for!
If you are looking for a bit more of a whole-body challenge? Try out our FREE 5 Catholic Mom’s Email Wellness Challenge. Its simple: For 5 days you get an email with a 2 page journal which will just take 30 minutes a day as you challenge yourself in wellness of body, mind, and soul.
I challenge to try one of these 5 unique ways as well join us on the 5 day challenge!
Which one will you try today?
With the love of Christ,
Maria Cecilia
Why not this Lent 2020, join me for a journey of wellness of body, mind, and soul. Learn more and meet God's mercy in your self-care.
