5 Simple Workouts For Busy Moms

Whether you’ve just had your first baby or you're a long-time mom, being a parent is a full-time job! I know just how difficult it is to find time for yourself amidst all the chaos. The truth is, we don’t always put ourselves and our health first when we’re taking care of our kids.

While working out might not be a priority for you now, I think it’s important to stay active and make sure that you squeeze a little bit of exercise into your busy schedule! You don’t have to hit the gym every day, but with a few simple workouts, you can keep yourself in shape and boost your energy.

I’ll be going over some of the best exercises for busy moms here and talk about how to stay motivated and consistent. Exercise doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, you can get a good workout right in your home.

Why Should Moms Workout?

With so much to do, you might be wondering why you should prioritize exercise. While this is an extra responsibility, working out has many health benefits that will improve your quality of life. Not only will you feel better after moving around, but moms will also stay stronger mentally. I’ll go over some of the top reasons moms should workout below:

1. Helps Improve Mobility

Exercise is a proven way to improve mobility and increase your level of fitness. After staying at home all day or sitting down at a desk working, we can start to become less flexible and agile. While this isn’t a huge issue when you’re young, as you start to age not moving can have major effects on your health.

Chronic pain and stiffness are just a few issues that could crop up. This is why it's so crucial that you take the time to exercise. You want to keep your joints and muscles healthy so you can live a good life. This starts with doing simple exercises every day!

2. Good For Your Heart Health

Heart health is another reason you need to exercise. If you want to prevent heart disease and other heart-related conditions, like high blood pressure, regular workouts are a must. Studies have also shown that exercise can also reduce your risk for strokes, heart attacks, and other major health problems.

3. Helps Overall Sleep Quality

If you’re having trouble sleeping at night, consider working out. Exercise isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when we want to sleep better. According to doctors, you will fall asleep faster and have a better sleep quality when you workout earlier in the day. You shouldn’t exercise right before bed, but being active at some point in the day will help you sleep.

4. Improves Mood and Overall Mental Health

Not only does exercise make you feel energetic, but it also gives you a big mood boost. It’s easy to get stressed out and even sad when you have so many responsibilities as a mom. So, if you’ve been feeling down or anxious I suggest a quick workout.

If you struggle with more long-term mental health issues, exercise has been proven to lessen the symptoms of depression, PTSD, anxiety, and other serious disorders.

5. Can Help You Control Your Weight

Finally, the most obvious benefit of exercise for moms is weight control. Many women struggle with their weight, especially moms. It’s hard to get your body back to where it was before your pregnancy, but you can keep yourself at a healthy weight with regular workouts in your home.

You don’t always have to do specific workouts either. Taking the stairs at work and doing chores around your house can keep you active as well!

Top 5 Exercises For Busy Moms:

For busy moms that want some simple exercises, I’ve compiled a list of five workouts that will keep you moving in your home! You can even do these exercises when you get ready for the day and take care of your kids.

1. Wall Push-ups

Keeping your arms toned can be hard, but with this easy exercise, you can gain muscles in your biceps, triceps, hips, and even abs. Wall push-ups aren’t as hard as regular push-ups but they engage a lot of important muscle groups. You can do these while you shower or wait for laundry. Start out with two sets of ten wall push-ups and gradually increase the amount you do.

2. Leg Stand and Leg Raises

While you’re brushing your teeth, try to do this next exercise. Each morning, do a few reps of this exercise. Stand on one leg for sixty seconds then switch legs and stand for another 60 sixty seconds on the other leg. You can also add in a few leg raises to mix things up.

3. Walking

Walking is one of the best ways to keep yourself healthy. This is something that you naturally do throughout your day! I suggest counting your steps with an app or smartwatch. Plan to walk around 5,000 to 10,000 steps to get yourself started. You can take your kids or baby with you on a walk too.

4. Scissor Legs

You can do this next exercise lying down while you watch TV. Just raise your legs in the air and cross one leg over the other in a scissor-like motion. For an easier variation, kick your legs up and down. This is a great ab workout for moms that want to tighten their stomachs.

5. Squats

The last simple exercise I recommend doing is squats. Squats are easy to do but effective in strengthening your legs. You can get your heart rate up and work on your core strength. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. Then bend down like you are sitting in a chair. Squats can make your legs sore at first, but it’s worth doing this strength-building exercise.

Final Tips For Moms That Want to Work Out

As moms, we need to make sure to exercise and keep ourselves healthy. This isn’t an easy task, especially as we navigate motherhood. However, as you start to become more health conscious, make a plan.

When I began working out I woke up earlier so I could get more done in the day. I also took advantage of times when my kids were napping or watching tv. You can also get your kids involved with your workouts. Go for a walk or do a few of the simple exercises I mentioned above with them.

Most importantly, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s okay if you miss a day or don’t get a lot of exercise in. You're busy as a mom, but what matters is that you make the effort to improve your health, no matter how small it is.