A Superhero Parent's Workout
Being a parent is difficult, with all the hustle and bustle of everyday life and children’s extracurriculars, fitness is the last thing on everyone’s list. Especially now with remote instruction, parents are struggling to keep young children busy, work from home, and keep the house tidy. It is essential not only for parents to stay active for their mental health, but also to engage children in healthy habits. Here are some ways you can fit fitness into your busy schedule :
- Include kids in workouts - One of the best ways to find time to exercise and to spend time with kids is to include them in workouts! Exercises can be adapted for younger kids by making sock ‘dumbbells’, this is a great way for kids to begin to recognize good habits, after all they love to mimic parents! Another great way to build habits is by incorporating chores into a workout, like playing basketball by trying to toss clothes into the laundry hamper or having contests for who could pick up and put away toys the fastest.
- Going for walks or bike rides - A great way to get out of the house after working from home all day is to go out on a neighborhood walk. This is a great opportunity for kids to use their bikes while parents take some time to relax and maybe go for a light jog or brisk walk with light weights! Children can also ride their bike at the park while parents take some time to meditate or do yoga.
- Play fitness games - Having a fitness themed game is a great way to motivate parents while showing kids that exercise can be healthy and fun! A great mobile option is to download our Playout App to have a quick workout, or even buying Playout XL: Family Edition so that kids can exercise alongside parents. These games are a great way for kids to challenge themselves with different exercises that target upper body, lower body, core, and stretching, they can even choose how many reps to do.
- Wear fitness clothes all day - One of the easiest practices to motivate parents to workout is by wearing workout clothes all day. It helps parents remind them to also focus on their physical wellbeing. It's also comfy! Wearing workout clothes also helps parents to take advantage of short breaks to put in a quick workout session like when kids are napping or waiting for laundry to dry. One important thing to note is that even if you can’t have a full, long session of working out, you can always have small 10 minute workouts throughout the day and it all adds up!
- Multitask - Often time we equate exercise to a full dedicated session of working out but often forget small alternatives that can also be exercise. A great way to squeeze in small opportunities to stay active can be going up and down stairs, doing lunges while cooking, stretching in between online meetings and while cleaning up.
- Customize workouts -
Everyone’s situation is different. Some people might have a variation in the amount of free time available or might live in small cramped spaces or even apartments. It’s hard to workout with a limited environment so some of the best practices are gathering workout videos from different sources and picking the best exercises. You'll feel more inclined to workout if you know the exercises included fit the time and environment you are in. Even better - you'll spend less time skipping exercises you cannot do. This can include substituting burpees with plank jacks or plank push ups.
We hope that this will help parents prioritize their physical and mental health. These tips come from Very Well Fit. May 2021 bring all new opportunities for parents to engage children and make fitness fun!