How-to story: Seven Secrets for Busy Moms to Stay Fit

So I admit.. it has been a little long since I last posted! I guess I have just been busy with - what else - but school work. And not to mention working. And trying to keep my student organization intact. And my sanity. But that's a whole other story!

Things always have a way of working out, as I say. Below is one example of this! Even though this story did cause me to get a little stressed here and there, it came together quite nicely in the end. Check out my first story assignment for this year: the how-to story. Enjoy!

Seven Secrets for Busy Moms to Stay Fit

By: Kelly Martin

Katie Rhodes teaches eight fitness classes geared toward moms weekly, works as a physical therapist, provides support for her two children, and manages her own company, “Hip to be Mom.”

But she wasn’t satisfied with just that – she wanted more. Although she assists hundreds of mothers who want to get in shape, she realized it shouldn’t stop her from doing the same.

Rhodes, like other busy moms, says the secrets of staying fit starts with the right mentality. “If these women simply believed in themselves, the actual exercise won’t be as hard as they imagined,” says Katie Rhodes, the managing instructor for StrollerFit exercise classes in the Greater Cincinnati area. “They must believe they can do it.” 

With hearing many women say, ‘I won’t ever fit into my jeans again,’ Rhodes likes to do what she does best – motivate them enough to forget they even had such thoughts in the first place.

1.                  Find a personal motivator.

Everyone has heard that a consistent workout routine requires motivation. However, many people don’t ever find a personally compelling motivator to kick them into gear.

As the managing instructor for StrollerFit, a class specifically designed for mothers to work out with their children, Rhodes feels compelled to help these women ultimately live better lives. “I know in my heart that I am changing women’s lives – it’s the best job in the world.” Simply knowing that she helps women get into shape is enough to motivate her daily.

Similarly, Sherri Dodd, author of “Mom Looks Great” and a personal trainer in Santa Cruz, California, refused to be that “lazy mom” who used any excuse not to work out. “After I had one of my kids, I still felt in good shape. I wanted to be a good example to my children.” Whatever the personal motivator, it is a good idea to dig deep and find one. 

2. Get in the habit.

Once mothers have a personal motivator, it is time to break into action. Many times, however, these women find themselves starting a routine only to give up on it a week later. This is especially the case since women with younger children are working more than ever before. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, 72 percent of women with children under 18 had jobs in 1999, compared with 33 percent in 1960.

 “Writing exercise times on a calendar can get you in the exercise mode – and eventually in the habit,” says Cathy Moxley, author of “The Busy Mom’s Ultimate Fitness Guide” and manager of Fitness Insight, a local program in Maryland to help busy mothers lose weight.

Having an exercise buddy could be the key factor in making the habit stick. “Having a fitness buddy can make you accountable – without them, it is easy to skip a day since no one is motivating you,” says Rhodes.

3. Have a back-up plan.

It is inevitable for busy moms – plans will change, fall through, or never exist when you thought they did. “Have a gym bag packed in your car at all times in case an opportunity to exercise presents itself,” Rhodes says.

While unexpected changes in plans can free up time to exercise, there will also be circumstances when the opportunity disappears. Tracey Mallett, an international fitness expert in Los Angeles, California and author of “Sexy in 6,” thinks it’s important to not be hard on yourself when you can’t squeeze exercise in every day. “If you realize you don’t have time to exercise during the day, don’t get frustrated,” Mallett says. “You have to embrace it.”

We all know the saying: luck favors the prepared. Pack your gym bag, and be prepared for the unexpected.

4. Do “the little things.”

“We burn 50 percent more calories standing instead of sitting. Being a mother with many obligations, this one shouldn’t be too hard for us,” Moxley says. She suggests taking walks during lunch breaks, long detours when walking outside, and more stairs instead of elevators.

Also, doing different forms of plyometrics – sudden bursts of movement - can train mom’s bodies to build more muscle and increase reaction time, Dodd says. These include routines such as jumping jacks, jump rope, and basket shots. And we all know having little kids running around is just asking for moms to intervene in some way – whether it is reacting quickly to a fall or getting them out of harm’s way.

5. Involve your kids in the workout routine.

Being the managing instructor of a program where mothers can work out while pushing their kids in strollers, Rhodes knows the importance of involving kids in workout routines. “It not only is a convenient, easy way to work out, but it is also a good example to set for your kids,” she says. If your kids are no longer in strollers, try to actively involve them in the routine.

Also, Moxley sometimes has her kids help her do sit-ups or help her with bench presses by being a human weight.

Whatever the routine with kids, getting creative can be both a fun and rewarding experience for kids and moms.

6. Enjoy the journey.

Many mothers are so concerned about the end result – losing weight – they do not stop to appreciate the process of transformation. “It is important to stop and smell the flowers once in a while,” Dodd says. “When starting a fitness program, the ideal situation is that it becomes a more than a program – it becomes a lifestyle.”

While the finish line is nice to think about, appreciating the checkpoints along the way is just as rewarding. These checkpoints could include more restful sleep, increased endorphins, and confidence in follow-through, Dodd says. And, of course, once you cross that finish line, the goal is to be just as eager to find another starting line.

7. Think long-term.

While it is important to enjoy the journey of exercising, it is just as vital to think about forms of exercise that you can do in the long-run. You want to be able to extend the journey as much as possible.

“It is easy to fall into the trap of getting too impatient with wanting to see instant results,” Moxley says. It’s not healthy to get into an “all or none” mindset, she says; you should really focus on what you can see yourself doing for a while.

While thinking long-term, it is important to have a goal in mind and to never lose focus. Starting a new workout routine can cause some women to forget who they were in the first place. “Throughout it all, never lose sight of who you are and what makes you tick,” Mallett says.

Even though she gets paid to help moms get in shape, Rhodes knows there is no other reward greater than ultimately transforming womens’ lives.

“At the end of the day, I don’t care about the money,” Rhodes says. “The greatest moment for me is when a woman says, ‘I can fit into my jeans again and I look better than ever before.’