Four Tips For Working Moms To Stay Fit

By John A. Mays, MSEd

From working a full-time job to running kids to school functions and managing a household, moms hardly have a spare moment. But, working moms still need to find time to live a healthy lifestyle not only to benefit themselves, but their families as well.

Make Yourself a Priority

Moms tend to put themselves at the bottom of the priority list, especially when kids are young. You aren't getting much sleep and it takes all of your energy to just make it through the day. Moms also can be hard on themselves emotionally and feel guilty about doing something for themselves. To be healthy, moms have to make their health and fitness a priority.

The first step is to believe in the power and impact of a healthy and fit lifestyle not only physically, but mentally throughout all aspects of your life.

Release Stress With a Healthy Fitness Routine

Working moms are busy people who continually have to balance work with personal and at-home considerations, which can create a lot of stress throughout all aspects of life.

Whether it's first thing in the morning before the kids are awake, during your lunch break or in the evening, set aside 30-60 minutes to focus on your health and fitness.

Take Time To Eat Healthy

A common habit that moms form without even realizing it is eating their kids' foods and finishing up a child's plate in fear of wasting food. What may seem like an innocent, time-saving gesture, though, is in reality a huge calorie counter.

Make sure to take the time to eat well-rounded, nutritious meals that include healthy portions of protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables to sustain the energy needed for an always-on-the-go working mom.

Stay Accountable, Stay Active

No one wants to tackle the challenge of living a fit and healthy lifestyle alone. It's important to surround yourself with others who share similar goals to get the best results. It's a lot harder to skip a workout when you have others relying on you to show up.

If you haven't been able to find a great workout partner, we suggest that you consider enlisting the help of a personal trainer or coach. By using a trainer, you have someone who knows what you should eat, what workouts you should do to get the best results and they know how to motivate and push you to reach your personal goals.