5 Ways to Stay Active as a Busy, Tired Mama

Do you ever ask yourself, how in the world am I supposed to stay active and exercise as a busy, tired mama?! There are not enough hours in the day or boosts of energy to allow me to complete a full workout on top of minding my kids, my home, my husband, making meals, etc!

Well, I often ask myself those questions, but here are 5 ways I've learned to say active throughout it all:

1. WAKE UP BEFORE YOUR KIDS DO

There is a good chance us moms are the most exhausted species on the planet, but that doesn't mean we have to feel that way. Have you ever woke up early to workout and regretted it?...Um, never!! It's so crazy how we know that in our minds, but it still just feels so hard. Do it with me! There are most definitely times we are up all night and need to hit snooze, but my challenge to you is DO NOT HIT SNOOZE. As soon as you hear the alarm, countdown from five and get up when your count gets to 1. Your day will already be off to a great start!

2. GET TO SLEEP EARLY & ON AN EMPTY STOMACH

I am a late night Netflix & ice cream lover too -- but, if you are setting new goals for a healthier life skip the second episode and the ice cream. Get to bed early so you can get enough sleep to wake up early! And, have you ever thought about what your body might feel like if you stopped eating at night for a week? First of all, research has shown us that adults will actually sleep better if you don't eat four hours before bedtime. You will have a more stable blood sugar to avoid spikes that could make it harder to fall sleep and stay asleep. Also, your digestion works poorly at night, so eating before bed will usually cause bloating in the morning... and who wants to wake up and work out bloated? Nooo thank you! Try it for a couple nights, I'm sure you will notice a difference right away.

3. SWEAT EVERYDAY

I have been active my whole life. At one point I was working out every single day competing as a college athlete, and at another time I was wearing my husbands t-shirts in our living room with kids hanging on me, just trying to get 20 burpees in! I think sometimes we can intimidate ourselves with the idea of becoming active after having babies or getting out of the habit. A little exercise each day can do wonders for our mental and physical health! Active means to MOVE. It can be as simple as the following:

-10 squats, 10 pushups, and 10 sit ups while you watch your kiddos play at the park

-20 lunges and 20 burpees in your living room

-pushing your kids in the stroller to the store instead of driving

-getting a personal trainer

-signing up for a race (one of my personal favorites because I get to let out my competitive athlete side; )

-10 minutes of any activity or it can be more

Whatever it is for you right now, just SWEAT. We all have the time, we just need to prioritize it.

4. DRINK WATER & NOURISH YOUR BODY WITH GOOD FOODS

I'm going to give you a challenge. This week try to eat more whole foods and less processed foods -- then, drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water. This will decrease your bloating and help with your digestion so that you will feel even better to move that beautiful body of yours!

5. THINK POSITIVE

What your mind looks for, your eyes will see. Next time you look in the mirror, notice the good. Your body is truly magnificent. It has given you your greatest blessings. Thank it for what it CAN DO for you, not so much what it looks like. Some mamas don't have the choice to move their body like you do, be kind to it.

Now, DEEP BREATH, there is a time and a season that we will have time for bigger goals and longer workouts — right now might now be that season. It’s not about fitting into your old jeans, it’s just about showing up and trying to move your body every single day. Even if it’s five minutes to sweat, that consistent five minutes will change your days. You got this mama!