Are you struggling with creative ways to stay fit?

Maybe it’s a busy season running after kids, changing diapers, keeping home, homeschooling, or doing homework with the kids. Or maybe you work outside of the home and can’t carve out time for a quick workout.

I think we’ve all been there, or are there. We use those moments of energy throughout the day to tackle our daily responsibilities, often leaving us exhausted even when time does arise!

Here are some tips that have proven to help me stay active, even when life doesn’t allow for a designated workout time.

Get outside with the kids

I see moms at the park hanging out on the bench just watching their kids. More often than not, they are playing on their phone or chatting with another mom. While there is nothing wrong with this, I would encourage you to get in there and play with your kids! You’ll be making some great memories with them but you’ll also get your heart rate up! Climbing up and down a play set is no easy task! Doing that for an hour or two a few times a week is a great workout in itself!

Eat well, track your food intake

While eating well doesn’t equal fit, it does equal a healthy inside. By recharging and fueling our bodies with what it needs, and by not over feeding it – we’ll make it stronger. My Fitness Pal has a great free app and desktop access. You can create a plan and log your food as you go throughout your day.

I also have a FitBit. I can track my steps, calorie’s burned, food log, and so much more! It’s a huge motivator to get outside when I see that I haven’t met my steps goal for the day.

Include the kids

Kids love play. They love competing. Have a couple of afternoons a week where you challenge each other to a workout duel. See who can do the most push-ups in one minute, then see who can do the most sit-ups in one minute, followed by who can do the most squats in a minute. Do that as many times as you can, and as long as you can keep their attention. It’s fun for the kids (and you) plus you’re secretly working out!

Get on the bike

Most kids have bikes already, but sometimes mom doesn’t. You can find really affordable bicycles at Walmart or even on Amazon. Pick one up and go for a fun bike ride with the kids!

When seasons are busy, or life simply doesn’t allow for you to pull away and go somewhere to workout, get creative and bring the workout into your life! The great part about this is that you’ll also be showing your kids that they too can have an active life, just by enjoying it!

Gyms aren’t necessary, at home workouts might not be doable every day if you can’t pull away from the kids, and home gyms may still be in the works, but with a little bit of creativity you can find ways to incorporate some great activates to get that heart rate up!

Have you found a creative way to stay active and fit, even with the kids in tow?

Consistency is such a grounding word.  It evokes notions of bills paid in a timely fashion.  Of library books returned 2 weeks late on time.  It thrusts forth this idea that togetherness and order are, in fact, BFFS with good time keeping and practical spending. I imagine them all piled like good little school girls with flannel pajamas under their puffy sleeping bags. Their chitter-chattering is everything overzealous and high pitched while in their laps rest overflowing bowlfuls of popcorn and soda pops with piping straws peeking out the tops.

Parenting is so very pro-consistency, wouldn’t you agree?  Yes, it’s paramount that we stick to your foundations and hold true to our morals and deep rooted beliefs when it comes to child rearing.  Be the slumber party above and own the mess out of transferring steadfastness in living to your baby people. YES.  But when it comes to the locks on your noggin, it is here where I am asking that you opt out of this “c” word.  I am even emphatically imploring your to re-consider the aesthetic locks that flow out of the globe-o-sphere that God did, in fact, entrust your very being.

Consistency with your hair? Let it go, Mama.

{my hair transformations in the past year}

In this world of dimes store shopping, home schooling, toilet cleaning, penny pinching, soccer practice carpooling, laundry folding and mother loving, we Moms shape.  We guide and we grow humans for better and though worse.  We are the backbone of support for our family in more ways than we even realize.

That’s why it’s important to not miss the opportunity to find spontaneity and energy in those easy areas of our lives.  Change is a great spark that so many of us women miss out on because of fear.  We fear a new cut won’t look right. We worry a new hair color will be too risky.  We over use consistency in areas where it’s just not needed and, furthermore, deadening to the awakening our very bodies need.

Sisters, don’t be afraid to change YOUR HAIRSTYLE! In the Meghan-esqued words of my homeboy, John Lennon, “Give peace scissors a chance.”  CUT.  Snip.  TRIM.  Color.  CHANGE.  It’s your dome; it’s not your parenting convictions. Allow the winds of different to tousle your locks with a new vibe.  And trust that you will find ENERGY and a fresh start feeling from using the aesthetics of you.

Consistency.  It counts.  Oh yes it does.  But keeping the same cut and/or color for 15+ years may just be the cinderblock you’ve tied yourself to – all because you’re nervous to try something new.

In the past year I decided to celebrate new ways I could gain strength and energy from the areas in my life where consistency needn’t be a priority.  And the hair department was just the place for me to re-invent myself and practice new all knowing that my outside could create a potential inward revolution when I needed a new twist on life.

I am here to officially report that it grows out.  It grows back.  And best of all, about an inch off of your scalp is all dead hair cells. DEAD.  They always have been and always will be.

CUT.  Snip.  TRIM.  Color.  CHANGE.  It’s your dome; it’s not your parenting convictions.

You can do it!  And you can gain strength from laying fear aside, keeping consistency where it dutifully belongs and leaning less on the aesthetically overrated DEAD HAIR CELLS.

From my mane to yours, 

There’s something really great about beginnings.  They have this swift way of coercing our dreams a little more into reality. It’s kinda like those notions just wished up there in our noggin become almost physically tangible right before us.  I think what I love best about beginnings is the opportunity that exists through the unknown.  And opportunity comes to us best when we set no limits to what we can accomplish.

A huge notion so many women toss around in their noggin is the dream of being fit and feeling good. Moms want to look better and/or feel healthy.  And so oftentimes, we are the worst at allowing our dreams of exercise for the hope of a better self exit our noggin.  This dream tosses to and fro just waiting to be touched. Trust me.  I’ve been there.  And I’m here now as proof that using the following these 5 steps to establishing an exercise routine is not only doable, but life changing, too.

I played 2 sports in college.  My life was active.  Moving was a part of me.  Then married life and motherhood happened.  Looooong days at home with little boys and living on a very limited budget left me lacking in all things moving. The only aerobics I received came from chasing my toddler around the house to ensure he didn’t dunk the cat or his baby brother into the toilet. Can anyone relate?

It was Christmas Day of 2007.  Through the sea of wrapping paper shreds and toddler mangled bows, I decided there was a gift under the Christmas tree wrapped just for me.  I had an 11 month old and a 33 month old.  I walked into the kitchen and let my husband know that today was the day I was choosing to open my gift of exercise. With a high-five, “atta, girl” followed by a “ummm, how long you gonna be gone?” he was in full support.  I laced up my shoes and took off.  And I haven’t been still since.

Say it.  Don’t stutter.  Don’t make excuses.  Make it known aloud to yourself, your husband or a good friend.  The first step is making it a priority in your day.  Not just every once in a while.  Telling someone you trust will help keep you accountable.  Especially on the days when you aren’t motivated.

Don’t generalize.  Be very exact about what your exercise plans are for a 7 day week.  In 2007, I began with maintaining my exercise 3 days a week.  I tracked my exercise to be sure I met my goal.  Each year since I increased my exercise amount and times per week.

Tell yourself of the good your gifting your life.  Moving is absolutely wonderful for so many reasons.  It increases blood flow, releases endorphins and elevates your metabolic rate.  One of the things I love to do most when I run is affirm myself in my very moment of movement.  I also have such a beautiful time of worship with the Lord.  I pray.  I cry.  I tell Him my dreams.  I hand over the aches of this world and have worship with Him as I run.  I am in complete unison with Him each time that I move.  Using this time to spend with Him makes exercise even more a priority in my life.

Like I said earlier, we live on a very limited budget.  Remember, I’m the Goodwill hunter!  So my family cannot afford a gym membership.  Thus, I use the outdoors to its fullest.  Not only do I run outside, but I use the nearby state park for hikes with my boys as well as good ole push-ups and sit-ups, planks, squats and leg lifts inside my home.  Don’t limit yourself to the idea that exercise can only happen with a membership.  Change up your routines to keep your body fresh for different ways to move.

Exercising is God’s natural feel good medicine.  Sweat creates optimism. I really believe that.  The more you are proactive in planning and proceeding with your exercise routine, the more you will feel the release and lift He has just for you.  This gift is from Him; enjoy every ounce of what will begin to fill up those empty places that live there inside your noggin. A better diet right along with healthier food choices will fall right into place once these 5 steps are established.

Physically tangible right before us.  Opportunity comes to us best when we set no limits to what we can accomplish.  I know you can do it!  Now open that gift for yourself and MOVE, Moms!