Finding Time to Exercise as a Parent

The truth is, finding time to exercise as a parent can be really tough.

In today’s blog, I’m going to walk you through 4 different tips on how to integrate more flexibility, reliability, and structure within your fitness routine.

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Finding time to work out is hard enough… You put parenting little ones on top of it and it creates an additional layer of barriers on how we might fit it into our routine, our schedule, and even find time to do it.

We also know that exercise is really important for us. It helps us:

• Build muscle
• Get stronger
• Create longevity
• Maintain our health (mental & physical)

And that’s important not just for ourselves, but also for our kids.

Tip #1: You Do Not Need To Exercise Every Single Day

I talk with a lot of people — especially parents — who are trying to get into a consistent exercise regimen. The very first thing they ask me is, “How many times a week should I be exercising? I’m finding programs that are 5+ days a week and I don’t think I can follow through with it.”

I totally hear you. You do not need to be exercising 5, 6, or 7 days a week.

Make sure that you are intentional with the program you are following, and most of the time that doesn’t take more than 3 days. You can have really great, effective workouts that get results and help you feel amazing — 30 minute workouts 3x a week.

Start small. Even if 3 days for 30 minutes doesn’t sound like a lot right now, it can be an amazing place to start — and can help you understand some of the barriers or obstacles you may need to overcome as you work towards increasing the number of days over time.

Tip #2: Determine Realistic Pockets of Time

If you don’t want to be away from your kids — because going to the gym isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and isn’t necessarily accessible to everyone — you want to consider what other pockets of time may be realistic for you to fit in exercise.

One option is during nap time, before they wake up, or after they go to sleep — that way you’re not missing out on family time you treasure and can still get in movement.

If you are a working parent, you may want to consider fitting in exercise during your workday by taking a 30-minute break or even smaller pockets of 10–15 minutes. That way you can get in some movement without having to worry about extra planning outside of your normal work hours.

Tip #3: Do Not Feel Guilty For Taking Time For You

I work with many parent clients who feel guilty for taking individual time for themselves to exercise.

You can exercise when one-on-one time with kids isn’t really available — when they’re sleeping. But for some parents, like myself as a parent to a toddler, he wakes up really early and I’m not waking up any earlier than 5:00 AM to get in a workout. That means I have different pockets of time and different windows of opportunity.

But even if you are someone who wants to go to the gym or wants to go to some kind of club to exercise — you are allowed to have that time for you.

As cliche as the saying goes — it is true: you can’t pour from an empty cup.

If your goal is to exercise to feel more grounded, peaceful, and to manage your stress a little bit better — having that individual time where you’re exercising solo can even be more monumental when you return back into the family dynamic and you’re able to be more present. Prioritizing yourself not only makes you a better parent, it makes you a better person.

Tip #4: Consider Involving Your Family & Kids In Your Exercise Plan

One of the things I personally love to do is involve my son in my exercise regimen.

There are definitely days where I want to have tunnel vision, solo exercising, and have that time just for me — and that’s okay. Just as much as I really value the times that I’m able to integrate him into my exercise so he can see me be strong.

One of the ways I do that is taking him on walks with me — whether we’re going to a local trail and finding awesome sticks in the woods while I push him in the stroller. I’d also do different variations of squats and lunges, lay on my back and push him up as a chest press — it’s a great way to involve your kids in your exercise, allowing you to have the best of both worlds.

In Conclusion

I encourage you to find a mix of these types of things. Not only do I recommend you plan ahead and know what your intentions are for the week — I also encourage you to determine which workouts you want to be solo and just for you, and which ones you want to be integrated with your family.

There’s no right or wrong answer here. It is whatever is going to help you stick with exercise, involve it more in your life, find joy in movement, and over time create more consistency.

Thank you for reading, see you in the next one!