While summer vacation is fun because of the quality time you get to spend with the family, many parents agree that there’s a sense of relief when the kids go back to school in the fall. It can be challenging to keep up with routines and personal care during the summer holidays because there are so many responsibilities to keep the kids busy and entertained all day. It can be difficult to implement fitness tips when your kids are always around.
But the season changes! Once school starts again, parents can find small windows of time for self-care, including diet and exercise goals. Many parents agree that it is a little easier to find free time for themselves when the children are out of the house for part of the day.
Fitness during the school year
As you create morning routines and evening dinner calendars, make sure you mark a place on the calendar where you can prioritize time for yourself. Exercising not only makes you feel stronger and more energetic, but exercising is also an essential step in feeling good about your body. It increases your self-confidence! When you feel good about yourself, you come across as a better parent to your family.
Your new fitness routine doesn’t have to take hours every day. Instead, find a spare hour here and there where you can hit the gym or get a quick workout in at home. Every little bit helps you become a healthier and fitter version of yourself.
Make sure you maximize the time available in the morning or during the school day. It feels impossible to fit a workout in when the kids get home from school in the afternoon. So during school hours (or early mornings) these are often the ideal times to fit in your exercise routines.
Practice ideas during the school year
There are many ways you can incorporate fitness tips into your schedule. Ideally, you create a ‘habit chain’ where your exercise routine is part of the daily schedule. Here are a few ideas you can try:
- Walking to school: Do you have to take the kids to school in the morning? Make sure you put on your workout clothes and your running shoes. After the student enters the school building, this is the perfect opportunity to run a few miles so you can get your cardio in for the day.
- Driving to school: If you take your kids to school, go to the gym after drop-off. Make sure you leave the house to exercise so you aren’t tempted to go home before the gym. Going back home can slow your momentum and make it harder to get to your fitness class or exercise routine.
- Bring the kids: Another option is to give the children an activity in the afternoon while you are exercising. For example, when you pick up your children from school in the afternoon, everyone can go to the gym together. The kids can spend time in daycare while you get a quick workout in.
There is always a way to squeeze in 30 – 60 minutes of exercise. You may need to be creative with your planning. But make it a priority! Taking care of your health at this point in your life will have a long-lasting impact on optimizing your health in the later years. These fitness tips can help you stay on track.
Structuring the morning/evening routines
Another important aspect of making your family successful is creating morning and evening routines. Getting everyone out of the house in the morning can be hectic, especially when you’re trying to cook breakfast, prepare school lunches, and prepare meals for yourself at the same time.
Here are a few tips to help you stay on track with your diet and daily routines.
- Prepare the night before: Instead of running around in the morning preparing lunch and picking out fitness clothes at the same time, take a few minutes the night before to get ready. 15 minutes of prep work before bed can make a big difference in making the morning routine smoother.
- Meal preparation on the weekend: If you know it’s going to be a busy week, be proactive about meal prep when you have time on the weekend. For example, you can take a few hours on Sunday afternoon to prepare lunch for your children in advance and serve yourself large portions of healthy food. Having these foods on hand will simplify things when you’re hungry and in a hurry to get out the door.
- Ask for help when you need it: You don’t have to do it all alone! If you are a working parent, there are limited hours in the day. Consider hiring a “mom helper” or nanny to help out for a few hours each week. Not only can they lend a hand with the kids while you’re training, but often the hired help will also be willing to help with grocery shopping, food preparation, and more.
Remember that structure in your day helps minimize stress. And keeping stress levels low is an essential part of caring for your overall health.
Preparing yourself for success
There are a few other things you can do to stay more consistent with these fitness tips during the school year. For example, choose an exercise that you enjoy because it’s easier to stay consistent with your routine if you look forward to your workouts.
Also look for ways to make every minute count. Some parents find that a standing treadmill desk is the solution when they need to attend work meetings and still want to get their steps in for the day.
Sometimes a little creativity can go a long way in helping you stay on track with your fitness goals. If you’re looking for a gym you can call home during the school year, join Fitness Nation today. We are here to help!