9 Easy Exercises for Busy Moms

This guest post was submitted by Kathy Glow from Kissing the Frog

Spring is an insanely busy time in any house with ball games and practices, dance recitals, school programs, and end of the year parties.

It’s hard to find time for it all, much less throw in some exercise, too.

Summer and long days at the pool are just around the corner as well, so moms everywhere are scrambling to fit back into their bathing suits.

Losing weight and maintaining your figure can take real work. But they don’t need to take real chunks of time. Here are nine exercises to try to that might just become part of one of your workout programs. Just be sure you check with your doctor first and get her okay.

9 Easy Exercises for Busy Moms

1. Waiting at your daughter’s dance class? Take a cue from her and do some plié squats. Stand with your feet spaced slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, hands on hips. Point your toes very slightly outward. Lower yourself into a sitting position. Your thighs should be as parallel to the floor as you can get them. Press through your feet and push your hips forward to return to the starting position. Make sure that you keep your weight on your heels as you stand up.

2. Have a few minutes before your son’s t-ball practice is over? Try some calf raises. Holding on to the back of your lawn chair or the bleachers, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Slowly raise your heels until you’re on your tiptoes. Balance your body weight on the balls of your feet. Slowly lower.

3. Is your preschooler’s favorite television show on? Sit next to her and do a Pilates 100. Lie on your back with your legs bent in tabletop position with your shins and ankles parallel to the floor. Bring your head up with your chin down and, using your abdominal muscles, curl your upper spine up off the floor. Extend your arms and legs, with the fingertips reaching for the far wall. Hold your position. Take five short breaths in and five short breaths out (like sniffing in and puffing out). While doing so, pump your arms in a controlled up and down manner. The abdominal muscles should be doing all the work.

4. Is your baby doing tummy time? Since you have to stay next to him anyway, why not do a plank alongside him? Prop yourself up on your elbows and toes. Be sure your body is in a straight line and your bottom is not sticking up in the air. Hold for at least 30 seconds. Get really fancy and try to lift one leg three inches off the floor. Then the other one. This is a good exercise for total body and core strength.

5. Does he do tummy time twice a day? Try “swimming” the next time. Lie on your tummy facing him. Arch your back, lifting your arms and legs off the floor. Flutter your arms and legs back and forth while squeezing your glutes.

6. At the park with the little ones? Use the bench to do triceps dips. Sit on the edge of the bench, hands on the seat, legs extended, feet flexed. Use your arms to lift yourself off the bench. Bend your elbows and lower body until upper arms are parallel to the ground. Push through hands to raise back up.

7. Just finished changing the baby’s diaper? Spend a little more time gazing into that sweet face by doing some classic push-ups (either on your knees or your toes). As a bonus, give your babe a kiss every time you come back down. One for the cute nose, two for the right cheek, three for the left cheek . . .you get the idea.

8. Too tired to do anything but lay on the floor while your kids play? It’s okay, just lie on your side and do some leg lifts. Lie in a straight line on your right side, legs stacked, right arm stretched above your head on the floor. Lay your head on your arm. Lift left leg up and back down touching the heel behind your right leg. On the next beat, lift your leg up and bring your toe to the floor in front of your right leg.

9. Want to play with the baby some more? Do some crunches. Get in classic crunch position, lying on your back, knees up, feet on the floor. Sit your baby on your tummy resting against your thighs. Crunch up, looking at and talking to your baby.

Give yourself bonus points for squeezing in cardio if you have ever done any of the following:

• Run after an escapee down the street.

• Chased a maniacally laughing toddler through the mall.

• Carried a twenty-five pound toddler kicking and screaming up from the playroom in the basement to his room on the third floor for nap time.

• Played basketball, soccer, or tag with your kids in the backyard.

• Helped your daughter learn her dance routine.

• Rode your bike down to the neighbor’s house to bring your child home for dinner.

There are so many covert ways to squeeze in exercise during your day. You just have to make the time and be creative. Soon enough, warmer weather will be here, and you’ll be feeling confident at the pool!

What are some ways that you sneak in an easy workout?