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3 Mindsets You’ve Got to Lose to be a Healthy Homeschool Mom

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One of the most difficult aspects of losing weight for many busy moms is finding time to work out. I will offer the disclaimer that my kids are older now and very much night owls. That means that I can easily get up early and work out before they get up.

However, there are many ways for moms with kids of all ages to find time to exercise – and it is essential that we do. Not only does exercise burn calories and help us to lose or maintain our weight, but its overall health and stress-relieving benefits cannot be understated.

 

Over the course of the last few years, I have come to believe that you can flush a cold out of your system with the sweat from a good workout. I can’t prove that, of course, but I firmly believe it.

So, how can a busy mom become a healthy homeschool mom and fit in time for a calorie-burning, health-improving, stress-relieving workout? You can start by losing the following mindsets.

A workout has to be long

First, lose the mindset that a workout has to be long. While 30-45 minutes does seem to be optimal, even 10 or 15 minutes here and there over the course of the day add up and provide benefits. Sites like Daily Burn offer 15 minute workouts for a variety of fitness levels on just about any device – computer, tablet, or smartphone.

There are also lots of workout videos on YouTube and my oldest even recently found a fitness challenge on Pinterest – and has actually stuck with it for awhile. I subscribe to a fitness magazine and they always have a tear-out page with different workouts, most of which don’t take a lot of time or expensive equipment.

A workout can’t include the kids

Next, lose the mindset that you have to workout without the kids. Yes, it’s more challenging when you have younger kids, but it doesn’t have to be impossible.

I can’t tell you how inspired I am every time I see a mom walking or running, pushing a baby stroller, when I’m at the track. I always have to fight the urge to stop and tell her how much I wish I’d done things like that when my kids are little. I probably should stop fighting the urge and tell her.

Consider doing activities with your kids such as:

  • Strap the baby in a jogging stroller for your daily run or walk (My niece loves this!)
  • Play active games with your kids on your Wii or X-box Connect
  • Get fit as a family with family walks, bike rides (even little kids can join in with this bike trailer), or hikes
  • Hula hoop or jump rope together (These are great for kids’ coordination and burn killer calories.)
  • Have an old-fashioned PE class with jumping jacks, push-ups, planks, sit-ups, and stretches. Those are good for everyone!

A workout can’t be fun

Sometimes we find ourselves thinking that a workout has to feel torturous to be effective. The fact is, the best workouts are typically activities that you truly enjoy…because if you don’t enjoy it, you’re very unlikely to stick with it very long. A great workout can be:

  • Running
  • Walking
  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Karate
  • Dance
  • Zumba
  • Swimming
  • Cross-Fit
  • Kickboxing
  • Rock climing
  • Tennis
  • Raquetball
  • Soccer
  • Skating – roller, ice, inline

I’m pretty sure it was Leslie Sansone who said, “The best workout is the one you’ll do.” If the workout you’ll do is one that is born of an active past-time that you enjoy, all the better – especially since many of those options can also be family activities. If you can teach your kids at a young age to enjoy being active, they’re more likely to live a healthier, active lifestyle as adults.

What creative ways have you found to work out with your kids – or around their crazy schedules in your busy homeschool day?

My health and fitness update: I had a huge willpower victory this week. A couple brought hot, fresh Krispy Kreme doughnuts, my Kryptonite, to our Life Group and I didn’t eat one – not even a bite – because I had already chosen and eaten my one dessert.

My struggle is still logging food. I don’t know why I’m having such a hard time with that. What about you? How are you doing on your goals?

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Kris Bales is a newly-retired homeschool mom and the quirky, Christ-following, painfully honest founder (and former owner) of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. She has a pretty serious addiction to sweet tea and Words with Friends. Kris and her husband of over 30 years are parents to three amazing homeschool grads. They share their home with three dogs, two cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, and seven birds.

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7 Comments

  1. Fantastic post! I have become a FitBit junkie and walk-A LOT! At first it was only 5,000 steps. Wanting to lose baby weight (had # 5 in February) but not wanting to cut calories too crazy because of nursing-I upped my steps to 10,000 back in August. And it was the best thing every for this homeschooling mom! I am constantly walking or looking for ways to “get steps in.” My whole family has joined in and sometimes walks with me…sometimes they have to if they want to talk to me…lol
    I know longer sit at soccer practice (3 kids play so I am at the fields A LOT). Now I am walking around the field, parking lot, down the street while pushing the baby in a stroller or even carrying her (too bad I can’t get extra steps for when I have to carry her)
    It CAN be done. Can’t leave the house? I have even danced around the house and walked my up and down the driveway for steps for 6,000 steps!
    Healthy mom = happy family

    1. I included hula-hooping. 😉 My sister makes custom-made hula hoops, so we have a couple. It’s an amazing workout.

  2. a high intensity interval workout that lasts 15 minutes is waaaaay better than doing any amount of cardio. Take the kids out on their bikes and race them for 30 second spurts. Do squats and lunges around the yard with them. Have a planking contest. My kids love yoga and I do a short 10-15 minute practice regularly that they can join in. Most of all, pay attention to your sugar intake. Don’t forget that the starches (potatoes, rice and corn) act like sugar in the kidneys and trigger the insulin response. Drastically reduce sugar (10% of daily calories MAX) along with more movement and your health will be renewed.

  3. Great post! Especially since I’m the queen of excuses! I do well for a week or two and then slack for a few weeks! Ugh. And food? I KNOW how I need to eat (grain free and sugar free) and yet I indulge on the sugar and grains and feel miserable! This post was a great motivator! Thank you

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