Sneaky Exercise

Exercise and sports have been a love of mine since I was a young kid.  Now that I have young kids, though, I find less and less opportunities to do either! The two main deterrents:  lack of time and the gym membership and childcare cost.  So, I've been learning over the past two years that building a healthy refuge is about finding unique, cheap ways to sneak in exercise for me and my kids.  I try to accumulate (often breaking up the time throughout the day) the recommended 30-60 minutes a day of aerobic exercise and then lift weights 2-3x/week for about 20-30 minutes.  If you're wondering how much exercise kids need, here is a good resource.

Ways I've tried to incorporate exercise into my life (and my kids' lives):

Play like a kid with my kid:  Jack and I often play tag, hide-and-seek, soccer, baseball, ride a scooter, or run races outside.  One of my personal favorites is going to the tennis courts to practice my serve while Jack plays "ball boy." 

Make housework work for me:  Rake leaves, clean bathrooms quickly, vaccuum, sweep, and mop quickly, moving fast from one task to the next.

Dance parties: We all enjoy this one a lot.  While blasting some Itunes in the living room, we pretty much jump around the entire time.  My heart is always pumping after each song.  Both kids can do this one forever!

Walking:  Since my youngest can't walk yet, I try to carry her in a backpack or Baby Bjorn for extra calorie burn.  We take walks around the block or to the park quite frequently.  Sometimes I put them in the double stroller or wagon (that's pushing/pulling about 50+ lbs) and give them a snack while I get 20-30 minutes of extended aerobic exercise for myself.  Then, I always let Jack walk/run at the end so he can get some, too.

Multitasking:  Major "nerd alert", but I try to do aerobic activity while doing household chores (sorry, no pictures of this). I jump around, walk/jog in place, do aerobic moves while folding laundry and putting toys away, often while watching a cooking show.  Then during the commercial breaks I do my weight exercises and/or sit-ups.  The time goes by quickly, AND I actually accomplish something at the same time.

Workout DVDS:  I try to do a workout DVD about 2x a week during naptime.  It's super hard to get motivated, because I usually want to take a nap myself.  But, I never, never regret it!  I will review some of my favorite DVDs at some point.

Elliptical Trainer:  We got a great deal on an elliptical trainer from a friend, and I love it.  It's quiet enough to use while kids are napping, provides an easy way for me to watch TV or read at the same time, and is an excellent, low-impact aerobic activity.

Here are a few motivational tips that help me make exercise a priority:

- There are many days I don't get around to "formal exercise" (and some days I just can't do anything), but I always remind myself that something is better than nothing.  I try not to beat myself up about it, like I used to.
 - Tell myself, "do something for 10 minutes and then you can quit at that point if you want."  I don't think I ever have quit, because once I start I'm fine.
- Make it fun.  If exercise isn't somewhat fun for me, I get in a vicious cycle of feeling guilty and dreading it.
- Keep the "healthy" goal in mind.  Remind myself that I exercise to stay healthy for my family and so that I'll be a good steward of my body that God has created.  These motivations have worked far better and been more enjoyable than "to get thin". 
- Write a blog about trying to be healthy (or tell a friend about your goals).  Then, you feel more accountable!

Please feel free to share any of your personal exercise ideas, tricks, or motivational tips with us!