Keeping up with a fitness routine can be hard for a busy parent. However, staying fit is necessary for the sanity and survival of being a parent. Kids move fast and we need to be able to keep up with them. But, if going to the gym doesn’t fit in your budget, or in your busy schedule, know that there are multiple ways to stay fit without a membership.
Getting a physical workout in nature is practically for free, as long as you have access to it close to home. It simply takes going outside and moving your body.
A very low-key way to get more exercise in your life is to garden. When you are bending and weeding you can do squats – and if that is not high level productivity, please tell me what is? Stay fit by growing your own vegetables and eat them as part of a nutritious lunch or dinner.
Walking is an underrated thing these days in a world where wheels are king. Your feet can take you anywhere you have the energy to go, just make sure you have a good pair of shoes on your feet. The family dogs makes a great walking partner. Walk to the park, to the store, to the farmer’s market. There is no need for speed, just walk far enough to make it count!
Jogging and running are for when you want to step it up a pace and really get your heart rate going. You can jog or run anywhere you can walk, so make a couple of laps around the block or map out a new route and find a routine that suits you best. You don’t need to go far from home to break a sweat. However, once you start running…oh, the places you’ll go.
Hiking is great for endurance, but depending on where you live, it may take some time to get out in the thick of it. Once you are out there, inhale the fresh air, take your shoes off and soak up all the benefits that nature has to offer.
And if you love to swim, find a wild place and go for it, as swimming is one of the most gentle and refreshing fitness activity.
To stay fit just keep moving your body, even dancing will do.
What has worked for you? Do you hit the home gym? Do you take to the trails or do you put in miles on your bike?