When you’re a busy parent, finding time to exercise can be difficult. My typical week is filled with very early wake-ups, long work days, homework with my son, keeping up with the household chores, and a few unhealthy fast-food meals when things get especially hectic. I know this isn’t doing my long-term health any favors and I’m anxiously awaiting the weather to warm up so my son and I can get out and go walking. Of course, fitting this activity in makes me tired just thinking about it, but I know once I get started it will get easier with time. Need some help with finding the time to take some small steps to getting fit? Check out these tips below from celebrity fitness expert Harley Pasternak on how you can find little ways to make healthy changes.
Harley Pasternak’s Fitness Tips for Busy Parents
1. Resist: Even the busiest mom or dad can carve out at least 5 minutes to do some resistance "sculpting" exercise. Pick one exercise a day (i.e. lunge, squats, superman) and do 3-4 sets of 20 reps. Over time, add some weight and increase the sets.
2. Walk: You shouldn’t stop moving from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed. Use an activity monitor like a Fitbit to make sure you walk at least 10,000 steps a day. Make your phone calls as you walk around the block, park your car a little further away, take the stairs, and walk to your favorite cafe in the morning (instead of brewing your own).
3. Blend: Soups and smoothies are the perfect "on the go" meals that take only seconds to prepare. They’re a great way to get all your veggies, fruits, healthy fats and lean protein in one meal.
4. Be Entertained… But Not on the Couch: I tell all my busy parents to make sure they’re moving while watching their favorite show. Whether it be "Breaking Bad" or "House of Cards," stream your show to your phone or tablet with Netflix and you may end up working out longer and harder!
5. Sleep: One of the most common complaints I get from parents is they are exhausted! It’s so important to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Parents — make sure there is no light at all in your bedroom. That means no cell phones flickering, televisions blaring or alarm clocks flashing. Studies show even the smallest amount of light can disturb your sleep patterns. Other sleep tips include avoiding caffeine after noon, wearing an eye mask and avoiding surfing the web before you fall asleep.
Small Changes
After reading over this list, I can see where I could definitely make some small changes now to get myself on a path to better health. Like when my husband and I are catching up on old episodes of The Wonder Years on Netflix while we sit on the couch. Ahem.
Need some inspiring entertainment to get you moving? Check out how many calories you can burn watching these great titles on Netflix:
I wrote this post as part of my participation as a member of the Netflix Stream Team. All opinions are my own.
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