#1 Build activity into your commute
If your commute to work is a sedentary one, try fitting your workout into what would otherwise be ‘dead time’. Get off the bus or train one stop earlier or park the car 20 minutes away and enjoy the rest of your route on foot. If you can, do your commute by bike. A Cycling UK study of around 73,000 men and 83,000 women found that mixed public and active transport commuters had significantly lower BMI and body fat than their car-only counterparts. And research published in the 2017 British Medical Journal found that cycling to work is linked with a 45 per cent lower risk of developing cancer, and a 46 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, compared to commuting only by car or public transport.
#2 Buddy Up
Research has shown that motivation to be active becomes easier with others, so kill two birds with one stone and combine your training with your social life. Start a fitness club at work and get your colleagues to try a lunchtime class. Or find a local group to train with, and join your local parkrun, where buggies, dogs, children and runners or walkers of all abilities are welcome to complete the free, weekly 5km course. And if you’re a new parent, buddy up with other mums and dads to exercise together. Online communities like Run Mummy Run are great ways to find others near you. Or you could also try some baby-wearing workouts at home.
#3 Moms who can do it all
Because as a mom its very difficult to balance, not only your own but your whole family’s schedule, we wanted to give you some useful tips on how to remain fit, without necessarily having to go to the gym.
- Push-ups: Place your hands on the edge of the counter, extending your arms. Step your feet out behind you so your body forms a straight line from heel to head. Tighten your core and bend your elbows, lowering your chest toward the counter. When your chest almost touches, reverse the movement and press yourself back to start.
- Wall Sit: We like to think of wall sits as creating an invisible chair. Start by leaning against a wall and slowly sliding down as if you’re about to take a seat. Make sure your feet are firmly placed on the ground. This is the perfect position for reading recipe cards! Bonus points if you can pull off these leg lifts.