One of the things I took for granted when I was younger was how easy it was to live a fitness lifestyle. When I was young, carefree, and kid-less it was pretty simple to stay active and keep my body feeling strong.
I had all the time and energy to do what I wanted when I wanted. After I started having kids… things definitely changed! I often found myself wondering:
How can I have a fitness lifestyle?
I found that I desperately missed feeling strong, active, and confident in my body. All the things I got when I exercised regularly and made it a point to focus on my fitness.
Although it’s not quite as simple as I was younger, I have learned some easy ways that even us busy moms can stay fit and active. In this article, I’m going to cover 7 easy things you can do to still live that fitness lifestyle, even as a busy mom.
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Why is fitness a lifestyle?
If you’re looking to live a fitness lifestyle, one of the first questions you might ask yourself is… why is fitness a lifestyle? You have probably heard people mention it all the time.
The die-hards talk about it as not just a lifestyle, but a way of life. I personally think that’s a little dramatic, but I will say this: there are no quick fixes when it comes to fitness.
You can’t take a pill or buy a product and magically you are strong, fit, athletic. You have to put in the work to get there.
And you also have to put in the work to stay there. If you have ever spent any time being active and then stopped you know how quickly your fitness level will decline.
I suffered a bad break in my leg back in January of 2020 and I was shocked at how quickly my muscles and physical fitness went downhill while I was laid up recovering.
In order to reap all the benefits of a fitness lifestyle, you have to put the work in on a regular, consistent basis. That becomes a lot easier to do when you embrace it as a part of your lifestyle.
7 Easy Ways Moms Can Live a Fitness Lifestyle
1.) Commit to moving your body on a regular basis
The first thing you need to do to live a fitness lifestyle is to commit to moving your body regularly. I mean, it says it right there in the phrase “fitness lifestyle” 😂.
Not every day has to be a killer workout, but you do want to try to move your body in some way almost every day. You can throw in lighter exercises to help balance out your tougher workouts and let your body rest and recover, as long as you keep moving regularly.
As moms, our life gets kind of crazy. We have kids, family, home life, work… really the list of responsibilities on our plates can get kind of overwhelming.
That’s why I have found that staying consistent with making time for some type of movement on a regular basis, even if it’s something as simple as 10 minutes of stretching or a 15-minute walk, to be the easiest way to develop a fitness lifestyle.
Some days you will have more time and energy to workout harder than others, but getting in some type of movement needs to stay high on your priority list.
2.) Learn how to fuel your body properly
When it comes to living a fitness lifestyle, it can be really easy to focus solely on what types of exercises you are doing. Like I said before, the fitness part is pretty self-explanatory.
But if you really want to be fit and active, you need to make sure that you’re fueling your body with healthy and nutritious food on a regular basis.
I’m not saying you have to give up all your favorite foods. You can still have pizza on occasion and life would be pretty miserable if you could never eat cookies and ice cream again.
But you do want to start focusing on adding in the types of foods that help your body perform well physically.
That means you want to make sure you are getting in a good amount of lean proteins, healthy fats, complex carbs, fruits, and vegetables. Cut back on simple carbs, processed foods, and sugar.
These less nutritious foods don’t give our bodies the energy and nutrients they need to perform at our best. They also lead to feeling sluggish and tired, bloating, and weight gain.
If you’re working on living a fitness lifestyle, make sure to start adding in more healthy foods and start cutting back on the less healthy ones.
3.) Stay hydrated
My next tip for helping moms live a fitness lifestyle is to stay hydrated. Our bodies need water to function well. That need increases considerably when we’re exercising regularly.
A good recommendation to start with is to aim for 64oz of water a day. On days that you’re extra active, aim for 96oz or more.
Here are some great benefits to staying hydrated:
- maximize physical performance
- help your muscles and joints work better
- recover from muscle soreness
- prevent fatigue
- help your organs function better
- improved appearance of your skin
- aid in weight loss
Tips for drinking more water
If you struggle to hit your water goals here are a few suggestions:
- Drink 1 cup of water immediately upon waking up each morning
- Drink 1 cup of water before each meal
- Grab a motivational water bottle (I love this one here.)
- Track your water intake
- Try fruit-infusers
Related Articles…
- How to Find Time to Workout as a Busy Mom: 11 Tried & True Tips
- How to Avoid Mom Guilt Over Exercising: 10 Quick Tips
4.) Consistency over intensity
The next thing you need to do if you’re trying to live a fitness lifestyle is to focus on consistency over intensity. You will get much better results from showing up and exercising on a regular basis than you will if you’re trying to do tough workouts only a few times a week.
That means that sometimes you will need to sprinkle in some lighter and shorter workouts in between the tougher ones so that you can keeping going without burning yourself out.
This can really help with a fitness lifestyle because let’s face it: as moms our lives are BUSY! I haven’t met a mom yet that doesn’t have a lot going on. When you’re trying to push yourself super hard at every workout, it makes it even harder.
For most of us, we only have so much willpower and mental energy to put out on any given day. If you’ve spent the majority of it trying not to lose your mind when your kids refuse to eat the perfectly good dinner you just made and worrying about whether or not your toddler will ever get this potty training thing down, you might not be up for trying to make yourself do a hard workout.
Some days, either due to fatigue, soreness, or #momlife, you are going to need to slow down your pace a little. But if you are only planning tough, killer workouts for yourself you will be a lot more likely to skip a workout or put it off for another day.
That’s why it’s more important to focus on exercise routines that you can maintain consistently, even when life gets a little crazy. Then you will better develop the habits necessary to live a fitness lifestyle.
5.) Keep your exercise routine interesting
Another important aspect of living a healthy and fit lifestyle is to make sure you are keeping your exercise routine interesting. Nothing kills workout motivation faster than boredom.
With endless entertainment available at our fingertips, most of us will have a really hard time pulling ourselves away from Facebook to go do a boring workout.
When your get tired of doing the same thing over and over again, you have to rely a lot more on discipline and habit to keep you consistent. This can be a big drain on your mental energy. Something most of us moms don’t have a whole lot of, to begin with.
Make things easier on yourself and make sure to keep your workouts interesting. Here are a few of the things that I do to keep things fresh:
- Look up new workout routines on Pinterest
- Try a new fitness app
- Listen to your favorite playlist while exercising
- Try a group fitness class at your local gym
- Listen to a podcast or audiobook while exercising
- Try a new type of exercise (YouTube is my go-to to learn the basics)
- Play a sport
- Alternate different types of exercises in your workouts (I like to alternate strength training, cardio, and yoga.)
Whatever method you choose, keeping your workout routine interesting will help keep you motivated and consistent as you start working toward a fitness lifestyle.
6.) Involve your family when you can
My next tip for living a fit and healthy lifestyle is to involve your kids when you can. You can include them in your workouts or start a family sport.
My entire family trains in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the fact that it has become a family event has a gone a long way toward helping everyone stay more active and involved.
If you aren’t into sports, you could simply take your kids on walks or runs with you, have them join your yoga workout, or use them as weights for your strength training routine if they’re young enough. (My youngest is over 35 lbs now so those days are over for me lol.)
Including your kids in your workouts can help a lot if you’re life is extra busy or you don’t have many childcare options. It’s a great way for you to spend some quality time with your kiddos, set a good example for health and fitness, while still getting your workout in.
7.) Surround yourself with others who live a fitness lifestyle
My last tip for living a fitness lifestyle if you’re a mom is to surround yourself with others who are trying to do the same. Join a mom’s fitness group or a class at your local gym.
Having a group of others who are passionate about the same thing you are can really help to keep you motivated and accountable to your goals. They can help inspire you to keep getting those workouts in and making healthy choices.
In my own support groups, I love having other moms to talk to who can help give me suggestions when I’m struggling as well as cheer me on when I’m doing well.
I have had the most success finding support groups for moms who are trying to stay fit and active is at local gyms and on Facebook. I have even started my own Facebook group Mommas Getting Fit where we talk about weight loss, exercise, and healthy eating.
If you aren’t into groups like that, you could always just look for an accountability partner or two. Just someone to touch base with regularly to help keep you going. It can make a big difference in continuing on the path to living the fitness lifestyle.
Thoughts on how moms can live a fitness lifestyle?
Living a fitness lifestyle is not just for women without the responsibilities of kids and a family. Us moms can definitely do it too and these 7 tips I shared will help get you there.
If you want to learn more about how to motivate yourself to exercise regularly and get fit, check out my fitness motivation ebook Building Your Best You: A Mom’s guide to staying motivated and consistent with your fitness! It has all the information you need to start working toward that fitness lifestyle.
Are you a mom who stays fit and active? What helps you make it a lifestyle? Comment below or email me at Candice@littlestepsbighappy.com. Follow me on Pinterest for more fitness advice for moms.
Want more fitness tips for moms?
- 5 Powerful Reasons Exercise is Important for Moms
- How to Avoid Mom Guilt Over Exercising: 10 Quick Tips
- How to Find Time to Workout as a Busy Mom: 11 Tried & True Tips
- 7 Quick Workout Ideas for Busy Moms on the Go
- 7 Ways to Get a Quick Workout at Home
- 3 Reasons You Don’t Exercise Regularly and How to Start
- 6 Easy Tips to Help You Crush Your Exercise Goals
- Walking Tips for Beginners: 7 Things You Need to Know
- How to Run Better and Lose Weight: 10 Running Tips for Beginners
- 5 Benefits of Running Clubs for Your Health & Wellness Goals in 2023
- Quick & Helpful Tips for Setting up a Home Gym
- 10 Tips for Hiring a Personal Trainer You’ll Love
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I’m a busy mom of 3 turned Health and Fitness Coach and Self Defense Instructor. I help inspire other moms to reach their health, fitness, and weight loss goals. You can usually find me chasing my kiddos around, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or sneaking away to read romance novels. About Me