5 TIPS ON HOW
TO BALANCE FAMILY & FITNESS
by: Lauren Felton
Having a family and living a healthy lifestyle is easy! What
I’ve realized is that we just get caught up in unhealthy habits that are tough
to break, but once you decide to make your health a priority, then it’s not
difficult at all, it’s just part of your family’s daily routine.
The most common reaction I get from other busy moms is, “Wow,
I don’t know how you have time to do it!” And believe me, I thought the same
thing when I was “too busy” with work and a husband, but then along came two
babies and things really got busy in my life! But in all reality, we only need
about an hour a day to work out and the rest is making healthy food choices
throughout the day – easy enough!
By changing your
lifestyle, you are not taking away from your family - you are giving them a
life lesson on staying healthy! So here are 5 tips on how to balance family and
fitness so that everyone is happy and healthy:
1.
Stay Organized and Plan Ahead
Stay organized and plan ahead!
This is the key to making your healthy lifestyle easy as can be! We all know
things can get hectic during the week, so on Sundays I take a minute to think
about what I have going on during the upcoming week. I always put my family and
work activities on a calendar and then I fill in when I can work out, meal
prep, etc. This will help you plan out how much you need to cook, what food you
need to pack, what time of day to work out, and all other activities in
between. Every week is different, for example, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings
my daughter has swim lessons, so on those days I will go to the gym at 5am.
Some days I will work out at home and other evenings the whole family will go
to the gym.
And we all know that when you have
a family, not all things go as planned, but DON’T STRESS! There will be days
when you miss your alarm, have a sick baby at home, or are just truly exhausted
– don’t even worry about it… Just stay on your healthy path and focus on the
following day.
2. Replace
Those Unhealthy Habits
If you are thinking about getting
healthy, but don’t think you and the family have the time to do it, well think
again. There are so many unhealthy activities that we partake in without even
realizing it, because it has become a norm. Don’t let these unhealthy habits
become the norm for your family – be a healthy example for your children. Here are
a few healthy habits that will get you off to a good start:
ü
Start going to bed a little earlier so that your
body and mind is rested.
ü
Get rid of all of the highly processed foods in
your home and fill your shopping cart with healthy foods.
ü
Cook meals at home and bring them to work so
that you’re not dining out or eating tons of fast food.
ü
Instead
of grabbing a bag of potato chips and kicking your feet up after work, go throw
on some tennis shoes and take the family for a walk, or to the gym. You may be
tired after work, but believe it or not, working out will help relieve stress
and give you more energy!
3. Get
the Family Cookin’
Prepping meals for the week can be
time consuming, but it is also the perfect time to get the family involved in a
fun activity. My kids love to get their hands dirty in the kitchen and love to
sample everything we make! I also like to take advantage of my hubby’s grilling
skills, so when he’s grilling some Sunday Football lunch, I’ll have him toss on
some extra food for the upcoming week.
4.
Change Things Up
If we are training at the gym
every evening, the kids get bored in the play area and start to get frustrated
– that’s when I know it is time to change it up! Some days we will skip the gym
and go on a bicycle ride, take a walk to the park, go swimming, or workout in
the driveway while they play with their toys. My little ones love to copy my
workouts, so if I’m training at home I try to get them involved!
5. Adult
Time!
The week can get chaotic, but make
sure you are taking some time to spend with your other half. I love working out
with my husband and my favorite part of the day is our quiet time together
after the kids are in bed. This is the perfect time for us to decompress from
the day and have some much needed adult time.
These tips are sure to help you
balance your busy family life and fitness goals. Just know that it is possible
to stay happy and healthy, you just have to create a plan that works best for
your family!
