Sneaking in Exercise When You Have Kids Onboard

EXERCISE! A word that many parents of special needs children don’t get enough of!

Exercise is vital to each person’s good health. We need exercise to keep our blood running easily through our arteries and veins, to keep our weight at healthy levels and to help keep our stress levels down.

Exercise also aids in keeping cardiovascular disease, depression and other illnesses at bay. It’s hard for most people to find time to exercise, but it’s harder when you have little ones because they are so demanding of your time and energy.

But there are ways to sneak in exercise even when you have kids onboard. Exercise works even if you do it in short bursts of a few minutes rather than extended workouts of an hour or so. If your child or children are still quite small, strap them in the stroller and get walking.

The kids will enjoy the fresh air and you’ll get a good workout if you walk at a good pace. Have a friend with little ones join you, or start a mom’s walking group. If you run or jog, get a special jogging stroller that you can use for taking your child in, or if you enjoy biking, you can get a special cart that your kids can sit in.

They will get used to seeing you participate in outdoor exercise and as they get older they will want to as well.  Playtime makes great opportunities for you to get some exercise. Join them in a game of basketball, like I do with my son. Maybe you can ride bikes in the park or even make a day of golf for the whole family.

If you enjoy working out at home with exercise DVDs make time in the morning before kids wake up or during naptime to exercise. This will help you stay healthy, burn calories and reduce stress as well. You can find everything from yoga to Pilates to cardio and dance DVDs to keep things interesting.

Short bursts of exercise can be very beneficial. If you find that you only have ten minutes, then use that time for a quick segment of a dance DVD, or a brisk walk with the dog. A few sets of pushups and crunches can be fit in just a few minutes and work to help keep your arms, chest and abs strong.

Don’t let yourself down where exercise is concerned. You need to take time as often as you realistically can to keep your body strong. This helps keep you healthy. It also helps keep you feeling attractive and youthful, something that can slip away when little ones come along.

Exercise helps to reduce stress and increase self-esteem, and by exercising regularly, you are setting a healthy example for your kids. As a family activity, exercise such as biking can be a fun way to burn calories and spend time together.

Whether you have ten free minutes or a whole hour, fit exercise in to your routine. Make the time. If it’s important to you than you will find the time!