As a mom, I know just how important taking some time everyday to get exercise is for me. I can’t take care of other people if I don’t take care of me first. When I exercise regularly I feel better, look better, have more energy and reduce stress. Back to school time for me means lots of driving, homework help, packing lunches and keeping up with everything from signing papers to washing gym clothes and uniforms on an almost daily basis. Exercising each day of the week improves my own health and investing in some exercise time for me means that I can more stamina, focus and patience for job and for when I pick up the kids and begin the busy afternoons and evening that follow back to school time.
There are five things that I have learned about having a regular work out routine.
1. My work out routine really has to change every season.
By seasons, I am not just talking about the changing in the four seasons and the weather they bring which is relevant too. I mean “seasons” like whether the kids have swim team practice five days a week or whether it’s back to school time. My routine has to work within the “season” of what’s going on with my entire family.
2. I have to eliminate excuses.
It’s so easy to find excuses to not work out. I forgot to wear the right walking shoes or forgot to bring my water bottle or didn’t have time for breakfast or heaven forbid I have cramps. Some days it doesn’t take much. I keep almonds and cereal bars in the car to make sure I can have breakfast even when my busy mornings get out of hand. I intend to put on my walking shoes every morning and pack other shoes no matter the attire the day requires but just in case I slip I keep extra walking shoes and socks in my car. I intend to pack a cold thermos of water morning but just in case I keep one in my car. It may not be cold but it’s water. Midol is in the car too as part of my no excuses plan.
3. The earlier the better is a key to my regular work out routine success.
As the day moves on the things left do list hovers and the motivation to work out wanders. I’ve learned to schedule my exercise time for the early morning first thing after I’ve dropped the kids off at school. The rest of the day is still ahead of me and there are fewer things in my balancing act as a WAHM mom that can fall to block my path.
4. Invite friends to stay motivated and accountable.
Whatever my workout routine, I invite friends. I put the word out about the time and place I would be walking every morning and so far after two weeks of back to school I’ve only walked alone once. Knowing that I’ve told people I’d be there is another way to encourage me to show up. That’s true whether it’s a trail walk or a spinning class.
5. I have to have back up plans.
My current routine is to walk three miles four days a week and to play tennis on a standing date, same time, same place, every week one day a week. It works on most days. Even with a perfect plan, there are sometimes unavoidable obstacles like inclement weather, sick children home from school, professional meetings or classes. Those days don’t have to be a loss if you have a few simple props at home. I have Leslie Sansone’s “Walk Away the Pounds” fitness DVDs that can replace a preferred brisk walk in the great outdoors and a weighted ball that can be second runner up to the arm work out from playing tennis.
How many calories are burned walking three miles?
At my pace and my weight, I burn around 291 calories four days a week for a total of 1,164 calories per week.
You can calculate your calories burned by walking at About.com’s walking page.
How many calories are burned playing tennis for an hour?
Based on my weight and minutes of play time, I burn around at least 505 calories for each tennis match.
You can calculate based on your weight, how many calories are burned for almost any activity for any amount of minutes at HealthStatus.com.
So my 5 day a week fitness routine for back to school time burns around a total of 1, 669 calories per week.
A pound of body fat equals approximately 3,500 calories so my fall fitness routine offers the potential to lose almost 2 lbs. per month if I keep my calorie intake stable. Two pounds a month doesn’t sound like a lot but slow weight loss is ideal for keeping it off and I look at it like this. If you had started a year ago losing just 2 pounds a month, you’d be 24 lbs. lighter today.
Of course the benefits of my back to school time mom’s fitness routine and 5 rules for success are greater than weight loss alone. As a freelance writer, I am most often “writing in my head” while I am exercising so when I sit down to work each day I am already more organized and focused and that can be true for any profession. I also benefit from the fellowship of catching up my friends while walking or playing tennis. It’s like we are having a girl friend date doesn’t involve eating, spending money, dressing up or cleaning our house in preparation and my oh my, isn’t that a great way to start each day?