Exercise Ideas for Busy Parents

Exercise Ideas for Busy Parents

We all know it’s important to exercise, but when you’re raising a family, having a gym membership (or the time to use it) isn’t always an option. Here are some ideas on how busy parents can keep themselves active.

Involve your kids in your workout.

If you’re unable to hit the gym, why not fit in a workout that your kids can enjoy, too? Disguising a workout as playtime for kids of all ages is a great way to spend time with them, keep them occupied, and fit in a workout all at once. Try setting up a family obstacle course in your yard or at a local park; turn on a kid-friendly dance instruction video after school; or set up a game of volleyball in your pool or at the aquatic center.

Trade off gym visits and babysitting duty with a workout buddy.

If you’re struggling to make time to visit the gym, odds are, you know another parent who is, too. Work with him or her to schedule days for each of you to head to the gym for an hour or two while the other hosts a playdate. Or, if your children are old enough to look after themselves for an hour or so, trade off working out at each other’s homes together while the kids work on homework or play together in a nearby room.

Be sneaky.If you simply don’t have extra time in your day for a workout, try to add in quick bouts of exercise into your daily activities. Do a circuit of squats, lunges, and shoulder presses during your morning conference call; complete a round of burpees during commercial breaks of your evening TV show; or bust a move by dancing or jogging in place while preparing your family’s meals.