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Exercise is good for health, and we are all aware of it. Even a little in the day helps. With a bit of discipline, busy moms today can easily reach the recommended exercise goal in a week. But no matter how structured our day looks, our lives can get busy, especially that of moms who are all over the place managing home and daily needs of the family and, most importantly, a child, toddler, or a grown-up. To help you, we’ve come up with a simple workout plan that helps you multitask and would fit into even the busiest schedules.
1. Wall Push-Ups
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While push-ups can seem pretty daunting, fret not; it’s not as tricky as your PE class made it look. Wall push-ups are not as hard as floor push-ups, and anyone can do them with a little practice. You can also do them while in the shower but take care, so you don’t slip. Push-ups are great because they engage several muscle groups like your hips, triceps, abs, and pecs.
2. One-Leg Stand
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This one is a great exercise to improve your balance and helps tone your core. This is easy and convenient to incorporate into the morning or nighttime routines. You can do it even while you brush your teeth. Simply stand on one leg for a minute as you suck in your stomach, so your core is engaged in the exercise. You can then switch to the next leg.
3. Standing Oblique Crunch
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This exercise is extremely impactful and simple to do. It’s a workout you can perform even when you shower or in the middle of a simple chore at home. This targets your oblique muscles and improves your balance. Plus, it also helps you burn more calories than floor oblique crunches.
4. Brisk Walking
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines recommend taking a minimum of 15000 steps per week (1). This refers to brisk walking that is quick-paced and leaves you slightly out of breath. You can easily include this in your lifestyle by taking the stairs, walking with a loved one, engaging in daily chores, or taking a walk inside the mall.
5. Standing Russian Twist
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This is a fun exercise that also helps you strengthen and stabilize your back. It’s simple to do, and if you add some weights, it can help you build more muscles. Adding weights like a brick or a filled water bottle doesn’t mean you’ll gain weight or bulk up. It’ll just strengthen your bones.
6. Standing Kickback
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Kickbacks are fun! No kidding! The name explains what it’s all about. What you do here is kick your legs back. Traditionally, this exercise is done on all fours. However, you can do it while standing, leaning on the wall nearest to you, and returning it to the original position. Alternate the sides and stay consistent. You’ll build some strength in the lower body.
7. Hip Thrusts
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Hip thrusts are an excellent way to work out your glutes and make your hip size grow. This can be done in bed easily as you simply need to lay down and raise your hips up and down as you engage your core by sucking in your belly. This one is an exercise you can easily do when resting in bed.
8. Scissor Legs
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You can do this exercise by fluttering your legs up and down as you continue to engage your core. You can do this without using any equipment additionally. This one is a little intense as you slowly begin to feel the burn in your abs, and this is a clear sign that this exercise is working on your glutes and muscles.
9. Contrast Shower
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Very similar to a massage, a contrast shower is a water therapy that stimulates blood circulation and comes with a host of health benefits (2). It’s a process where you alternate between hot and cold showers several times for an energy boost. It also helps you feel invigorated and fresh and at the same time improves your immune system (3). You need to do at least three complete cycles of a hot and cold shower switch to reap the maximum benefits of the therapy. End it with a cold shower every time.
You indeed need to be motivated enough to restructure your routine or make small changes so you can exercise and keep yourself fit. It is a difficult task but certainly worth the effort because if you are healthy and active, your children too pick up on these habits and learn. Also, if you’re hale and hearty, you can better stay productive in most aspects of your life, at work or home. Can you add some other simple exercises to this list for busy mothers? Do share your tips with us on how to stay active in the comments section below.
