finding time to exercise

Parenting is a full time job. It’s no wonder many of us have trouble finding time to take care of ourselves and fit fitness into our lives. But in a world where childhood obesity is a national threat and our kids are inundated with technology that makes sitting still all day seem fun, fitness is a crucial life skill we need to be teaching our children. And children learn best by mimicking their parents’ behavior. As a trainer and mom of three teens, I know these ideas for parents of kids in specific age groups make it easier to add more movement and fitness into your family life and your own busy schedule.

I am always urging you to find creative ways to fit some extra movement and activity into your day. But even I sometimes feel that phrases like “take the stairs instead of the elevator” or “park farther away in the parking lot” have been overused. Yet as I perused a past fitness section of The New York Times, I read an article titled “Great Workout, Forget the View” that once again validated the fact that every step counts. You don’t necessarily need to spend a bunch of money to get some exercise, just a good set of stairs and maybe a few friends.

I am an addicted multitasker. Sometimes I feel really good about that — and sometimes not so much. Many of us can survive on very little sleep to pull off an important project at work, prepare a holiday dinner for 20 relatives, coordinate the entire family’s events while still doing laundry, paying the bills, helping with homework … Yet often we feel it isn’t good enough; we should have been able to do more … like fit in a workout. Ironically, guilt, failure and regret leave us feeling overwhelmed and paralyzed. So when you find yourself in “not good enough” mode, take a deep breath and take action.

Is the state of the economy distracting you from the state of your health?

I have found that in times of stress, physical exertion is one of the most effective and important steps to take — and it can actually help us through hard times.