Exercise Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All—Especially for Moms

Take a shower. Brush your hair. Feed the kids. Get the kids to school. Go to work. Make the dinner. Help with homework. Go to bed. Repeat. 

For many moms, exercise is often something that gets pushed down the priority list because there just aren’t enough hours in the day. It is often believed by many of my mom patients that if they don’t have at least 30 minutes at a time to devote to exercise, then it just doesn’t even count. The CDC does recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. This recommendation, though, is left up to interpretation. If you read the fine print, they suggest maybe 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Keep reading on the CDC, and you’ll learn they also go on to say - “it can also be broken up into smaller chunks of time”. 

We are trained as humans to make our own inferences or assumptions about things. We assume that if it’s not “formal” exercise, it doesn’t count. We infer from the CDC that we HAVE to move for at least 30 minutes at a time. We assume that if it’s not our best every time, it’s wasteful. We infer from society that if our identities are not one with our children, that we are bad parents.

As a physical therapist, and mom of 2, I feel strongly that it is important to move our bodies. Here is the data to suggest why: (as cited by Mayo clinic)*

1. Exercise can help control weight. Physical activity burns calories, and calories are directly correlated to weight. Mayo clinic even tells us not to worry if we can’t find large chunks of time to exercise, because any activity is better than non. 

2. Exercise helps combat health conditions and diseases. Activity helps to boost your ‘good’ cholesterol, and decreases the ‘bad’ cholesterol. All of this to say movement keeps your blood flowing. Blood flowing smoothly through the body helps reduce a whole host health problems. 

3. Exercise improves your mood and energy. Movement helps our brains release natural chemicals that account for feelings of well-being, happiness, and reduced stress. It also increases the flow of oxygen and nutrients to your tissues, allowing for improved heart and lung health - ultimately leading to more energy to tackle the day. 

4. Exercise helps promote better sleep. When your body is functioning more efficiently during the day, it recognizes when it’s time to rest and allows you to have more restful, effective sleep. 

5. Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life. There are many reasons I can think of why a mom in particular may not be interested in intimacy. BUT, research shows that regular physical activity may enhance arousal for women. And men who participate in regular physical activity may be less likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction. 

Now that you’re feeling motivated to move your body, let’s discuss ways other than a scheduled 30 minute HIIT workout where you can get your movement in throughout the day. I’ll give you a hint, sometimes we can disguise every day tasks as ‘exercise’ if we just have a little fun with it! 

Start your morning off with coffee? Great! It takes your coffee about 2.5 minutes to brew. While you wait, do some push ups against the counter. 

In a meeting where you don’t really have to participate? Great! Stand up, march in place for 1 minute, do some squats for 1 minute, and then follow it up with some heel raises for 1 minute. Repeat each one of these 3 times. 

Taking a break to throw some laundry in? Great! Go up and down the stairs 5 times before bringing the laundry basket down (took you approximately 1 minute). 

Have a 30 minute lunch break? Great! Take a 10 minute walk outside for some fresh air, vitamin D, and movement. 

Want to relax on the couch for 10 minutes before heading to get the kids? Great! But FIRST, do 10 sit to stands from the couch. Take your time to relax. And then before getting up, do 10 more sit to stands. (another 1 minute of movement) 

Finished eating and cleaned up from dinner? Great! Throw on some music and have an epic dance party with the kids in the kitchen. (You danced for 7.5 minutes) 

There you have it - 30 minutes of movement in one day. This list of ideas is not exhaustive, and it’s not always going to be perfect. While I support chunking up your movement throughout the day to make it more palatable, I also fully support getting out and exercising for larger chunks of time if it fits into your priorities for the day.

Here’s my story:

When I really got into the habit of exercising for myself, it was tough. I would feel run down and stressed because I wasn’t exercising, but then when I would take time to myself to exercise, I would feel guilty and stressed because I wasn’t spending time with my kids. This cycle continued until I was fully able to commit to myself in realizing that I was a better mom because I took time for myself. 

It was very hard at first. I would leave to go for a run and my kids would straight up tell me how sad they were that I was leaving - even though I assured them I would be home soon. But I kept going. I fought through feelings of mom guilt. And on the days where I didn’t have the fight, I pivoted my priorities. And on those days, I either just worked out at home with the company of my children, or; without guilt, I decided that exercise wasn’t my priority that day. 

Now, when I leave the house to go for a run or go to the gym, the kids just smile and wave and say “see ya later, mom!”. 

In my practice as a physical therapist, I tend to not ask something of my patients that I wouldn’t be willing to do myself. It’s a collaborative effort to spark the joy of relearning what our bodies are capable of, and enjoying movement.

I’m not perfect when it comes to moving my body. Some days it’s forced, other days it comes naturally, but everyday it’s a choice that I get to make. 

The choice is yours, too!