Many Moms Not As Active As They Think
When asked how they stay so slim, celebrity moms will often answer vaguely, "Oh, I burn it all off chasing my kids." That might be true, considering the latest celebrity trend: eating air.
But, a new study suggests that chasing your kids really isn't much of a workout after all.
So why am I so tired at the end of every day?
Parenting can be mentally and physically exhausting. When researchers at the Central College in Pella, Iowa, measured the daily physical activity of 58 mothers of young children, they discovered that most of the women reported getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise in every day.
In reality, only about a third of the women were. And, those women were taking part in regular, scheduled workouts.
It's common for parents -- especially women -- to let exercise slide off their list of growing responsibilities. But exercise isn't just good for physical fitness, it's also a natural way to combat stress and depression. Instead of avoiding exercise, try one of these tips for fitting it into your new way of life:
- Invest in a quallity jogging stroller. These are far easier to push than regular strollers, and can handle off-road terrain so that you can visit your favorite trails, too. We used ours so much, it wore out.
- Ditto on the bike trailer -- or at least some sort of safe and sturdy carrier that your baby can ride in while you bike. Our kids are on their own bikes now, but we still use the trailer to run for groceries, or for beach, or picnic supplies.
- Put it on your schedule. My husband comes home for lunch every day, and in those early years, he'd find me standing by the door with my shoes on ready to go for a brisk, 30 minute walk while he entertained the kids. Find a time that works in your day, and make an unbreakable date.
- Instead of getting a sitter for date night, have them come over on a weekend afternoon and plan an active date with your spouse. You'll both be healthier for it, and it's much better bonding time than staring at a movie screen.
- Even though chasing your kids isn't a workout, you can workout with your kids. A favorite indoor activity of many parents is just blasting music and dancing in the living room with their kids. I can remember once, when my kids were really tiny, being desperate enough that I worked out to the Wiggles.
What's your favorite tip for working out when you've got small children in the house?
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Created / Updated: August 19, 2010
I think a lot of mothers end up losing weight quickly if they are breast feeding - that's a big calorie burner.
ReplyI agree, Ann. I've had no problems losing my baby weight, and I certainly didn't diet or exercise extremely. BF is a huge factor.
ReplyI think I must be the only woman alive who DIDN'T lose weight while breastfeeding. My kids were always sick, too. Oh well...
ReplyLook if moms want to delude themselves, that's their business. I'm tired of arguing with idiots.
ReplyYeah, it really bugs me when Hollywood moms say in their interviews: "Oh, yeah, I just ate whatever I wanted and chased after my kids. That's how I lost my baby weight". What they forget to mention is that "whatever I wanted"=kale soup and half a piece of steamed fish and "chasing kids" is in conjunction with 2 hour gym workouts every day.
ReplyThere is a financial/prestige stake in projecting a fantasy image to the public. As if they are not made of the same biological stuff as the rest of us.
ReplyAnn, breastfeeding *is* a big calorie burner, but what they don't tell you... you're WAY hungrier than you were when you were pregnant!
Replyno joke! And you're stuck breastfeeding - sitting- when you could be moving. especially for a small infant, it's a few hundred Calories a day... and you're sitting and feeding much more of the day. (I know my daughter wouldn't take a bottle even if I had wanted to express milk for her) Worth it for other reasons (I intend on nursing to the two years recommended by the World Health Organization), but I absolutely wouldn't breastfeed for weight loss! Not even including all the paranoia everyone heaps upon you about you possibly hurting your milk supply!
I was breastfeeding exclusively and running a marathon by 3 months postpartum and was still above my prepartum weight.
ReplyBreastfeeding is a big calorie burner, that's for sure. But after that first year (and during), you still have to adjust your workout habits to adjust to your new lifestyle. I know a lot of moms who are still trying to take off the "baby weight" 5, 6, or even 10 years later!
ReplyYes, Breastfeeding is a major calorie burner. And after I stopped nursing my child when she reached 2, I started using Flow. It helped me burn out my calories even in my work place, just by sitting on my seat.
ReplyCheck it out at www.thewavecorporation.com
I've been using it for about 10 mins each day and actually the results started showing up in a weeks time.