Staying Fit in Your Season
This week at One Year and Beyond we are sharing ideas for keeping in shape while caring for a toddler!
Each season of life brings it's own blessings and challenges. In this season with a little one in the house, I am learning how important it is to use my time on what truly matters - God, serving my family, building relationships, taking care of my health. E is growing up so fast and he is SO busy. I hope I'm a pro at this whole time management thing before I have a 2-year-old and a newborn in the house (wishful thinking).
Everyone is busy and we all have the same 24-hours. It's so easy to let exercise fall by the wayside but that's the worst thing we could do! Staying in shape actually gives you more energy for the day and I'll take all the natural energy I can get!
2. Get active with playtime. Playing with your toddler is a great form of exercise. I know a solid game of hide and seek gets my heart pumping! Play kickball outside, climb on the local playground or just run in circles - they all help to burn of a little of that toddler energy!
3. Make house/yard-work fun. E loves to help around the house and the yard right now and I'm guessing this stage won't last into his teens. Cleaning the house and yard work count as a good form of cross-training and it keeps him busy!
We wash the floor using towels on our feet and "skating" around the house. Martha Stewart probably wouldn't approve, but Pippy Longstockings does! (See her technique here.)
4. Workout with your toddler. Take your kiddo for a jog in the stroller or roll out the yoga mat in the house. (If you are using weights, beware of small fingers and toes!) Eventually, your toddler may develop their own special exercise "routine".
E usually jumps all over my mat and then lays down to kick his legs. (I must look crazy when I work out.) Here was E's first burpee that he didn't realize he was doing:
Working his way up again...
And going for the big "jump"!
5. Share a healthy snack. Especially with Baby #2 growing, it's very important to keep snacks around the house. Might as well choose something healthy!
E and I usually split an apple or banana but yesterday we found a new special treat: Homemade "Luncheable" sandwiches! Blame it on the pregnancy hormones, I haven't had a Luncheable in years but I have been craving them like crazy. Turns out, the homemade ones are even better!
Linking up at One Year and Beyond and Fitness Fridays.
Each season of life brings it's own blessings and challenges. In this season with a little one in the house, I am learning how important it is to use my time on what truly matters - God, serving my family, building relationships, taking care of my health. E is growing up so fast and he is SO busy. I hope I'm a pro at this whole time management thing before I have a 2-year-old and a newborn in the house (wishful thinking).
Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Psalm 90:12 NLTWhen it comes to staying fit in this season, chasing a toddler all day burns a lot of energy but it is still very important to be intentional about working out. Wrangling E doesn't really push my heart rate up super high (except when I'm panicking) and it doesn't work each muscle group.
Everyone is busy and we all have the same 24-hours. It's so easy to let exercise fall by the wayside but that's the worst thing we could do! Staying in shape actually gives you more energy for the day and I'll take all the natural energy I can get!
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| Playing kickball outside with the dog! |
5 Ways to Stay Fit with a Toddler
1. Exercise while the toddler sleeps. Fit in a workout in the early morning, late at night or even during nap-time. Working out early in the morning is something that I have grown to enjoy! |
| Yes, I have a belly at 8 weeks. You really do show sooner with the second pregnancy! |
2. Get active with playtime. Playing with your toddler is a great form of exercise. I know a solid game of hide and seek gets my heart pumping! Play kickball outside, climb on the local playground or just run in circles - they all help to burn of a little of that toddler energy!
3. Make house/yard-work fun. E loves to help around the house and the yard right now and I'm guessing this stage won't last into his teens. Cleaning the house and yard work count as a good form of cross-training and it keeps him busy!
We wash the floor using towels on our feet and "skating" around the house. Martha Stewart probably wouldn't approve, but Pippy Longstockings does! (See her technique here.)
4. Workout with your toddler. Take your kiddo for a jog in the stroller or roll out the yoga mat in the house. (If you are using weights, beware of small fingers and toes!) Eventually, your toddler may develop their own special exercise "routine".
E usually jumps all over my mat and then lays down to kick his legs. (I must look crazy when I work out.) Here was E's first burpee that he didn't realize he was doing:
Working his way up again...
And going for the big "jump"!
5. Share a healthy snack. Especially with Baby #2 growing, it's very important to keep snacks around the house. Might as well choose something healthy!
E and I usually split an apple or banana but yesterday we found a new special treat: Homemade "Luncheable" sandwiches! Blame it on the pregnancy hormones, I haven't had a Luncheable in years but I have been craving them like crazy. Turns out, the homemade ones are even better!
How do you stay fit in your season of life?
Linking up at One Year and Beyond and Fitness Fridays.
Great tips and sweet toddler pictures! You're an encourager and super mom! {hugs}
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cintia!
DeleteLove these tips! We do a lot of the same things!
ReplyDeleteAnything that keeps those little ones moving seems to work!
DeleteI really should try to get up before my little one does. However, he's some sort of sleep ninja. He wakes up as soon as we start stirring.
ReplyDeleteYes! E went in a streak of being a sleep ninja, too! He doesn't do it as much now, but a friend did recommend setting up a fan or something to buffer out the noise for him. Our rooms are right next door so I swear he listens for mom and dad to get up in the morning...
Delete