Top Tips for Busy Moms to Get Back in Shape

About the author: Michelle Robinson is the founder of Modern Day Moguls, a Nashville-based lifestyle blog. Modern Day Moguls was created to keep moms on trend while helping them step out of their comfort zone. Michelle lives in the Nashville burbs, where she spends time exploring the city with her husband, two children, and pup.

You know how moms are. We put everyone else's needs above our own and even develop a twinge of guilt at the thought of taking care of ourselves first. It’s our greatest strength as well as our greatest weakness. It starts with necessity. We have these incredible humans we want to do nothing but nurture and care for. The long days of laying around and cuddling are more important than anything else, as it should be!

Then you blink and realize you have been sitting in traffic trying to get to one after-school activity on time while knowing you are going to be late to the next. You start to think, where has the time gone? How did my baby weight morph into middle schooler weight?

It’s not that we don’t have the time, it’s just that other things that seem to be more important at the time take precedence. This is when habits are formed. The bad kind of habits. The kind that makes us more exhausted, more uncomfortable in our own jeans, and less likely to join in and splash with the kids because we are self-conscious.

Since none of us are going to be getting any less busy anytime soon, we need to figure out how to make use of the time we have in order to reach the goals we once had (that we let slide and fizzle out).

One of the biggest hurdles we have to overcome after years of not giving ourselves what it deserves is fatigue. We aren’t just rightfully tired, we are exhausted, and it’s not from just “mommying”. It’s from not taking care of ourselves first.

Need help putting yourself first? Don’t we all. Find below 8 small changes that can make a huge difference.

Fit in Exercise When You Can

There are so many reasons why exercise should be part of your daily routine. Whether you wake up early to make sure it’s done or you build it into your day by doing simple movements periodically so your body and mind will thank you. Exercise doesn’t have to be something you loathe. You need to find something you enjoy doing and sticking with it. Since you are going to be chasing the kids anyways, you might as well chase them on rollerblades and imagine yourself on that Roller Derby team you used to dream about. Oh wait, maybe that’s just me.

Drink Water

So many signals to our brain get jumbled when we aren’t drinking the right amount of water. Are we tired? Are we hungry or just thirsty? Not to mention if I’m going to work on getting back in shape I need the elasticity in my skin to bounce back too and with hydrated skin, this becomes so much easier.

Keep Healthy Snacks on Hand at All Times

Things pop up. Kids forgot their homework. Meetings get rescheduled. Appointments take longer than expected. Daily, I count on at least one unplanned disruption and not having good food to keep me going until meal time results in bad decisions. So as you are making the kid's breakfast or lunch, go ahead and add yours too. Grab a lunch box you can throw in your purse and you are set. I also like to keep a few non-perishables in the car just to be safe. Not only does this help keep us on track but it also keeps us from spending unnecessary money on food while out and about.

Sleep

When we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies overcompensate by craving junk and sugar to give it the energy to keep going. Eating healthy and exercising is harder when you aren’t rested. Not to mention moods are affected, productivity plummets, and workouts suffer, making it harder to reach those goals. When you are working hard to get back in shape, you need the rest at night to recover to be able to do it all again. It’s proven women need more sleep than men. Take advantage. Go to bed early and sleep in (at least until the coffee is made)

Get Outside

So much of getting back in shape is mental and getting outside to escape the noise is imperative for success. Grab the family, grab the dog, and hit the road. Letting your kids see you take care of yourself will only give them the confidence to do the same. This helps get your mom brain in shape and thinking clearer.

Wear the Yoga Pants

But then you really need to go to yoga (or whatever you love). Once I put on my real clothes for the day, the only other thing I am putting on is PJs at the end of the day. So if I start my day by putting on the gear, I am setting the intention that it will happen.

Grab a Friend

So much easier to do with a support group. Start one virtually or with friends, family, neighbors, your kids, coworkers, etc. Having someone to hold you accountable will increase your chances for success. Not to mention, it is just more fun.

truSculpt^® iD

I am a huge proponent in getting a jumpstart. Progress is slow enough, but when we see results, it gives us the motivation to keep going. That’s why I am digging truSculpt iD, a non-surgical body-sculpting treatment that provides personalized treatments in as little as 15 minutes, with no downtime.

Not all bodies are created equally, right? I mean we all have that friend that started drinking celery juice and now fits into her middle school jeans. Then there are others, like me, no matter how hard you work, you still need a little help achieving that ideal body you have in your head. When you feel good about how you look on the outside, you also feel good about yourself on the inside.

I promise you, momma, you can get your groove back. With hard work and dedication, you can get to feeling like the person you once were or strived to be. Being confident in your outward appearance and feeling good on the inside will make you feel like you can conquer the world - and you can!