As the end of summer gets closer and school is literally just around the corner, or maybe it’s already started for your kids, it’s easy to forget about your own health and fitness priorities and put them on the back burner.
I know I have so many different emotions going on right now, because my son is starting kindergarten. From being really excited that he’s entering a new exciting stage in life to wondering how he’s going to handle it.
But despite the tears and worry, I know in my heart he’s going to do great.
At one end of the emotional spectrum, there’s some relief if your kids aren’t entering school for the first time. They’ll be at school, and things will get quiet again around the house.
Unless you still have a baby or toddler at home like I still do. Then, not quite so much.
But with the school year comes a whole load of different stress. Like homework, extracurricular activities, waking up earlier (for us it has to be a little later), and carpooling/driving to and from school. Which can all have a negative impact on your health and fitness progress.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a full-time stay-at-home mom or a working mom – raising kids is hard work! And it can be stressful at times. Let’s not even talk about exhausting…
I remember a good friend once told me that parenthood is the most challenging and rewarding experience of your life. And at that time I didn’t understand what she meant, but now I 100% do.
And all those feelings can leave you feeling like it’s hard to keep up with your own self and your health. Add a newborn or up-all-night partying toddler to the mix, and exhaustion reaches a whole new level.
Here are my top 8 ways to stay on track with your health and fitness during the back to school craziness:
Work out in the morning
Working out is something you should do before anyone else in the house wakes up and “and it begins…” as we always say in our house. If that means setting the alarm for earlier, it will be worth it. I promise.
Find out how to find the motivation to work out in the morning.
Working out first thing helps you get your workout done and out of the way, so you can get on with the rest of your day and not have to worry about it.
It also helps prevent you from coming up with excuses later on like you’re just too tired.
And if you do need to miss a workout because let’s say your toddler started partying at 5am and hasn’t napped since they were 20 months old, it’s not the end of the world.
Find out what to do if you miss a workout.
Not regularly working out yet? Contact me , and we can work together to find the right solution for your specific goals.
Work out from home
This is one of those things that can help save an extra 20+ minutes of your day and that’s if your favorite gym is only 10 minutes away.
But there are many different workout streaming platforms out there now, that it’s become hard to choose just one.
After trying out almost every single workout streaming platform out there are my two favorites so far depending on your health and fitness goals. This is based on cost and what you’re getting in return:
- Weight loss: I know you’ll find a lot of different opinions out there when it comes to the best workout streaming services. But after trying most of them, my favorite workout streaming service for weight loss is definitely Beachbody On Demand. My Beachbody On Demand review explains why I feel this way.
- Yoga, Fitness & Meditation: One of my favorite workout streaming sites that’s definitely better for those who’d like to follow classes and aren’t necessarily in need of a set nutrition plan is Alo Moves. They have a ton of different style classes – it almost always feel like you’re working out with the instructor in their private studio or a private class every single day. Read my Alo Moves review to learn more.
Prep your workout space the night before
This is something I do every night before bed.
I look at my workout schedule to see what workout is tomorrow or look at the options to decide what workout I want to do if I’m not following a particular program, then prep my workout space with everything I need from weights to yoga mat to bands to yoga blocks, etc.
I also get my workout clothes ready and put them next to bed, so after my morning affirmations, I can just climb of bed, get dressed and get moving.
Get outside at least once a day
Whether you’re playing with your kids, going for a long walk with the dog or just getting outside for some alone time, getting outside into nature can be therapeutic. Don’t believe me? Try it!
Getting outside can help you more easily handle any stress back to school brings. Which will help keep your weight loss going strong. Do this in addition to your workout if you’re already following a workout program.
Meal plan and prep
Meal planning and prepping will help everyone in your home when it comes to the fun morning brings.
It will also help you stay on track with healthy eating. Because if you’re scrambling around every morning throwing everything together, it will add more stress – which can prevent weight loss and even add more weight.
It can also have you eating too much or too little, which are both not going to help you lose weight.
Learn more about how to meal prep & beginners meal planning meal.
Manage stress
This is a big one when it comes to staying on track with your fitness during the back to school craziness, because stress hormones cause you to retain weight.
That’s right. Heightened cortisol levels can make your body hold onto fat as a survival mechanism instead of burning it. That means it doesn’t matter how many calories you’re eating or how many calories your workouts are burning – you are not going to lose any weight. You may even gain.
Here are my favorite ways to manage stress – really, they’re just things that make me happy. I highly encourage you to come up with a list of your own favorite things:
- Working out
- Getting outside and go for a walk
- Reading a personal development book or other favorite book.
- Dancing to my favorite music
- Playing with my kids/pets and enjoying every moment
- Doing yoga
- Meditating
- Taking a long, hot bath with my favorite bath bomb
- Doing something artistic
- Baking with my son
- Calling a friend
I also like box breathing if I find myself getting anxious. Box breathing is when you inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, release your breath for 4 seconds, then hold for another 4 seconds. I envision inhaling light, peace and harmony and exhaling any grayness, stress or anxiety.
Set new fitness goals
Back to school is a great time to reassess where you currently are in your fitness journey and where you want to be.
What areas of your fitness could use improvement? Where are you already doing a good job?
Here are some fitness goals you could potentially work towards:
- Consistency: showing up daily, not just when it’s convenient
- Morning workout: Switching to an early morning workout can help you succeed.
- Weight loss: this includes lowering measurements and fitting into clothes better – not just the number on the scale
- Endurance: This includes goals like running a 5K or being able to keep up the non-modifier in your workout or getting in all the reps without having to pause.
- Eating better: This means really making sure you get the right amount of foods in each day to help you function at an optimal level and reach your health and fitness goals
- Being more active: This is activity outside of your regular fitness schedule, which can help you live a happier, healthier, longer life.
- Sleeping more: This is always looked over when it comes to fitness, but not getting enough sleep can really mess up your weight loss effort and your workout performance.
Conclusion
Sticking with your normal fitness routine during back to school time can be crazy to manage. And once school starts, it’s another issue as schedules fill up with other activities. However if you take the necessary steps to prepare yourself ahead of time, you can stay on track during back to school time.
And if you’ve already done this before, remember that you’ve done this before and you’ve got this!
And if it’s your first time like me and you’re a rookie, take a deep breath and do your best. And remember, this too shall pass.
Have any questions or favorite ways to stay on track with your health and fitness during back-to-school time? Make sure to comment below!
