Busy Parents Fitness Guide: Four rules to follow for becoming the most effective and healthy parent possible
/Being a parent is NO JOKE: running on little to zero sleep, random school closures or daycare illnesses, clingy toddlers, sports schedules, or simply trying not to lose your shit. It can feel like juggling a set of newly sharpened knives.
I’m not here to tell you that “everyone has the same24 hours in the day”. Definitely not. However, I will tell you that there is a way to achieve health and fitness results as a parent, but it just requires a bit more savvy and a lot more discipline than before. Let me explain.
Rule #1. Control what you can control.
Every schedule, no matter how crazy it is, has a few controlled blocks of time in it. These time blocks can change throughout parenthood and career, but establishing the habit of maximizing these time blocks is paramount. What does that look like? Read on.
Diet: Look at your day as an average; if you can take the guesswork out of 1-2 meals per day, you’ll save yourself the struggle when shit (ultimately) does hit the fan. Pick 1 or 2 different breakfast options and STICK TO THEM; ; one option for workout days, and the other for off days. If you have to miss your workout because your kid gets sick at school, opt for the no-workout meal. Know the calories for each of these meals so it’s a no brainer and a win start to every day.
Also, cook meals at home as much as possible. This is not only easier on the wallet, but far more healthy than ordering in. If you feel tempted by the call of the convenience of those food delivery apps on your phone, try deleting them. Plan ahead your meals, throw something in the crockpot for the crazy days, and keep it as simple as you can.
Workout: Consider your schedule and identify which part of the day is mostly yours? Is it early morning? Mid-day, over lunch? Later at night once the kids are in bed? Who is in your corner to share coverage (at work or at home), so that you can make sure you’re getting your workouts in each week? Maximize nap times, get up 30 minutes earlier (I know it is easier said than done) or communicate with your employer to negotiate some time for you to build in a pump session. Oftentimes, it’s just asking, planning, and executing. If it’s already planned and in the calendar, it’s easier to stick to.
Rule #2. Refocus goals.
The first year or two of having a child may not be the best time to try to get as lean as ever or to compete in that sporting event (some do it, but that’s their journey…not necessarily ours). Health and fitness are for LIFE, which means they have many phases. Recognize what phase you’re in, set realistic goals for that phase, apply rule one, and keep chugging along. Then when phases change and your circumstances adjust, you’re not starting over from the beginning (or a worse place).
Rule #3. Be ruthlessly efficient and consistent with protein and movement.
This is huge. When in doubt, eat protein, especially early in the day. With little ones, the evenings, in particular, tend to go off the rails; so remember Rule 1 and plan for chaos by covering your bases early in the day (before the “witching hour” all parents know is coming) with controlled meals that are high in protein and nutrients.
On the movement side of things, think efficiency and micro dose. As often as you can during the day, move your big joints (shoulders, hips, ankles) as often as you can. This is a great time to utilize CARs (controlled articular rotations), basically taking a joint though its full range of motion, with varied speeds. Here are some examples from Melissa Ray (and Dr. Andreo Spina, creator of FRC) representing the FRC, who popularized this method.
· Hip CARs
Do them AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. Just a rep or two throughout the day. You will be blown away by how much better you feel.
Rule #4. Give yourself grace
Remember the point is HEALTH and FITNESS. It should be enjoyable and make you feel better. Don’t let it create additional stress to an already stressed situation. If it is, then go back through the rules, and refocus the goal and phase, and then on what can be controlled so that stress is decreased.
It’s going to take some planning, there will be slip-ups and bad days; but give yourself grace and just move forward to the next meal, the next workout, the next day, and win it! A lifelong diet and exercise plan is only as effective as the next one. So just keep making sure that next one is better than the last, and sharpening each day just a little bit more. Get up early, prep those meals, have that conversation with your boss and/or partner for scheduling, push that competition back a few years, get up out of that chair as much as you can, just DON’T GIVE UP.
It’s all going to be hard, but if there’s anything I’ve learned as a parent…we can all do hard things. Accept the challenges and lean into it; your kids are watching, and it’s important for them just as much as it is for you.
