If it feels impossible to stay fit this summer, don’t worry, there’s tried and tested ideas so you can keep strong.
Do you remember how summer holidays as a kid used to stretch on forever? How it felt like there wasn’t an end in sight to all those weeks of making camps, going to camps, picnics, trips to the seaside and dare I say it, being somewhat bored? If you’re a parent, you might be one of the many who finds that summer holidays still seem to stretch on forever. But it’s less fun and more filled with organising child care, making packed lunches, packing suitcases, buying yet more snacks, diarising play dates and shaking sand from shoes. Can you relate?
One thing which falls off the radar for mums especially during summer holidays is fitness. Without the routine of nursery or school, even just finding the headspace to plan what and when can become too much.
As a mum to three young boys, I’ve personally experienced these challenges. And over the years, I’ve found ways to ‘find my fit’ during the summer holidays. After all, the real benefits lie in improved resilience, being better able to cope with curveballs (and the constant call of ‘more snacks, more snacks!’), more energy and that all important feelgood factor.
Try these proven methods to stay fit this summer:
- Move together: What’s important to children? Activities with the people they love best. Whether it’s a walk (you can make it interesting by turning it into a treasure hunt), or a run with your child on a bike, or even setting them up with their own equipment), make it a fun thing to do together.
- Find a tribe: Motivation isn’t something we have an endless supply of. Having other likeminded women around you though, will help keep that topped up and keep you consistent.
- Don’t think, just do: Don’t think too much about what exercise to do. This can take up valuable time; keep it to the basics such as squats, lunges, press-ups (against a counter, bench or on the floor) etc.
- Be ready for all opportunities: There’s nothing worse than realising you’ve missed an opportunity to fit your workout or yoga session in because your trousers are too restrictive. Loose comfortable clothing will allow you to do yoga or pilates sequences without needing to change. And if you’ve not got a sports bra on, but have a spare 20 minutes, opt for a no-impact workout.
- Adapt to your environment: There’s so much you can do with what’s around you. Summer holidays mean it’s likely you’ll be exploring different areas so be inventive with what you do. Use the monkey bars in the playground to hang from (great for decompressing the spine and stretching and strengthening shoulders), embrace walking on sand or pebbles (it works your feet in different ways), or jump off fall tree trunks in the woods. Use your imagination to find ways to move – it might not be what your exercise usually looks like, but sometimes it’s good to mix things up.
- Little and often: Instead of aiming for a long session once a week, try to get that in over the week. Even 3 minute workouts across the week can be effective. And short workouts are usually easier to fit in to busy schedules.
- Fight for your right: Everyone exercises for different reasons, from being a mental health boost, to feel good vibes, to health reasons and more. Put plans in place and have conversations with your partner or family member to make sure this can happen. Women are sometimes too good at putting their own needs last and if your workouts are a necessity for you, do what you can to keep these going.
- Team up with others: There will be many other mums struggling to keep up with their fitness over summer. Are there ways you can work together to help each other out? For example, organise a play date in an enclosed playground and while one person is looking after the children, another could be doing a lap of the streets or park and you tag team when they return.
- Stay strong online: Sign up to a specially designed programme such as Summer Strong to help keep you motivated and stay fit this summer. It is designed especially for parents and incorporates short home workouts with daily movement snacks. Find your tribe in the exclusive WhatsApp group to keep you motivated and moving.
- Reframe: And finally (and this is the most important one of all), get rid of expectation and replace it with appreciation. If summer is going to knock your normal fitness sideways, make peace with that, and find alternative ways of keeping moving.
It’s important to keep moving in a purposeful way during the summer holidays and while it may feel harder, it can be done in a way which works for you. But trial and error is key. Discover what works best for you, and be prepared to adapt this as your child gets older.
Join Summer Strong!
A unique online community just for the summer holidays. This year it runs from 29th July 2024 for 6 weeks and is complete with weekly workouts for all stages of fitness, movement snacks (not the kind you can eat), essential stretches.
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