As a parent, your life is a massive balancing act. You have to juggle caring for your children with your work, household chores, and other responsibilities. This might make it seem as though there’s not much time to work on your personal goals, like getting fit. But we’re going to look at why getting fit as a parent isn’t just important for your family, but how it’s also a realistic goal to have.
Why It Matters
So, why does it matter whether you keep fit as a parent or not? One way to think about it is to compare it to first aid. One of the primary principles of first aid is that, if you and another person are injured, you should treat yourself first. This means that you will be better able to take care of the other person.
As a parent, you’re the ultimate first-aider. You take care of all of your children’s needs, from their physical needs to their emotional and mental ones. Does this mean that you always put yourself first, to the detriment of your child? Obviously not, but you do need to look after yourself so that you can do your job as a parent better.
How does fitness play into this? Being fit and healthy means that you can more easily meet your child’s needs and you can stay healthy for longer. Studies have found that people who are fitter in their adulthood actually age more slowly. So, by looking after your fitness while your children are still young, you can maintain your health and youth for longer. As your children grow up, you are less likely to develop certain health problems, and you’ll have more energy.
This means that you can be more present for your children and, in some cases, your grandchildren. More energy is always a good thing, especially because it allows you to keep up with your kids as they play. Even better, you set a good example for your children so they’re more likely to be more interested in their health and fitness as well.
Exercise and Self-Care
Exercise is important for your physical health, but it’s also a great way to keep on top of your mental health. We all need time to ourselves, and exercise can be your way to have a hobby or an interest that is completely yours. Even if you do share some of your exercise time with your spouse or kids, you can still set your own fitness goals to work towards.
Having and meeting goals is a great way to enjoy a more fulfilling life. There’s something inherently satisfying about being able to track your improvement over time. As you get stronger and beat your personal best, you can be proud of your accomplishments and build an identity as a whole person, not just a parent.
Exercise can also be good for your mental and emotional health because it changes how you look. Having children can rob you of your sleep, it can mess up your routine, and if you’ve been pregnant, it can have a massive impact on your body shape. This is to be expected, and it doesn’t mean that you’re no longer attractive just because you look different.
However, some people find it helpful to be able to reclaim control over their body after having children. This might mean losing some weight or building your confidence again by working out and becoming stronger.
It might take time, and you might not look the same as you did ten years ago, but that isn’t the end of the world. The important thing is that you’re happy and confident in your appearance, and you’re physically healthy enough to keep up with your children.
The great thing about exercise is that you aren’t limited to just one thing. If going to the gym appeals to you, great. If not, then you can find other ways to exercise. You can play sports with other people, so you also get the social benefits of working out. Or you can go cycling or jogging, or whatever else appeals to you.
Diet and Supplements
While exercise is an important part of keeping yourself fit and healthy, it’s not all there is. Another thing you need to consider is your diet.
For example, if you’re trying to lose weight, your calorific intake is far more important than how much you exercise. Yes, exercise will help you burn calories and it will improve your strength and cardiovascular health, as well as boost your metabolism as you build more muscle. However, you need to pair it with a good diet.
In short, if you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you’ll lose weight. It sounds simple, but every person has a different calorific need. As a general rule, bigger people burn more calories, which is why building muscle can actually help you lose weight more quickly. But different people have different metabolic rates. So, just because one person loses or gains weight when they eat a certain amount of food, it doesn’t mean the same will apply to you.
As well as thinking about how much you eat, you also need to consider what you eat. If you want to lose weight and build muscle, which is often a good way to get more toned, it’s best to eat a more protein-heavy than carb-heavy diet. Your body uses protein to build and repair muscle, and if you eat fewer carbs, you will find that you burn more fat.
You can have a delicious diet while also eating healthily. By eating more vegetables and protein sources and reducing the amount of carbs and unhealthy fats you eat, you can enjoy your food. Use seasonings and spices to make things more delicious, so it’s easier to feed your family with this kind of diet. You also don’t need to feel too restricted and refuse to eat anything but a very rigid diet, but it’s best to think about what you eat on a daily basis.
As well as having a good everyday diet, you can add more protein and other nutrients by using supplements. For example, an egg white protein supplement is a fantastic way to naturally add more protein to your diet without anything else that you don’t want. Protein supplements and powders like this don’t have a strong taste, which makes them ideal for adding to meals or even smoothies.
Exercise as a Family
If you want to balance your new fitness routine with your family time, then you should exercise with your family as well. You don’t need to only exercise with your children, as you might want to go to the gym or do things that wouldn’t interest them. Also, if exercise is your alone time, you shouldn’t feel obligated to change that completely.
However, by exercising with your children, you encourage them to keep fit as well. You don’t have to be a drill sergeant, but you can find fun ways to let them join in with your journey.
One great way to exercise as a family is to go on hikes or bike rides together. You have fun and explore nature with your family, and you can set a pace that your children will be comfortable and happy with.
You can also play sports with your children. Badminton, tennis, and other sports are great for families. Find a way to play sports without being too competitive. If this is a problem, then something like rock climbing or swimming might be perfect. You can have fun, keep fit, and build memories with your family as well.
Building a Routine
One of the most important things you can do as a person and as a family is to build a routine. If you want to go to the gym and work out, then find times to do it that work for you. You might find that early mornings are best because you can work out before your kids need to get up for school, and you can give yourself a needed boost for the day. Or maybe you want to work out while they’re in school or during the evenings.
When your kids are young, you might not be able to work out every day or for long periods of time. But it’s important to start to build your routine early on.
This is even more true if you’re planning on working out with your family. Your children might not be able to do much, but if you play a sport once a week or so, you build a habit for yourself and your family.
If you have a routine, it’s easier to keep going. You don’t have to force yourself to exercise if it’s something you do each day, every few days, or each week. Just build a routine that works for your needs.
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