The SAHM’s Guide to Staying Active

I’m a Stay at Home Mom {SAHM} … well… Kind of. I guess you could call me a, “Work at Home Mom,” {WAHM} too. I’d say it’s a healthy mix of both. Lucky you, I don’t hide A THING, and show you a reality video clip of my typical mornings, below.

No matter what abbreviation you are…if you’re a mom, who is in her home most of the time, you may find it a challenge to stay active. Trust me when I say,

I HEAR you. Loud and clear.

A few days a week, I have someone come to my house and watch the kiddos, so I can get some work done and errands ran. And on those days, I admit… I sit at my computer,  probably about 80% of the day. So sad, right? But that’s my “job.” I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But do you know what that’s done to my body? Oh snap, you don’t wanna know.

The other day on my Facebook page, I told you all that I was compiling this post, and that I was going to be giving you my tips and tricks of how I stay active as a stay at home mom. So without further ado:

Guess what! I know how much some of you love the video posts, so I’ve given you both the video and text version!

Tips on How to Stay Active as a Stay at Home Mom:

p.s. I’m trying to practice what I preach here. Don’t think I’m an ole pro at this, for one second.

In more detail… 

• Start the day before:  I purposely trick myself in to staying active at times. The night before I know I’m going to be home all day with my kids, and we don’t really have anything planned, I tell my oldest what we are going to do the next day. {i.e. Go to the park, Go shopping, Play with water balloons outside in the yard, etc.}  That kid will hold me to every little detail I promise. So I know, that when I get up the next morning, he’s going to make sure I didn’t forget what I promised. Off to being active, we go!

• Go-to “Pick-me-Up”:  It’s not a secret I love my coffee. I mean… LUUHHHVVEE… my coffee. For goodness sakes, did you see the shirt I made? I always make sure to begin my day with my cup of coffee. Sorry health-nuts… but it gives me an energy that I can’t ignore. {Heck, maybe it’s mental… but I’ll take it.}  So I’m not going to lie. I rely on my morning coffee for energy to help stay active. This could be hot tea for you, or even one of my other favorite “pick-me-ups,”… lemon water.
• Grab Your Shoes:  I kid you not, when I wake up and put my tennis shoes on, I can hardly sit down. Seeing them on my feet encourages me to get up and move. Sitting down with them on, doesn’t allow me to get all comfy in my desk chair or on the couch. {I can’t cross my legs, or let’s get real… crawl in bed with them on, etc.}  It seems so simple, but just having them on, and telling myself not to take them off, works like a charm. I even get out and walk/ride my bike/play with the kids more, because I feel “silly,” just wearing them inside the house. It’s like I need a reason to be wearing them.

Oh… I have my tennis shoes on, because I’m going/went for a run this morning.

sounds a lot better than,

Oh… I have my tennis shoes on, because I wanted to”trick,” myself in to thinking I was going to go for a run this morning.

It’s like I guilt myself for wearing tennis shoes and not doing anything about it. It’s beautiful ignorance.

• Negotiate the Shower:  I hate it. I HAAATE taking a shower and getting ready. I won’t lie; there have been times where I haven’t left the house in 3 or 4 days, and I said, “to heck with a shower.” What’s the point? The kids are just going to get spaghetti o’s in my hair anyway. 😉  But you know when I don’t shower, I tend to sit around more? Yes, really. It’s like the more days that go by, if someone rings the doorbell, and forces me to get up off of the couch, I’ll come at them like a bear trying to hibernate, who was just rudely interrupted. But unexpectedly ring my doorbell after I’ve showered and just gotten ready???? I’m hostess of the year! So some days, I actually trick myself in to showering and “getting ready.” How?  I negotiate with myself. Yes, yes I do. For instance:

Well, if I shower, I don’t have to wash my hair. So that means I don’t have to dry it.

Ha! I just took 20 minutes off of my “getting ready,” routine.

…or

Well I’ll shower, but I’m not freaking shaving.

Whew… that dreaded shower doesn’t sound as bad now.

Then, when I’ve showered, gotten ready, and made myself presentable… I’m ready to hit the town! This outfit & freshly showered mom isn’t going to waste!

So yes, there are days I find shortcuts. But I promise, there are days in there where I do the whole shebang. Those are also the days my husband probably comes home and thinks to himself:

Oh there she IS!

• Turn it Up:  I love this idea. One of my readers, Tenaya, mentioned this when I asked what tips/tricks you had up your sleeves. She said she turns music on to get her active. That works for me too! So turn on Pandora to “80’s Cardio,” like I do, and get with it. Just avoid, the “Laid Back Beach,” station that I typically want to turn on. When I choose the later, I usually find myself sitting on the patio furniture, drinking a margarita as soon as it’s socially acceptable.
• Schedule Play Dates: I have found that when I schedule play dates with other moms, I’m more likely to get-up, and get out of the house. Schedule it at the park, or somewhere you need to “chase,” your kids to make sure they’re alright. Scheduling it at your friends house where they are locked in a basement playroom, while you and the other moms sit and chat while eating the most recent batch of cookies supermom made… isn’t really going to fullfill that active desire you have.

{This is a miniature version of what I look like, eating those cookies.}

• Plan a Shindig at Home:  Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love hosting parties. We all know that. {If you didn’t, you may want take a peek at my slight obsession of party planning that I tend to get carried away with here.}  I’ve noticed when I plan a party at home, I spend a week or even more, ahead of time, working around the house like a mad person, trying to get prepared for the event. Cleaning/Organizing/Decorating… it’s a deadline that I must meet. No time for sitting. So plan an event. Birthday party, couples dinner party, family gathering, whatev.

Those are my FAVORITE go-to ways to stay active as a Stay at Home Mom.

What are your techniques for staying active?  I’d love for you to share your love and inspiration, below in the comments.

Until next time,

XO