A Doable exercise routine for busy moms
You don’t need to do a crazy one hour workout to see the results you want. Here is a busy moms exercise routine that you can consistently stick to and do every day.
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Daily workout Routine for busy moms
This daily workout routine for busy moms is a quick cardio workout paired with some full body weight exercises and you will be reaching your goals in no time!
| Day of the week | Workout |
| Monday | 15 min Cardio (bike, run, Elliptical) Glute Bridges Push Ups |
| Tuesday | Glute Bridges Pushups Squats Stationary Lunges |
| Wednesday | 10 min HIIT (bike, Elliptical, run) Jumping Jacks |
| Thursday | Glute Bridges Pushups Squats Stationary Lunges Plank |
| Friday | 15 min Cardio (bike, run, Elliptical) Glute Bridges Push Ups |
| Saturday | 20 Min Cardio |
| Sunday | Rest |
If you want more than just body weight, you can add dumbbells and ankle weights to any of the above workouts.
Don’t get caught up in the lie or the Social Media façade, that to get in shape you need a crazy long intense workout schedule & extreme diets, its 100% not true.
My Daily Exercise Routine as a Busy Mom
I understand feeling too busy to work out every day as a busy mom. I’m juggling four kids, ages 9 and under, a set of twins, working, being a wife to hard working husband, so I get it!
I’ve learned over the years that short quick exercises work better for me. I have a morning routine that I enjoy, and it jumps starts my day for me.
I do not have a glamorous workout studio or gym membership. I literally workout on the floor of my bedroom closet.
I have a yoga mat, two 8 pound dumbbells and a set of ankle weights. I have a Peloton bike in my garage for my cardio, and the road right outside my door. Before the bike I had an Elliptical I bought used on Craigslist.
Nothing glamorous going on over here! haha. But let me tell you, this easy daily exercise routine for busy moms WORKS!
Four kids later and I’m still working out daily and feeling great!
I follow the above daily workout routine, plus add some daily exercises with my kids (see below), good healthy nutritious foods (see below), drink lots of water, and give my self lots of grace.
At the end of the week I’m happy that I spent the week moving my body, staying active and being a present mom.
But First, Know your “Why”
Being consistent in working out requires knowing your why. Goals are very helpful and motivating, but eventually your goal will change, will come and go, or feel too hard, and you will want to give up.
Having a strong “inner why” that stays with you, can push you and help you stay committed and consistent.
For me, my “why” has to do with my past and my future. I watched my mom struggle with weight loss, constant diet fads and programs, and feeling frustrated and depressed.
I didn’t want that for myself. So I’ve made regularly weekly exercise a priority in my life since a young age.
Secondly, Cardiovascular Heart Disease is hereditary in my family and I’ve watched several family members struggle with quality of life due to this disease. Having a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise is one proven way to combat hereditary heart disease.
Thirdly, I’ve struggled with my thoughts and attitude with being a mom. I’ve had thoughts of “I hate being a mom“.
So for me, exercise helps me feel good about myself and helps me mentally stay in a positive attitude about being a stay-at-home mom, as it is great for self care.
Know Your Why. Put it on a sticky note and put the sticky note on your mirror, gym bag, or work out equipment to help remind you.
Exercise routine for busy moms that INCLUDES your kids
This season is short, the gym will always be there, but your kids won’t always be young. Here are some exercises you can do throughout the day with your kids.
1. A walk to the park or around your neighborhood
2. Pushups & sit ups while playing with the kids on the floor (include them!)
3. Kids Yoga! A fun activity to do with your kids! Check out Cosmic Kids Yoga and squeeze in some quick Yoga exercise while your kids are very entertained.
Bonus: I love when my kids watch and join me in my exercising. Creates healthy habits for your kids. I use this Yoga Mat daily!
3. Squats while holding them or SHHHing them
4. Leg exercises while brushing your teeth (I do this daily!)
5. Lifting groceries in and out of the car
6. Playing tag, sports or riding bikes with your kids
7. Laps in the pool while the kids are swimming instead of just lounging or sitting in a chair
Here are some good strategies for your exercise routine as a busy mom
1. Wake up early (before your kids)
I truly believe all momentum for the day starts with a good morning routine. Not a rigid inflexible morning routine, but a routine that works for you and you enjoy.
Having a daily exercise routine starts with having a consistent morning routine.
Side note: If you struggle with getting an uninterrupted nights sleep due to your little one constantly waking you up, consider sleep training.
It is hard to function on little to no sleep.
Maybe you think sleep training means cry it out, or maybe you think your baby or toddler is beyond sleep training, neither of those are true.
Sleep training has many benefits for both child and mom, and even the most challenging little sleeper can get the needed sleep. Give the gift of sleep that they whole family will benefit from. Learn more today!
2. Start Small
Like all good intentions, we start off very excited and usually take on way more then we can maintain and consistently commitment to, so we often give up.
Here’s the truth, “movement is movement” and “something is better than nothing”. Little daily exercises add up.
Making small changes are easier to keep and become habits.
Small exercises every day will feel more manageable than long difficult laborious workouts.
Don’t get caught up in the lie or the Social Media façade, that to feel in shape you need a crazy long intense workout schedule, its 100% not true.
3. Don’t be afraid to include your kids
My daughter loves working out with me. Yes, it takes longer and can feel less productive, but I love that my daughter is seeing her mom make her health a priority and I’m hopeful she is learning that exercise is a good thing.
4. Find mom friends with the same goals
Some of my favorite mom memories are long stroller walks with my mom friends. There are many local groups you could get plugged in to.
They encourage exercise and you will also meet amazing mom friends in similar seasons of life as you. It’s what I like to call a “win/win”.
Stroller Strides has many chapters in several cities, see if your community has one.
5. Have patience with yourself
Like anything, results take time so please give yourself grace as you refine this new habit. Your workouts won’t look perfect, always feel amazing or see results immediately, but that’s ok! It’s a marathon not a sprint.
6. Make it fun!
Laugh, make memories, do it with friends, play loud music, listen to an inspirational podcast. It doesn’t have to be glamorous.
7. Have a Weekly Challenge
It can help to have small goals along the way to stay motivated and to not get discouraged.
Sample Challenges:
- Ab Challenge
- Push Up Challenge
- Plank Challenge
- Squat Challenge
- Steps Challenge
8. Have a workout buddy or accountability partner
It makes a huge difference to do this with someone. Go on a walk with a friend every day, meet a friend at the gym, or text/call a friend regularly to give updates of your progress and celebrate your successes.
9. Write down and celebrate your success!
Yes, even the small victories! Tell a friend, a spouse, your kids. Your successes will motivate you to keep going.
10. Don’t give up
Don’t give up or throw in the towel. Just be consistent.
11. Make it work for you
Like anything in life, if it feels too rigid, it won’t last. Tweak your daily exercise (time, location, type of workout, music playlist) till it FITS YOU!
Just like your morning routine, you should leave feeling better, happier, stronger and want to do it again. This is for you, so adjust till it feels good to you.
12. Make it a priority
Block out time in your calendar, on the days you are exercising, so this becomes just as important as a Doctor’s appointment or a work meeting. Be consistent.
13. Meal Plan
Exercise and eating healthy go hand in hand. It is hard to chose healthy foods at the end of the day when you are tired and dealing with kids.
Plan ahead (another Mom Hack!) to make it easy on you to assure you are prepared.
Related Post: 5 Meal Planning Hacks – How I save HOURS Each week
14. Be Flexible
This come up, kids get sick, schedules change. You may have found the perfect time that you love to workout and then one day something comes up and it’s not going to work that day.
Pivot, be flexible, be willing to change things up. Allow it to look different that day, but don’t throw in the towel, don’t give up, don’t quit.
Try to squeeze a quick workout in later at a different time, change the type of exercise for that day if needed. Stay the course, be flexible.
How Many Times A Week Should I Workout In My Exercise Routine For Busy Moms?
3 – 5 days is a good place to start.
At the beginning you are introducing a new routine to your schedule, so the more consistent you can be, the better.
You want this new routine to become a habit; something that you naturally do and don’t have to think extra hard about, something you enjoy and feel lacking when not done.
To get to this place, it takes time and consistency.
How do I motivate myself to workout more regularly?
Even though this exercise routine for busy moms is easy, many times it comes down to motivation. We just don’t feel like working out sometimes. I get that!
Here are some tips to keep you motivated when you just don’t feel like exercising.
1. Don’t over complicate it
Keep it simple. If you try to do too much, you might get overwhelmed.
2. Cute workout outfits can help
Having a workout outfit that you feel good in helps a lot! Have your clothes laid out so they are easy to put on in the morning. No excuses.
But don’t put too much emphasis on the outfit. I have literally workout in a sports bra and short (or even just my underwear), by myself in my bedroom.
3. Have small attainable goals
Make sure your goal is SMART (Specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable and time bound.
Once you reach your SMART goal, celebrate and reward yourself with something.
4. Join a group
Work out with a friend, sign up for a class. Whatever you need to do for the accountability that will keep you from quitting and help you enjoy your new habit.
5. Read Motivational and positive quotes that inspire you
Read them, post them on your mirror, post them on your exercise equipment, on your refrigerator, have them accessible on your phone.
When you feel discouraged read them to get you motivated to keep going.
6. Sleep is important in your exercise routine for busy moms
Sometimes you lack motivation simple because you are tired. If you are in bed at a reasonable time and get a good night’s sleep, you will be more likely to have the energy and desire to get up the next day ready to workout and have a productive day with your kids.
If you are up all night due to kids, have you looked in to implementing a sleep schedule and sleep training?
This was game changing for me! It allowed me to start adding exercise back in to my schedule more quickly because my babies were getting great sleep, and so I was too! win/win!
Nutrition is Key In Your Exercise Routine For Busy Moms
What you eat can have just as an impact (if not more!) then your exercise.
During seasons when you are not able to regularly / daily exercise, hone in on your food and up the amount of nutritious food you are eating.
Drink more water
Eat more healthy
- A daily smoothie – I’ve used a smoothie recipe book for years! Then you know your smoothie will taste delicious and will have all of the important ingredients perfect for weight loss.
- Yogurt + Granola
- Banana + Peanut/Almond butter
- Avocado on Whole Grain Toast
- Tuna, whole Grain Crackers & String Cheese
- Oatmeal
- Salads
- Breakfast burrito loaded with spinach, peppers, onions and some cheese
HomeChef
After many years of getting frustrated and getting in disagreements with my husband over trying to cook healthier, we found HomeChef! It’s been a game changer for our marriage and eating healthier.
If you feel you are at your wits end with trying to eat healthier and it hasn’t clicked yet, I would highly encourage a meal service plan, like HomeChef. We are 3 years strong, faithful, happy customers!
Consistency Is Hard, Give Yourself Grace
I am not providing these tips without recognizing how hard it can feel at times. It’s hard!
Staying active, daily movement, exercise, eating well, it can all feel hard during those tough seasons.
I look back now and I am so thankful I persevered, staying consistent, and learning to enjoy and celebrate my successes!
Your kids will thank you too!
Recap On An Exercise Routine For Busy Moms
- Movement is movement – small quick daily exercises add up!
- Staying consistent is KEY
- Make it a priority – block out time on your calendar
- You don’t need a gym to daily and regularly move your body
- This is just a season, and if you find yourself not able to hit the gym regularly, or even at all, that is OK!
- Focus on trying to move your body everyday, being ok that it may look different.
Don’t Have Time In Your Day For An Easy Exercise Routine For Busy Moms?
You just need to shift and adjust your schedule, and I have just the solutions you are looking for! If you feel like you don’t have the time, check out these time saving mom hacks to give yourself more time in your day to focus on YOU! So you can make exercising a priority!
- Benefits of online grocery shopping (a HUGE time saver!!)
I truly hope this doable daily exercise routine for busy moms motivates and encourages you to start moving today.
Please leave a comment as I would love to hear from you!
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