A simple workout schedule for stay at home moms

A simple workout schedule for stay at home moms : Finding time in the day to workout or exercise when you’re a stay at home mom is more difficult than you may have first thought. For plenty of us, there’s just not enough time in the day.

But against the popular belief, it is possible to get fit, shape up and become your healthiest you from the comfort of your own home.

You don’t need to break the bank or completely change the way you live your life to achieve new levels of fitness, but implementing a simple workout schedule is a great way to make the first steps to fitness.

What equipment do I need?

The great thing about working out at home is that you don’t need a gym full of equipment to get a good workout in. Instead, just the bare essentials and a solid work ethic should get you the results that you’re after in no time at all.

Water bottle

It’s one of the simplest, but perhaps most important – the water bottle.

A good water bottle that you can rely on is essential when working out to keep hydrated, letting your body perform the way it’s supposed to. I personally always have my Kool 8 water bottle on hand when working out – of course, there’s plenty of other brands out there – but I like to stick with a simple, sleek and stainless steel design that’s built to last.

Medicine ball

The only real equipment on my list of at home essential is a solid, multipurpose medicine ball.

I use a good mid-range 10lb ball from Power Systems, meaning that I can use it for more than just the one exercise, getting the most out of my money. Although it’s not a necessity, to follow my home workout plan, you might struggle without one.

What should I be eating?

Your diet is just as important as your exercises. They say that you are what you eat and, well, that’s still to be disproven, so let’s take a look at what my diet usually consists of.

Fruit and vegetables

Making sure that you’re getting a good selection of fruits and vegetables every day is important in building a healthy lifestyle.

Aiming for 5 portions is not only great for getting all the vitamins that your body needs to thrive, but also helps to bulk up meals with low-calorie options. By increasing the volume of food eaten during meals with vegetables, you’ll stay fuller for longer while eating fewer calories.

This is key for shifting a few pounds while working out at home!

High-quality fats

Focusing on high quality, natural fat will keep your hormone levels good and proper.

Eating plenty of nuts, olive oils and avocado will make sure your body is firing on all cylinders. Where fat has been given a bad rap in the past, we’re now understanding that it’s vital to maintaining a healthy body and healthy mind.

Some high fat, high protein diets have become popular (such as keto) but if you’re just starting out – sticking to making smart choices is perfect.

Protein

The last piece to the puzzle comes protein, probably the most difficult of the macronutrients to find and regularly consume.

High protein diets increase satiety, meaning that you’re staying fuller for longer and avoiding eating too regularly. To make sure I’m getting enough in my diet, I use the healthy meal bars for a snack size protein hit on the go.

Making sure to get high protein snacks is great for preventing hunger from striking throughout the day. I usually consume following my workout to make sure that my hunger stays at bay so I can focus on the rest of my day without worrying about food.

Multivitamins

Multivitamins can be used in conjunction with a healthy diet to optimise vitamin and mineral intake to the perfect levels.

It’s hard to find a vitamin company to trust with your health, so sticking to a premium main brand is ideal. With this, you no longer have to worry that you’re lacking in anything and you know exactly what you’re putting inside.

Supplements, in general, are the final layer on the cake, but with a good multivitamin, you can’t go wrong. Anything else on top is extra.

The workout

If you’re looking for simplicity in a workout, it doesn’t get better than a full body routine that can be done 2-3x per week.

For this workout, we’re going to be focusing on body weight and medicine ball exercises that you can do in the comfort of your own home. The workout will take the form of a circuit, meaning each exercise should be done for 60 seconds before moving onto the next with no rest.

1. Medicine ball twists

Starting with the medicine ball grasped between both hands, sit on the floor in a crunch position. Lift your legs 4-5 inches in the air and begin touching the medicine ball on the floor to your left and right alternatively. Keep the core braced and your legs in the air.

2. Chair tricep dips

Grab a chair from the dining room and sit down normally. Put your hands on the front edge of the chair and slide so your weight is on the chair through your hands and the floor through your feet.

Slowly dip by bending the elbows to 90 degrees before extending to the starting position. Continue this movement until the time runs out.

3. Medicine ball bicep curls

Similar to a regular bicep curl, grab the medicine ball with both hands, on either side. Pull your shoulders back and keep your elbows in the same place, acting as a pivot. Slowly bring the medicine ball up so the elbows are at 90 degrees before returning to the starting position. Continue this movement until the time runs out.

4. Push-ups

A staple in bodyweight and home routines, the simple push-up is one of the all-time greats.

Lie face down on the floor and push yourself up with your hands, fully extending the elbows and keeping them a shoulders width apart. Keep your body straight and bend the elbows until facing the ground and push up to complete. Repeat the movement for the remaining time.

5. Medicine ball squats

Last up, we have medicine ball squats.

Holding the medicine ball against the chest with crossed arms, keep your feet a shoulders width apart and bend the knees until at a 90-degree angle. Push back up to work the legs, build muscle and burn fat. Complete a controlled pace for the time allocated.

After completing all exercises, take 90 seconds rest and complete 3-4 times.

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