As moms, we’re super busy, but staying fit doesn’t have to add more time to our to-do list!

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Okay, moms, spoiler alert!! We can actually stay in shape, even with our ridiculously busy schedules, no gym required! Don’t believe me? Well, it’s true, but fair warning, you’re going to need to get a little sneaky -- and I don’t mean sneaking cookies from the cookie jar. 

The key is to find ways to turn the things that you’re doing anyway into an opportunity to elevate your heart rate and boost your strength. Sure, working out for a certain amount of time, roughly 30 minutes, might be an optimal way to burn fat and tone up, but it’s not the only way. Focus on quality over quantity; after all, 10 minutes of giving it all you’ve got is better than even an hour of a half-hearted attempt at exercise. 

Of course, opting to take the stairs instead of the elevator, or snagging a parking spot that’s farther away so you have to walk more, are good ways to add in some extra steps, but what else can you do to sneak in a workout? First, listen to MamaZen's Prioritize Wellness session in the Healthier Mommy Program to start shifting your mindset to a place that says it’s okay to do something that is for YOU once in a while! If you need to take some time for you and go for a walk, then it’s okay, but hey, #momlife is hectic, and often you just can’t find the time for fitness...until now.

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‍Here are four ways to sneak some exercise into your life:

• Have Moving Meetings -- No, I don’t mean meetings that make you get emotional; meetings spent at a desk or around a conference table do nothing for your health. Plus, sitting for long periods of time can wreak havoc on your body, adding to a number of issues including obesity and high blood pressure. Find ways to get your meetings moving; ask a co-worker if she would be up for a quick walk, even if it’s around the building, instead of just sitting in the office. If you’re scheduled for a phone conference, take it on the move, either walking around the block or even going up and down the stairs as you chat.

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• Get Happy with Housework -- Hmmm, maybe Snow White and Cinderella were on to something; music can make even the most humdrum tasks seem like a breeze. If you have to do housework anyway, you might as well make it fun and get a workout in at the same time! Did you know you can burn almost 200 calories scrubbing your floors? The key is to give it 100% and keep moving as you clean, so crank up the music and dance your way through your chores, giving it everything you’ve got.

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• Tone Up on the Telephone -- When you need to make phone calls or have a phone conference for work, it can start to eat away at your day. However, keep your calls hands-free (use a Bluetooth headset) and grab a resistance band or some free weights and those minutes become extra productive; you get your work and your workout accomplished at the same time. You can also do this when you have to watch certain training videos for work or anything else that doesn’t require you to use your hands. Strength training for just 20 minutes a couple of times a week can help you tone up, build muscle, and gain strength; which in turn helps you burn more calories when you’re at rest. 

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• Get Moving with Your Kids -- Okay, I get it, when do we have time to exercise and get fit when we have to chase after our kids all day? Wait for a second, chase after our kids? Moms, our kids are like 24/7 personal trainers that we get for free! Plus, your kids need to exercise too and learn good habits, so why not knock out these two things at one time? If your daughter wants to run around in the back yard, join her for the fun but reframe your mind to look at it as a way to bond while burning calories. Ride bikes with your kids, have races down the street, have a dance party together, heck use your toddlers as weights, and do bicep curls with them (they’ll love it)! 

The point is, you only get these moments with your kids for so long, don’t view them as a chore, view them as a blessing and find a way to get yourself moving in the process.

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Need some extra oomph? Listen to MamaZen's Motivate Yourself to Move in the Healthier Mommy Program to learn how the daily choices we make are what can make the biggest changes in our lives. If you can stick to something consistently for just a few minutes each day and keep doing it, you’ll get much more out of it than if you did something for an hour each day, but then quit after just a week.

If you look at working out as something you can easily fit into your regular activities, as opposed to an additional thing you have to squeeze into your schedule, suddenly, exercising doesn’t seem quite so daunting. Remember to give any type of workout you do your all, and you’ll reap the rewards, even if it’s just for 10-minute sessions. For more great tips on how to be the best you and the best mom that you can be, make sure to check out the rest of our blog at MamaZen. It’s time to get moving, moms, but on your terms!