Mothers’ Day, coming up on Sunday May 12th, is a time to celebrate the incredible mothers and mother figures who care for, nurture, and inspire us every day. But for busy parents, finding time for self-care amidst the chaos and responsibilities of parenting, work, and daily life can be challenging.
If you are used to putting everyone else first and find that taking care of yourself takes a back seat, this post is for you.
One way to ensure you’re taking good care of your health as a parent is to incorporate functional fitness into your routine. Read on to learn more about what functional fitness is and how to do it.
Understanding Functional Fitness
Functional fitness is exercise that supports and enhances your life. It focuses on exercises that mimic the movements we actually use in everyday life, such as walking, bending, lifting, pushing, and pulling.
Unlike traditional gym workouts, which typically isolate muscles and work on them independently, functional fitness aims to engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously and train them to work well together.
The Benefits of Functional Fitness for Busy Parents
Done right, functional fitness can improve your overall strength, fitness, and mobility and enhance your quality of life. Here are just a few of the key benefits to incorporating it into your life as a parent.
Efficiency
With free time at a premium, busy parents need workouts that deliver maximum results in a short amount of time. Functional fitness workouts are designed to be highly efficient, targeting multiple muscle groups and movement patterns in a single session.
Practicality
Functional fitness can help to prepare parents for the physical demands of parenthood, from lifting heavy grocery bags and carrying growing toddlers to pushing strollers and playing with the kids at the park.
By focusing on movements that mimic those you will actually use in daily life, functional fitness can help you to build strength and stamina that directly enhances your ability to meet the challenges of parenthood.
Injury Prevention
Parenthood is a marathon, not a sprint. Staying fit, healthy, and injury-free is crucial for your long-term wellbeing. Functional fitness emphasizes real-world movement patterns, strengthening your entire body and reducing your risk of many common injuries.
Stress Relief
Parenting can be stressful, and finding healthy outlets for that stress is essential for maintaining good mental health. Exercise has been shown to reduce stress levels, release endorphins, and improve mood, and functional fitness can be just as beneficial as a hard session in the gym.
Community and Connection
Parenthood can feel isolating, and community is essential. Engaging in fitness activities can help you to connect with others and build social networks. Why not join a local parent-child fitness class or participate in a virtual functional fitness workout group?
Incorporating Functional Fitness into Your Daily Life
Now that you understand the benefits of functional fitness, how can you actually fit it into your busy life amidst all your other responsibilities? Here are our top tips to help you.
Try At-Home Workouts
Traveling to the gym takes time, and for many parents this may be more time than they have to spare. If this sounds familiar, you can squeeze in quick and effective workouts at home instead.
Exercises using minimal equipment or just your bodyweight–such as squats, lunges, push-ups, and planks–are just a few examples of functional exercises that can be done in the comfort of your living room. Try searching “functional fitness for beginners” on Youtube to get you started with some inspiration and basic movements.
By setting aside just 20-30 minutes a day, you can make significant progress towards your fitness goals without ever needing to leave the house.
Make Fitness a Part of Family Life
Get the whole family involved by incorporating fun and functional fitness activities into your time together. This is a great way to make fitness a part of family life and teach your children that exercise can be fun as well as healthy.
Why not try going for a bike ride, playing soccer in the backyard, going for a nature hike, or having a dance party in the living room? Family-friendly fitness activities not only promote physical health but also create lasting memories and opportunities to enjoy quality time together.
Multitask Your Movement
Look for opportunities to sneak in small pockets of exercise throughout the day during your routine tasks. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, do squats while brushing your teeth, or perform some calf raises while washing the dishes.
By integrating movement into everyday activities, you can accumulate more physical activity without adding extra responsibilities to your already packed schedule.