My kids playing in a lake to get a break from the stroller (and yes, I packed a change of clothes and extra diapers)

As a mother of two, numerous people have asked me how I’ve managed to fit in exercise time each day. I’ll share a few of the things I’ve implemented over the past few years that seem to work.

1. Schedule your exercise time at the beginning of each week. Plan with your family so that they know what to expect, how long you’ll be gone, if you are bringing the kids along in the stroller, and where you’re running (in case of bad weather or an emergency they can come pick you up).
2. Get a babysitter on your hard days. For example, I have a scheduled, permanent babysitter two days each week (same time, same days). Every other day of the week I push the kids in the stroller.
3. Prepare for anything to happen. I bring everything imaginable with me on a run: snacks, snacks, snacks, diapers, wipes, extra clothes, coats, hats, gloves, blankets, water bottles (for myself and the kids), and the weather shield for the stroller. I figure that my kids weigh 60 pounds together, plus the stroller weighs about 40 pounds, so what difference will an extra 10 pounds of weight make? It’s better to be over prepared than to have hungry, cold, or fussy kids.
4. Stop and have fun. When I go running with my kids I try to go places where I can let them take small breaks to get out and play. Sometimes we’ll stop at a playground, other times we’ll pass a lake and I will let them get out and play in the water, or we’ll go to Great Harvest for free slices of their delicious bread.
5. Plan for multiple routes. I realize that with kids anything can happen. So when I go running with them I plan to go the bare minimum – 3 miles. But if they are doing okay at three miles, I’ll go another two miles, or four, or 6, etc…
6. Run when your kids are happy. That is most often accomplished if they have full tummies. A hungry kid is a grumpy kid.
7. Or go running when your kids are sleepy. Sometimes the easiest way to put kids down for their nap is pushing them in the stroller. That way they’ll sleep the entire time and you can go as far as you want.
8. Fuel yourself. Take good care of your body before, during, and after your run. Eat a healthy meal or snack 2 hours prior. Bring energy foods with you on your run and consume them as often as prescribed. And don’t forget to refuel when you are done. It’s hard enough trying to run by yourself on an empty stomach, but it’s even more difficult when you add a stroller and two kids in front of you. You’ll be better off to take care of your kids if you also take care of yourself.
9. Have fun too. Make sure you laugh and smile the whole way. I will often sing songs with my kids, point out things in nature, tell them jokes, and just have random conversations with them.
10. Remember, you are not supermom. It’s okay to stop and walk. If you try pushing your kids in the stroller for the first time and you work yourself too hard, it’s easy to get burnt out fast. Go easy and slow to begin with. You’ll eventually find you can go farther and faster the longer you keep it up. Even I stop and walk occasionally (did I just admit that?).
11. Give your kids more outside time than what they get in the stroller. If they enjoy playing outside, they’ll like being in the stroller. If you kids are indoors all day long, getting in the stroller might not be appealing to them. My kids probably spend a combined total of 5 hours outside each day, and they love the stroller because it means spending even more time outside.
12. Getting in a hard workout with the kids: Some days it’s hard to find a babysitter so you have to bring the kids with you. I have found when this happens it’s best to go somewhere my kids can run around in a contained area while I closely supervise them. Fenced in tracks are great locations – bring toys along for the kids to play with in the jumping pit (they love sand). You’ll be guaranteed at least 30 minutes of an uninterrupted workout.
13. Want to get in a strength workout too? In my mind, pushing kids in the stroller is somewhat of a strength workout. But that doesn’t cut it if you want to tone all your muscles. So I’ve done some internet searching for good core, leg, and arm exercises that I can do right in my home (free and cheap). I have found the best place to do those workouts are in my kids play room. That way they can play while I get in my strength conditioning. All it takes is 20 minutes every other day.
14. Start now and don’t quit! If you want to be in good physical condition when you are older, now is the time to start. Don’t come up with excuses. Don’t wait until tomorrow to exercise, do it today. I’ve told several people that I want to be able to run with my grandkids when they are in middle school and high school. I know that’s really far down the road of life, and I’ll be much slower than I am today, but I want my posterity to see the importance of a healthy lifestyle through my example.