Mom Friendly Fitness

Getting fit while living life

A while back, I got an email from Carrie with a great question: “What moves would you suggest doing during the day with my three year old around?” I replied, “Glad you asked!”

So, here they are, simple exercises you can fit in to your day while making dinner, waiting for your child to potty, and talking on the phone. That’s right, you’re going to get buff simply because you gab on the phone.

1. Overhead Press With Canned Food: (aka: I knew we stocked up on hearty chicken noodle for a reason!)

• While standing in your kitchen, grab a couple of heavy soup cans. (This will be in place of dumbells which you can certainly use if they’re handy.)
• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
• Hold soup cans at shoulder level, arms at 90 degrees.
• Press arms up over your head straightening your elbows.
• Bring arms back down to should. This is one repetition.
• Repeat as many times as three year old allows.

2. Wall Squats: (aka: you’ll love these but not until you’re finished)

• Stand up to an empty portion of your wall
• Slide down until your knees are at a 90 degree angle.
• Hold position until you either can’t stand it anymore, your three year old has to poo, or until the count of 25 (whichever comes first).
• Repeat 2-3 times.

3. Again, with the soup cans: More Shoulder/back (aka: Bra Muscles) strengthening

• Stand with feet shoulder width apart
• Take your heavy canned food items (I hope you eat thick soup)
• Hold them palms out at your side
• Raise your arms with your elbows straight until you reach shoulder height, arms straight out from your body.
• Return to your side.
• Repeat 2-3 times.

3. Stretch/lunge without weights (aka: put the kid down)

• Start with feet next to one another shoulder width apart.
• Step forward with your left foot.
• Bend knees in to a deep lunge.
• Feel the stretch/strengthen our back leg.
• Count to 10.
• Push your bottom up in to the air, glide back in to a half sit with your front left leg outstreched hand still on the floor.
• Feel the hamstrings (back of your legs) stretch.
• Step left foot back to center.
• Repeat on Right.
• Do as many reps as you are comfortable or unti the phone rings again.

That should get you started. You can also add normal exercises (such as dips) to your day with a chair and a few minutes of Elmo. Or dance to a fast song with your children (or three songs for a burst of 10 minutes of cardio) to burn off your latte. It’s easy to fit in exercise during the day if you remember to move. Although, honestly, how many of us don’t remember to move? Just a little bit of conscientious exercises will get you on the path to tank tops and short. Spring is nearly here. I’m getting ready. Are you?

Read more of Leslie’s sarcastic blahblablah at Mrs. Flinger and find podcast reviews, interviews, crafts, events and topics for the Seattle Parent at Mamaspod.Com. If you have questions, anecdotes, or topics for “Mom Friendly Fitness,” email leslie@seattlemomblogs.com.