I sometimes reminisce about days in my 20s when I could leisurely make my way to the gym. There was no time constraint on when to get there or how long to stay.My weekday now is just completely different. I just don’t have that same flexibility and have no time to make multiple visits to the gym.

After much trial and error, I had to develop a different plan to be a fit mom. I finally found a way to incorporate exercise into my schedule by skipping the gym and staying home. This saves me 30 minutes of prepping for the gym and an additional 40 minutes of driving back and forth. Those 70 minutes now go to exercise or just getting other things done. Overall, I can estimate that my workout routine consists of 80% home exercise and 20% gym.

Please trust that my schedule is still a work in progress. Some weeks I’m a rock star and other weeks my son’s sleep patterns completely throws off my game. It’s like kids have the superhuman ability to sense when you’re trying to etch out some “me time” and quickly put a stop to it. This past month was a perfect example: KB had finally started sleeping though the night! I would put him to bed at 8:30pm and he’d wake up around 6:30am. Insert praise hands here!

I would wake up around 4:00am to sneak in an hour of exercise before starting the day. A 4:00am alarm sounds completely nuts but I actually end up with more sleep, more exercise, and more prepared for the day. I’ve also always preferred to workout in the morning to just get it out of the way.

This plan worked for about three weeks. Then suddenly KB started waking up right along with me! This past week I’ve only been able to get about 15-30 minutes of exercise after putting him back to sleep. So instead of not exercising at all, I’ll typically use this time for abs. I also sneak in an additional 15 minutes of abs or squats after work and class. Its a bonus that makes me feel extra accomplished. For now, I’ll stick with the 4:00AM workout schedule and hope KB stays asleep. A girl can dream right? If not, back to the drawing board.Writing a schedule has really helped with my consistency. I know what to expect each day and less time is spent trying to figure it out. Some days I can only do a 30-minute workout and that’s okay!

Remember, you don’t need to live in the gym to see results or to be “fit”! Having a plan and being consistent will take you far. Even if you don’t have a one hour block of time to spare, shorter workout sessions can help you establish a routine and build motivation for longer sessions down the road.If you haven’t already, draft a workout schedule, put it somewhere visible, and always be open to revamping when necessary!

Thanks for visit!

XOXO Famatta Martina, Fitmom

Get it Right, Keep it Tight: My Workout Routine