The Mom’s Guilt-Free Workout

I bet I’m not alone in questioning my proficiency as a mother. There is a lot of emphasis placed on being a good mother in our society.  It’s wonderful that motherhood is so valued in our culture, but at the same time, the expectations can be overwhelming. We’re supposed to be dedicated to mothering our kids and contributing to the household (and manage to look hot while we’re at it). It’s an ideal that at times seems out of reach.

From the time my son Duke was an infant I’ve felt a twinge of guilt if I wasn’t engaged with him at all times.  Is he missing out on some important emotional bonding or cognitive stimulation if I plop him in the playpen while I check e-mail? Am I shirking my responsibilities if I hand him off to a sitter to meet a friend for coffee? Nap time was reserved for office work, laundry and dishes. Workout? Ha! Like a lot of moms, taking time for myself to exercise became secondary.

I’m fortunate that my work teaching kids’ fitness classes enables me to exercise on the job. But during the holidays and summer months, when I’m not teaching much, I struggle like everyone else to fit in time to exercise- guilt-free, that is. My ability to overcome (most of) the guilt came in the form of an epiphany I had while on my way to finally taking a shower one day. As I pushed “play” on the DVD player and Elmo began singing, I realized, “Hmmm. Duke watches a DVD for a half hour every day while I shower and groom. Isn’t good health just as important as good hygiene?”

We are better mothers when we take time to nurture ourselves. Exercise, like a therapeutic massage or a good cry on a friend’s shoulder, is a very important part of that nurturing. Even a few minutes of exercise several times during the day can increase energy and relieve stress—which is great news since a few minutes is all most busy moms have.

The following is a short 20-minute workout you can do at home in your living room while your little one watches in a bouncy seat or plays dolls nearby. If your child is engrossed in the latest episode of "Thomas the Tank Engine" while you exercise in another room, that’s O.K., too. Healthier moms make better moms!

You can pump up your favorite music to accompany this workout. Or you can “kill two birds” by watching a show you have on TIVO or catch up with the latest news on CNN.

Warm-up: (2 minutes) Perform a series of basic moves in no particular order. Some suggestions: Step/Touch, march in place while swinging arms, side to side lunges, hip circles. If you’re working out to music, you’ll want to bundle the moves into the count of eight to correspond with the phrasing of the music. If you’re watching TV, it’s easier to count in tens.

Cardio: (10 minutes) Increase the range of motion of your arms and legs to elevate your heart rate. A step/touch becomes a hamstring curl, marching in place becomes jogging or skipping in place. Other suggestions: the twist, shuffle side to side, the pony, knee lifts, jumping jacks (with various arm movements to make it interesting). Remember to breathe. Challenge yourself to work at a higher intensity level than you would during a normal hour-long workout.

Muscle: (5 minutes) To save time, determine which muscles you want to target before you begin your workout. Then perform exercises for those muscles with little rest between sets. If, for example, you’re targeting abs, do a set of crunches, followed by reverse curls, followed by diagonal curls. Repeat and continue for the full five minutes. For quads and glutes, follow the same method with lunges, squats, and side lunges.

Stretch: (3 minutes) Stretch the muscles you just worked, including the ones you used during the cardio section like calves and hamstrings. Breathe deeply through each stretch. Finish by sitting cross-legged or in lotus position. Close your eyes and focus on a favorite affirmation. A suggestion: I am a great mother!