Don’t Let the Back to School Chaos Sideline Your Health and Fitness Routine

It’s that time of year again. The ‘Back to School’ commercials are on in full force and many of you have found yourselves just a tad bit busier stocking up on supplies and getting the kids ready for the new school year.

The flexibility and extra free time of your summer schedule will soon be out the window. Unfortunately for many parents, especially Mom, exercise and eating well can take a hit when the school year kicks in. Many parents tend to put their workouts on the back burner once September comes around. Their free time is zapped by soccer games, dance class, homework help and shuttling the kids to and fro.

It’s true that it’s hard to fit in a workout when there is so much going on. Getting the kids up and running (no pun intended) is often a monumental task. Here’s the thing though, there isn’t a magic solution. You cannot add hours to your day. YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE TIME.

Yes your schedule is more hectic and you may be more stressed, but this can help you to prioritize yourself because let’s face it; you can’t take care of your family if you don’t take care of yourself. So here are some tips for staying on track when it comes to working out and eating healthy as the school year begins.

• Don’t Put Off Your Workouts: One day will turn into two days, two days will become two weeks and next thing you know it’s December.
• Prioritize: Accept that you will be busy and make it a point to schedule the time for you to get in a workout, or pack a healthy lunch. For example, even if you only have 20 minutes for a run. Make that run count.
• Smart Scheduling: See if there’s a way to take advantage of your kids after school activities to fit in your workout. Dropping your kid at soccer practice? Walk the track while they practice, or do laps around the field (who cares if this embarrasses them).
• Pack Lunches As a Family: Set aside five minutes after dinner or before bed to pack lunches as a family. This way you can make it a point to bring your lunch to work instead of running out to get fast food, and you can sneak in some quality time with your kids.
• Stay Organized: Organization is key to making sure you can keep up your healthy habits when things get hectic. The five minutes you set aside to fill in your schedule, or plan your meals, will save you lots of stress and time in the long run. It’s a cycle. If you prep the kids’ clothes, schoolwork and lunches the night before, then you will have that extra 20 minutes or half hour in the morning to do your workout or even meditate. Whatever you need to do to keep yourself grounded and feeling energized. 

It’s not easy, but it’s doable. Our lives and schedules are busier than ever, so we tend to make excuses when it comes to taking care of ourselves physically and mentally.  No more excuses! Back to school means learning new ways of doing things for parents and kids.