Studies show a significant gap between men and women (especially moms) when it comes to prioritizing fitness. While 41.3% of men aged 18-34 meet physical activity guidelines, only 24.3% of women do the same. Moreover, time for leisure and sports activities averages 5.56 hours per day for men but just 4.76 hours for women, but honestly that number has to be based on women who are NOT moms. Do you have even 15 minutes every day for 'leisure' activities? Hell no.
For moms, the mental load of caregiving and managing a household leaves little room for self-care, including exercise. By comparison, men often prioritize structured workouts more consistently, benefiting from fewer caregiving demands.
If you want to make time for exercise, and you already know why but just in case, exercise helps you feel stronger, more energized, and better equipped to handle the demands of motherhood. Regular movement improves mood by boosting endorphins and reducing stress levels, which can be a game-changer for navigating busy or overwhelming days.
It also supports better sleep quality—a precious commodity for moms—while helping balance hormones that affect energy, appetite, and mood. Beyond the physical perks, exercise fosters confidence, increases stamina to keep up with your kids, and provides a much-needed mental health boost.
7 Tips to Help Moms Prioritize Their Workouts
Schedule Your Workouts Like Appointments: If you are just thinking, oh I'll get to it later without an actual plan, it's no surprise you aren't going to do it. Put your workout on your calendar at a specific time and treat it as non-negotiable, this small tweak sets you up for mental success so you can plan it and prep for it.
Incorporate Your Kids: Stop using your kids as an excuse, most kids are not going to be upset if you do a 10-minute core workout on the floor while they're playing nearby, or you have my official endorsement to throw up a Bluey episode and move that mom bod of yours. I promise a little screen time for them is worth it for you to do something that will make you feel better. better yet - involve your kiddos or take everyone on a walk.
Morning Movement Before Everyone Wakes Up: First of all, don't start skimping on sleep to get up earlier if you're already depleted but if you can, starting with just 10 minutes to do some flexibility or stretches to start the day can help set a better tone for the day.
Shift Your Mindset: Recognize that fitness is a form of self-care, not selfishness. A healthier you benefits the entire family, you'll be balanced, strong and be able to do the things you want and need to do without being exhausted or spent.
Find Short and Effective Workouts: If you're past the immediate postpartum period and your hormones are balanced, doing more interval work (raising the heart rate followed by periods of recovery) is an efficient way to get a good workout in a short period of time. Even a 20-minute strength workout will go a long way for your #momgains.
Use Your Environment: Sure getting to the gym would be super nice but that's not always feasible so just do something around the house. You can do a lot with bodyweight or with the stuff around your house, it all adds up.
Build Accountability: We all do better when we have someone else to keep us on track, partner with a friend, or better yet, join my challenge in January and get the support of other moms cheering you on and a nutritionist & personal trainer in your corner! You don't have to, and shouldn't do it all by yourself.
Adjust your expectations: So many of my clients struggle with comparing themselves to their pre-baby selves. Of course you could go run 10 miles or go climbing for 2 hours but that's not the reality now for a variety of reasons. Stop letting comparison and your own expectations get in the way of doing something. A quick 10 minute core workout or just a 30 minute walk is still better than nothing, please please just go do the thing, anything.
It sure feels overwhelming to add one more thing to your list, but once you find a way to incorporate it into your routine it will become something you are unwilling to sacrifice. Try even a few of the things on this list and see if you're able to start exercising with more consistency, and start making your health a priority without guilt, and set an empowering example for your kids.
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