At-Home Cardio for Mums

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You’ve probably heard the admonitions from health and fitness professionals to get 10,000 steps per day, accumulate 150 minutes of “moderate to vigorous” physical activity per week, and do regular cardiovascular exercise to stay heart-healthy.

And while that’s all great advice – what if you’re stuck at home with the kids all day?

There are plenty of ways to get your daily dose of cardio exercise from the comfort of your living room, garden, or even just a small mat on the floor next to your kids’ play area! Here are my top tips for staying active even on the busiest days at home:

Keep it short and simple

There’s a persistent myth in the wellness world that workouts have to be at least an hour long to “count” – but that’s far from the truth.  Setting aside just 20-30 minutes per day to perform a simple routine is all you need to meet the recommended minimum weekly targets.

Keep it short and simple
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Alternate easier and more challenging exercises to stay motivated

Even 20-30 minutes of cardio can seem daunting if you’re relying on high-intensity, high-impact movements stacked back to back. Consider alternating low with high-impact exercises throughout your workout to keep it doable.  One of my favourite programs is the “minute on, minute off” where you alternate 60 seconds of squats with 60 seconds of squat-kicks, then planks alternating with push-ups, side planks with side crunches, and wall sits with lunges.  Repeat this three times for a 24-minute workout – no equipment needed!

Alternate easier and more challenging exercises to stay motivated
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Break it up into pieces

Even 20 or 30 uninterrupted minutes can be tough to steal away when you’ve got little ones at home – so don’t hesitate to break your workouts into even smaller chunks throughout the day to get them done.  Set a 5-minute timer and “lunge” around the room while you pick up toys or march or jog in place while you watch that zillionth episode of Cocomelon with the kiddos.  You’d be surprised at how much activity can add up when you release the expectation that it all needs to be done at once in order to be meaningful.

Break it up into pieces
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Invite the kids to join you

If you have slightly older little ones at home, they probably love to dance – and what better way to bond with your kids while also getting exercise than putting on a follow-along dance or aerobics video at home?  It doesn’t even need to be that formal – you can just put on some of your or your kids’ favourite tunes and bust out some moves while you get ready for dinner, finish chores before bed, or spend time together on a rainy day.  Waiting for naptime or school time can be a good strategy for getting a workout in, but allowing the kids to actually do the workout with you sets an even better example of a healthy lifestyle.

Invite the kids to join you
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Cardiovascular exercise is a key component in overall health and wellness, but it doesn’t have to be relegated strictly to the gym.  By being creative with movements you can perform at home without equipment, breaking up your workouts into smaller, manageable pieces, and inviting the kids to join in, at-home cardio can even become a new family ritual.

Amanda Lim is a certified fitness & nutrition coach, perinatal specialist, and mother of two.  American by birth but Singaporean at heart, she enjoys hot yoga & CrossFit – followed by a big bowl of laksa. You can find her at @coachamandalim and coachamandalim.com.