Winter can be beautiful, but the frigid temperatures tend to keep us inside! If you’re a mom with young kids, this can be especially hard because they have So. Much. Energy. But not only do you need to find ways to keep your kids active, you should also focus on yourself and think of what YOU can do to keep yourself from freezing on the couch. Here are some cheap ways for moms to stay active in Winter; some involve staying home, while others require you to leave the house. It’s intimidating with young kids, but try some of these suggestions below!
Do Youtube workouts/dance videos
You don’t necessarily need a gym membership to stay active! You can use Youtube- either on your laptop or a streaming device like Roku- and get your sweat on any time of the day. My favorite time to do workouts is early morning, before Allison wakes up; but you can even make it a family affair and do it together! Or if workouts aren’t your thing, put on some good dance videos or music and dance around. It’s a good way to heat up the house, too!
Clean the house
It’s so easy for me to lay on the couch and complain about being cold. Then I look around and see things that need to be picked up, floors that need to be cleaned, etc… so I have to force myself to get up and start cleaning. But even moving around like that will keep you warm, and cleaning the house does burn calories! You can make it a game with the kids, to see who can pick up their toys the fastest.
Find Groupon deals for classes
If you want to get out of the house, look for a group class you can do one night a week. Groupon is an awesome way to try new things; they post local deals for things like fitness classes, yoga, rock climbing, and fitness center memberships; so take a look around and see what you like!
Walk around the mall
If possible, walking around the mall is a good way to burn calories and window shop at the same time. I don’t know about you, but it’s totally possible for me to go to the mall and not spend money. Well, Starbucks might be an exception. But Allison loves walking around, especially visiting GameStop, Build-a-Bear, and the pet store. After letting her play in the play area for awhile, we’ll visit those stores and usually leave.
If you have younger kids, this would be a good time to get out the stroller and just tote them around, too! If they tolerate the stroller pretty well, you should have no problem getting a few laps in.
Go for short walks around the block
If the temperatures aren’t too bad, bundle up and go outside for a short period of time! Staying active is important even in the wintertime, and especially for kids. Going outside, even if it’s just for a few minutes, can be refreshing and a change of scenery. A lap around my block takes about 20 minutes if Allison’s walking beside me, but usually we just go halfway.
Find a cheap gym- with or without childcare
If workout videos aren’t cutting it and you just need to get out to exercise, look for gyms in your area that fit your budget. The YMCA is great, and has childcare, but it’s too expensive for my family. A Planet Fitness opened up just down the street recently; and while they don’t offer childcare, their basic membership is only $10.00 a month! For someone who just wants to use the treadmill and maybe weight machines from time to time, this is perfect for me and I love it! Since there’s no childcare, you’d either need to go early in the morning, or after the kids go to bed. But they’re open 24 hours so you don’t have to worry about whether they’ll be closed when you get there.
I know it can be SO hard to get motivated when it’s super cold outside. Believe me, I’m right there with you. But I’ve found that if I just get up and do it, my mind and body feel so much better afterward. Exercise is one of the best ways to lift my mood and I highly encourage you to get out there and be active! What are some cheap ways that you stay active in winter? Leave us a comment below!
Jaime is a Nutrition Coach through the ISSA and professional writer. She has 4 years experience coaching and 9 years experience in writing. She enjoys cooking easy meals, running, and learning more about food.
Jaime specializes in helping women with ADHD learn to meal plan and cook healthier meals without getting overwhelmed.
Kay
Saturday 29th of December 2018
I find so many times I just want to go out, go for a walk, a run, a trip to somewhere new, but I can't when I have my kids, which is a lot of the time. I can't leave them I can't bring them with me. It's so much effort to get them all ready, especially in the winter and then plan ahead for the things they will need, snacks, bathroom etc. It's so limiting. I can't just go to the mall and look in stores, they will get tired, they will find something they really want that I will not buy and have a meltdown. Or worse case, I will LOSE one of them. Yes it happened and it wasn't my youngest one. =P I love to bring them places that are fun for them, like the park, the library, the playplace, the movies, swimming lessons. But these things do not get me excising. I did dance/workout youtube videos and my kids wanted to join in and be involved and took up my space and my time. I want to skate but I can't teach all 3 of them at once. I want to go sledding for more than 10 min before someone is too cold. It sounds easy to talk about doing, and I know small changes are the way to go, but lets be honest - I'm going to work when they are at school and be too tired to get up before them or exercise in the evening. I am stuck with them and I'm just going to be fat until they leave home, unless I stop eating the things that make me happy - the things that get me through the day.
Jaime
Saturday 29th of December 2018
I admit, my opinions are a bit skewed because I have one child- which definitely does make things a bit easier (But not a piece of cake!). =) Three kids adds a lot of other stuff to the mix. Ultimately, you need to do what's best for you in the season of life you're in- and that's okay!