Back-To-School Stay Fit Tips For Busy Moms

Now that the kids are back in school your schedule might be looking crazier than ever. Between last-minute play dates, after-school activities, oh and that often times daunting to-do list you you have at work, there’s less and less time for getting in a good workout at the gym. Fitness expert Jennifer Cohen shares great stay fit tips for busy moms on-the-go!

1. Use your office chair as an ab roller. If your not too dressed up, get on your knees with your elbows on the chair, keep your abs engaged while you roll out your chair and roll it back in towards you. Be sure to keep your back straight.

2. While your kids are on the playground, play with them! Work your upper body with pull-ups on the monkey bars. Participate in a game of tag to get your cardio. Try a set of squats on the balance beam to work your glutes- with your back foot on the plank for balance and the other foot on the ground, lower yourself  down and raise back up, keeping weight on the front foot.

3. Don’t forget to eat. Skipping meals can put you into starvation mode, actually causing you to gain weight instead of losing it. When I’m running around the city I always make sure to have something packed with nutrients on hand. I love Evolve’s protein shakes and throw one in my bag so I know I’ll cover my nutritional needs for the day, even on the go. It even has tonalin in it, a natural ingredient found to reduce body fat (though if you’re pregnant or breast feeding ask your doctor first.) It’s a great energy boost.

4. Actively supervise soccer practice – jog back and forth as the team moves along the field. If you’re a baseball or football family, try bleacher steps. With your left leg on the bleachers, step down with your right leg, keeping your weight on your left leg. Return to start and switch. Get more of a glute workout by walking up and down the bleachers a few times.

5. Resist the urge to clean your kid’s plates! If you’re worried about wasting food, pack up their leftovers for them to eat later on. Snacking on two leftover chicken nuggets and three spoonfuls of mac and cheese can easily add 200 calories to your day.

6. Wear a heart rate monitor and track exactly how much you exercise in your daily life. I use Polar’s because it tracks calories and heart rate on an easy-to-read watch on your wrist. This way everything you do, from browsing around Whole Foods to running after your kids, can count towards your goals.

Jennifer Cohen is a fitness and health expert who delivers a savvy, straight-talking approach to wellness and produces sustainable and dramatic results for her clients. Jennifer’s work goes beyond training. She is the lifestyle and fitness spokesperson for world class brands including Muscle Milk, Good Feet and Polar Heart Rate Monitors. Weight Watchers appointed Jennifer their fitness spokesperson as well as the national ambassador of their third annual “Walk it!” Challenge. Her bestselling book No Gym Required – Release Your Inner Rock Star (2009) outlines her no-nonsense approach to fitness and health, and serves as an overall healthy lifestyle guide. The book includes fitness plans and workouts that utilize a variety of moves that can be incorporated into any schedule anytime, anywhere, no excuses.