Monday, June 23, 2025

Flexible fitness: How moms can blend movement and motherhood for mental well-being

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Flexible Fitness: How Moms Can Blend Movement and Motherhood for Mental Well-being

Why Mental Health is a Concern for Mothers

As the surgeon general recently announced, the mental health and well-being of parents are of utmost importance. With the added challenges of social media, it is particularly evident in mothers of young children. As an exercise physiologist and health researcher, my objective is to teach mothers to move their bodies and appreciate the importance of engaging in physical activity while maintaining self-compassion.

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Why Workouts Often Don’t Work

Traditional exercise prescriptions – structured exercise, at a specific intensity for a prolonged duration – may be a deterrent in some circumstances. These simply don’t work for those who struggle to find time in their schedule for self-care. Mothers, who are often front-loading domestic duties, immersed in intensive parenting, carrying the mental load of motherhood, and working outside of the home, are no exception.

Feasible Fitness

So, what is the solution? How can we promote physical activity to support mental well-being among mothers without adding to their overwhelming to-do list? From my own research with new mothers, it is evident that those who attempt to stick to more structured exercise often find it falls by the wayside, as even the best-laid plan can be deterred by child sickness, work deadlines, and softball tryouts.

Flexible Approaches

In a recently submitted research study, my colleagues and I focused on having mothers engage in physical activity around their own feelings of readiness. This ensures that exercise doesn’t become another overload that their body isn’t recovered enough to handle. In contrast, in a previous study, we offered physical activity programming in a structured online format to new mothers. Participants couldn’t adhere to the program the way that was expected and it made them feel that they were failing.

Bite-Sized Exercise and Self-Compassion

It appears that flexible approaches may be best when it comes to mothers adhering to physical activity, given the challenges in finding time to succeed at more stringent programming. ‘Exercise snacks’ have taken off as an opportunity to move in small bites throughout the day to achieve health benefits. In addition, "no pain, no gain" is out of fashion and there is an increased focus on promoting enjoyable exercise. For instance, getting to choose how hard one pushes their body during exercise – rather than prescribing a specific intensity – increases overall engagement in physical activity. Green exercise, or engaging in physical activity in a natural environment, has also been shown to be more pleasurable and should be considered as a way to increase adherence.

Practical Tips for Moms

As a full-time working mom of two young children – and lacking a local support system – physical activity has changed dramatically for me in the last few years. I’ve squeezed in yoga at the office before school pick-up, have run or walked around baseball fields during spring sport chaos, and lifted weights in the backyard while my kids ran in circles around me. It’s not perfect, but it’s getting the job done and I feel better for it. While all mothers have divergent challenges and these may not be solutions for everyone, mothers missing out on physical activity during these stressful years does not promote their health and well-being. So maybe the solution is to be flexible and self-compassionate around physical activity engagement while recognizing the many demands being placed on mothers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, finding a balance between motherhood and physical activity is crucial for mental well-being. By adopting flexible and enjoyable approaches to exercise, such as ‘exercise snacks’ and green exercise, mothers can prioritize their health without adding to their overwhelming to-do list. Self-compassion and recognition of the many demands being placed on mothers are essential components of this approach.

FAQs

Q: What are some flexible and enjoyable approaches to exercise?
A: Some examples include ‘exercise snacks’ – moving in small bites throughout the day – and green exercise – engaging in physical activity in a natural environment.

Q: Why are traditional exercise prescriptions not suitable for mothers?
A: Traditional exercise prescriptions may not be suitable for mothers due to the challenges in finding time to succeed at more stringent programming and the need to prioritize self-care.

Q: How can mothers incorporate physical activity into their daily routine?
A: Mothers can incorporate physical activity into their daily routine by engaging in small, manageable workouts throughout the day, such as yoga at the office or a short walk around the block.

Q: What is the importance of self-compassion for mothers?
A: Self-compassion is essential for mothers as it helps to reduce stress and promote mental well-being. Mothers should prioritize self-care and recognize that it is okay to not have it all together.

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