Being a dad is tough and being a healthy dad is even tougher. It can be difficult to stay fit when taking care of your children and still getting to work on time. With dedication and planning, you can still be a good parent while staying fit. These five quick tips may prove useful in your time-saving fitness ventures.
1. Stay Smartly Hydrated
Sometimes, after a tough workout, you’ll find yourself deeply dehydrated. Obviously, in these scenarios, drinking water to replenish lost sweat is a no brainer. Sometimes, however, you’ll need more than water. Be careful though, because many of the sports drinks of the shelf are chock full of sugar. Choosing healthy sports drinks for replenishing electrolytes doesn’t have to be difficult, just be sure to check for a few things when reading the nutrition label. Look for added sugars or try to find a sugar free option. Additionally, make sure to check for any other odd additives that seem unnecessary. Try to find an electrolyte replacement that is made with ingredients that you, and your children, could pronounce.
2. Compact your Workout
Once you become a more advanced athlete, you may find that workouts are taking up too much time. This can become especially noticeable when it begins to take up time that you’d rather be spending with your children. There are multiple ways that you can compact your workout. Firstly, try adding mini cardio sessions between your sets in the weight room. For instance, between every set, try doing ten burpees or a few dozen jumping jacks. Cumulatively, over the course of your workout, this may give you over half an hour of cardio, without taking any longer. Additionally, you could try taking a class or splitting your workouts into two sessions.
3. Plan your Meals
Meal planning has been a staple of the fitness industry for years. For good reason, however, as it takes the guesswork out of healthy eating. Even when children aren’t in the picture, it can be tough to make healthy choices when you get hungry. By planning meals and making them in advance, you ensure that you have a healthy choice that doesn’t take too long to prepare when you are hungry. Furthermore, you can meal prep for your children, keeping them healthier, too.
4. Change your Schedule (If Possible)
Commercial gyms get crowded, especially at certain times of the day. By planning your schedule around this, if possible, you can avoid the worst of the crowds. Doing this will allow you to get your workouts done faster because you won’t have to wait for any equipment. Then, you can get home and spend more time with your children. Conversely, it will also help you get to work faster, or even with time to spare.
5. Cardio with Kids
Cardio can quickly become the most time-consuming portion of your gym routine. Instead of slogging away on the treadmill, consider doing some form of cardio with your kids. This can be playing soccer, basketball, tag or any other sport you can think of. This keeps your heart healthy and provides all the other benefits of cardiovascular activity. Additionally, it helps keep your kids healthier, too. Keeping yourself healthy is important, however, it is just as important to instill healthy values in your children, to ensure that they stay fit. This is doubly important in an era of rapidly increasing childhood obesity.
