It’s hard for moms to achieve weight loss. With the kids always demanding your attention and countless chores to be attended, the pounds pile up, and the woman staring at you in the mirror becomes unrecognizable.

First things first; get organized. Plan meals ahead of time to avoid take-outs, and keep healthy meals within arm’s reach. No matter how much you exercise, you are not going to achieve weight loss if your diet is unhealthy.

Start your day with a workout before the kids are up or as they take their afternoon naps. You can squeeze in any of the following exercises that can barely take fifteen minutes. For each routine, try not to pause in between exercises unless it’s necessary. Have three sets, with a 45-seconds rest in between sets.

Try a different routine every day you exercise to avoid getting bored.

Routine 1

One minute high knees: A cardio exercise will get your heart rate up.

Ten chair dips: This is an easy and convenient strength workout for busy moms at home targeting the triceps, back muscles, and the upper arms.

Ten squats: A properly done squat will work your quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus. It strengthens your lower body, tones your thighs and shapes your butt.

Ten crunches: Crunches work your rectus abdominus and oblique muscles. They will help in building the abs you so desire.

Ten pushups: If you can manage a standard pushup, that’s okay, but a modified version can also strengthen your core and work your shoulders, chest, back, biceps and triceps.

Routine 2

One minute skipping rope: Again, start with a cardio exercise.

Ten lunges on each leg: Lunges will also work your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Try different variations each day you exercise to keep it interesting.

Ten arm circles: Burn the arm fat with arm circles. Get creative and find items you can use in place of dumbbells for added resistance. The exercise works your back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps.

Thirty seconds plank tap: A plank shoulder tap will strengthen your core, shoulders, glutes, and arms. It also helps with lower back pains that most moms experience.

Twenty seconds flutter kick: You want to lose the post-pregnancy pooch bothering most moms? Flutter kicks will do. They will tighten your stomach in addition to toning your lower body.

Routine 3

One minute high knee toe taps: Add a variation to your high knees by tapping your foot on a stable chair to get that heart pumping.

Ten dumbbell curls: If you don’t have dumbbells, you can always use filled-up water bottles. The exercise will work your biceps and shoulders.

Ten glute bridges: This will tone your glutes, hamstrings, and abdominal muscles. It also works the lower back easing any pain.

Ten seconds mountain climbers: Mountain climbers are a total body exercise that works your biceps, chest muscles, deltoids, abdominal muscles, quadriceps, triceps, and hamstrings.

Twenty seconds standing Russian twist: This is an easy way to tone your abs when standing. It works your shoulders, core, upper back, and arms.

Routine 4

One minute jogging in place: As usual, begin with a cardio exercise.

Ten side leg raises: Leg raises will strengthen your lower-back muscles, abdominal muscles, and hip flexors.

Ten calf raises: The exercise works your calf muscles shaping your calves, giving you improved balance, and more ankle stability.

Ten jump squats: Jump squats will help burn calories, build leg muscle, and work the glutes. They also improve your upper and lower body strength.

Ten Single-Leg reverse flyes: You can use full water bottles or dumbbells to work your middle back, abs, shoulders, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and traps.

Routine 5

One minute jumping jacks: It’s always advisable to do a cardio workout.

Thirty seconds wall sit: This will help in increasing your endurance. Wall sits also strengthen and sculpt your calves, thighs lower abs, and hips.

Thirty seconds side plank: This is a bit advanced from the regular high and forearm plank. It works your shoulders, obliques, and legs. Side planks will also help with any lower back problems.

Ten supermans: This exercise works your glutes, hamstrings, and back muscles. It builds the lower back strength giving you a better posture and preventing back pain.

Ten bear crawls: Bear crawls are full body exercises that target the core, arms, chest, shoulders, legs, and back. You can always use a modified version suitable for moms if you need to.

Some Tips

Some busy moms may not find 15 minutes to spare, if that’s you, don’t fret about it. Some creativity can have you achieve weight loss as you carry out the daily mom-chores.

1)  Practice walking lunges as you take the trash out, as you go to the laundry room or the mailbox.

2)  Squat as you pick up items from the floor, pick one by one, and do not be in a hurry.

3)  As you clean the windows and doors, use circular movements. Alternate between arms to ensure each is properly toned.

4)  When sweeping, tighten your stomach muscles, keep your back straight and pull the broom from as far as possible towards you.

5)  Use the stairs as much as you can. When climbing the stairs, you tend to pull your weight against gravity helping you burn up some calories.

6)  A favorite – dance. Dancing involves your kids who would otherwise distract you if you decided to try the routines mentioned earlier. Create a playlist with fast songs and lose those calories as you have fun with the kids.

In conclusion, the easiest way for any mom to achieve weight loss and keep it off is by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Yes, you are a busy mom, but just as you wouldn’t go a day without a bath, try not to skip trying these easy weight loss exercises at home.

Work out at least three days a week. All you need is to be committed and with time, you are sure to get that hot body you think is impossible to get.

Photo by Oleg Magni from Pexels