Intro:
Welcome to The Healthy Catholic moms podcast where we make moving and nourishing our bodies the priority so that we not only fulfill our vocations, but excel in our callings. I’m Brittany Pearson, a Catholic wife, mom, personal trainer, and I’m here to help you build healthy habits that actually fit your life. I am here to teach you how to get the results that you want and maintain the results that you want without spending hours at the gym, or meal prepping all weekend long. I understand I am right here with you getting my workouts done in the nooks and crannies of time, looking up recipes, while nursing babies and trying to prioritize my own health amidst everything else going on. But I have really good news for you, you can get the results you want. In less time without doing hours of cardio and restrictive dieting. I am going to teach you how to use strength training and eating in a macro balanced way to get you feeling so good and your skin full of energy and strong to carry out your life. Okay, on this podcast, we’ll delve into how to lose fat in a simple, sustainable way. What your workouts and nutrition should look like during different seasons of life, like during pregnancy and postpartum times. We’ll also discuss healthy quick meals, and how to get them on the table make food that kids will actually want to eat. Mom hacks for making your day run more smoothly and so much more. All the while with continuous encouragement to stay the course and live with discipline. This is a place where we’re striving to steward our bodies well, in order to joyfully serve. I am so happy you’re here. Let’s dive in
Main Episode:
Hello, my friends, welcome to today’s episode, I’m so happy you’re here and I can’t wait to dive in. Very quickly. Before we get into it, I just wanted to let you know. And you’re gonna hear this at the start of upcoming podcasts for the whole month of August. But I’m gonna give the spiel now and then an abbreviated version. Other times, I’m running a podcast review giveaway. So basically, I’m going to give a $25 amazon gift card to one of your beautiful listeners who is so kind and is going to be so generous to leave me a review wherever you listen to podcasts. So the important details how to enter anytime during the month of August. Okay, from now until August 31 wherever you listen to podcasts, if it’s on Apple, if it’s on Google, Spotify, etc. If you would leave a rating and review now in some apps, it’s possible to leave a written review and others it’s not screenshot your review or just your rating an email it to me Britney and healthy Catholic moms.com That is all you have to do danger. So your entry will take about 60 seconds to you know your RV, obviously already listening to the podcast, hopefully loving the podcast, especially if you come back all the time. So I really appreciate it. It means so much to me. And if you just do that little entry and then screenshot whatever you’ve got for me if it stars, if you’re able to write a written review, I appreciate that part as well. I just say the screenshot piece. So number one, I can see that you submitted it. There’s so many platforms, it would be really tough for me to go through and find all the reviews for this contest. In number two, it takes 48 hours. So don’t panic, a lot of times ladies will leave me a written review on Apple and say oh my goodness, I swear I wrote it, I don’t know where it is. It takes 48 hours to show up. So just screenshot it send it my way, Brittany at healthy Catholic moms.com I will pick a winner from a drawing and send a $25 gift card. I just decided to keep it easy with this one. Sometimes I’ll do a coaching call or I’ll do an entrance into the fat loss program or something like that. But everybody’s at a different part of working with me or you know, working with others. So I just wanted we can all use 25 bucks dammuz on typically. Alright, so today we’re getting into how to fit, working out or exercise into your homeschool day. Now you might be listening to this for the heck of it and you’re not necessarily a homeschooling mom, or maybe your kids are littler than school age. So you’re not even sure yet or you are pretty sure you’re not going to be homeschooling but your kids are littler. This can still apply to a lot of different people. And if you’re listening to this while it’s still summer and your homes, your kids are just home from school that could you know, a lot of these things will apply and hopefully you can still take something from today’s episode. I always share you know what works for me in current seasons that maybe something will work like even one piece of it can work for you. So currently we will be heading into a homeschool year as is technically I mean, whatever year you want to count it My oldest is first grade so we’ve technically been homeschooling you know along the way. But so that’s what I’m currently working with at home is a six year old, soon to be four year old, a two year old and then we’ll have another member of our crew joining As in December, so, you know, things for me personally will look different what I’m planning from September to December versus from Baby time on. But these are a lot of things that worked well for me last year that I’m planning to do this year, and whatnot. So first and foremost, with little kids, if you have little ones, like I just mentioned, My life sucks and under. So I would consider that leaving little, you typically get a better workout when you do it by yourself. So I am always 100%, an advocate, or waking up doing your own prayer time, your own workout, having a moment to yourself before the day. I know that it’s hard to get up in the mornings. And here’s my asterik already. I know there’s seasons where it’s like almost impossible to get up for your kids. Like, for me, I’m not going to be abiding by that probably December through March, you know, when I have a newborn? I’m gonna get whatever sleep I can. So yes, there’s certain seasons, it might be tough. However, in general, I think it’s worth it. We’ve done a lot of episodes here, you can go back to the archives on mornings, morning routines. listeners should there were morning routines, and across the board on that listener episode. It was like I am so thankful I have this time and a lot of ladies, it looked like five to 7am. And it was like, yeah, it stinks to get up when that alarm goes off at five. But I get all this time and peace to pray to work out than to like, cook some people baked some things or just got ready for the day or did other things they wanted to do even have time for a hobby in there.
So getting up is always tough, but to me, it’s always worth it to get my things done and dusted before everybody adds to the chaos. Now there Yes, again, there’s different seasons. But there’s also just days where things go right the other day, right at 615. I was about to hit record and record a workout for the chasing greatness group. And the power went out for like one second, which was enough to turn off the kid sound machine. And of course it woke the two year old up and that’s Oh my God, here we go. We’re starting at 615. So yes, we have to be flexible, there’s days, it’s not going to go according to plan. But typically, we’re gonna get a more effective workout where we don’t have to take breaks during sets, we don’t have to break our whole workout up over the day if we just do it first. So if at all possible to wake up any order you want. I play around with the order a lot. I was in a groove of doing like prayer first because I wanted to, you know, make sure that was first thing and then exercising. But then I was finding that I was really tired sitting through prayer time. And it was actually better to get going first with exercise, then I was able to sit and have coffee with prayer and I like to have coffee a little bit later than when I wake up. So play with what works for you. But I just that would be my very first tip. And first encouragement is if you can get it done before they wake up your actual workout in then Awesome. Now the rest of this is going to look like getting in I do have I do have some more tips coming for if you actually need to get in your own workout. But say say you shot to get your own workout in and you did.
Okay, now this is list of tips for getting a workout in that centered on them. If you’re just trying to incorporate movement into your homeschool day in general, obviously movements excellent for kids, especially, you guys don’t have three boys like boys need to move, they cannot be sitting for that long of intervals at a time. So these are just some tips of how you can incorporate into like, into everyone’s homeschool day, which is centered on them. But it’s also a bonus for you. So if you don’t get any other workout in that day, or even if you do, meat is great meat is non exercise Activity Thermogenesis it’s anything you do that’s not exercise. So this is what I shoot for as an ideal. Like, I do my own workout on my own time most days. Like say five days a week is what the bar I set for myself when I’m not pregnant, okay, five or six days. And then if I happen to miss it, if like that Fluke power outage thing happens, then I know I’m at least getting movement in the rest of the day with this. Now a lot of people will say like this list, I’m about to say bring it to the list. It’s coming, I promise. But I’ll hear this from clients apply move around with my kids enough. This does not equal a regimented workout program for you as an adult. If you want to move well in your 60s If You especially want to change your body composition and build a different physique like this ain’t gonna cut it. This is your extra Okay, so let’s make that very clear. I’m not saying this is a good substitution for your own workout. I’m saying this is extra for you this is centered on them. It’s like a perk it’s an extra it’s a benefit.
All right, number one is to do little stations or circuits My kids love this I’ll set up like you know think of of things kids like to do you’re not doing necessarily like squats and bicep curls but somebody’s jumping on the trampoline. Somebody’s we do have a stationary bike that they’re kind of one kid is able to reach the pedals. Now our middle kid is kind of able to so that’ll be fun once they’re a little bit older, but he’ll just kind of plan it. So I’ll put out like the trampoline, the balance board the bike, and I will, you know, set a timer for 30 kids love timers anyways. So is that a timer for like 30 seconds, and then it goes off and they rotate. And they’re already learning that to take turns and, you know, switch and go to the next thing. And I’ll set up different things. We also have like Battle ropes in our basement. So I’ll put out the ropes and someone will do the ropes and someone will jump on the trampoline. And they love that. So little stations and circuits. And you might think like, well, we don’t have any of that stuff. You could do, you know, think fun things, you know, this is coming up actually as the next tip. So I’ll just kind of bleed into that one.
Tip number two is to make it fun. So before you’re, you know, throwing real exercises at them, just crawl like a cat walk like a dinosaur, you know, that kind of thing. So if you have nothing equipment wise, you can have one kid
you know, doing bunny hops across the room and one kid holding a wall sit like kids think wall sits or not a lot of adults think Wall sits are fun. But you know, things like that doesn’t have to be an actual exercise once again, but there are some that they just think are fun or seem more game like than others. So that’s tip number two.
Tip number three to incorporate movement that started on them is to use dance parties. This is one I’ve heard from tons of families who have homeschooled way longer than I have about how to make it through winter in places where it’s pretty, you know, long and cold and whatnot and dance parties is always on the list there. And then lastly, we just started using this actually this past winter, probably when I got desperate. But using a screen tool like go noodle, or whatever, I don’t know if go noodles paid but I just YouTube, whatever. And there were some really cute ones. In winter, we did like the Grinch hot cocoa run and you know, floors, lava and that kind of stuff, which everybody has their own opinion on screen time. But I do not mind it to break up the day in there when they’re, you know, doing seven minutes of something where they’re moving along with it. And it’s more fun and like a game to them. So those are my tips for working in movement for them. Now, obviously, you’re already planning your homeschool day how you want to and how fits your life. So try to like feel that out and think about that. Practically speaking, this is kind of the step I’m at right now. Which is going to totally take a lot of modification and altering as I go, where I’m trying to envision like, Okay, if we start out with everybody who does their chores and stuff, then we have morning time, after 20 to 40 minutes of like morning basket time, like they are going to need a break. So that would be a good movement time before then I try to sit and have them do some focused work like for my older one, like math or handwriting or something. You know, so see what works maybe and try not to get frustrated, anything new if they are not intuitive.
First, I know what I’m talking about more on little kids too. But older kids as well, you know, need movement in their day. And I feel like older kids might be more hesitant and resistant to it. So maybe I should open that up to listeners of ways to you know, inspire your kids to want to move more. But, you know, obviously modeling it yourself is a really good place to start.
Alright, now tips for you to get your workout in. So this is like when I’ve tried to do it by myself. And it did not work out. And like the power went out that kind of a thing. How do you do this? Now again, I have some other episodes you can go back to and listen about, like how to work out with small kids around and things like this is a question that comes up a lot.
So these are just couple tips off the top of my head number one, take your workout to them. Okay when kids are contained is where I get it in. So if I’ve missed my workout, or I know, I’m not going to get one in that day like this might be post baby time when I’m starting to work out again. But I’m not getting up earlier than the kids. That’s were taking it to the kitchen while they’re eating breakfast or while they’re eating lunch. And I bring in like a single band and a kettlebell. And I figure it out in there. And it gives me 20 minutes and that’s great and better than nothing right? What I tell them essentially if I’m working out, mom’s working out you are welcome to x, y and z. So they know this is not like they have all the time and opportunity for me to assist them play with them read books with them all that stuff all day long. I am at home with them all day long and most times all night long. And it’s beautiful and it’s wonderful. But they I am not at their beck and call and I’ve just started saying I am careful about and obviously everyone has their own opinions on this. I don’t say it all day long because they know we don’t want to become the No Mom where they ask us to do something that’s always in a second in a second in a minute mom or the no Not right now, mom, but there are certain times where I’m like, oh, you know what mom’s job right now this is the common one is right after breakfast and the only one that can do that I trust, I should say to do the dishes, we don’t have a dishwasher. So I don’t trust anybody like washing dishes by hand yet. And I wash the dishes by hand, but everybody has their own other things. They clear the table, whatever. But mine obviously takes the longest I’ll sweep the floor takes like, by the longest typing 10 minutes, or 15 minutes, maximum, but that’s when they’ll come up to me right now. It’s like the two year old comes up with a ball and wants me to play catch, but I’m like mommy’s job is the dishes right now. I will play catch with you after the dishes. Okay? And it’s like walk around like my mom. He says my mom for Yes, ma’am. But, you know, just when mom’s working out, like, Oh, I’m actually working out right now. But you can play with Magna tiles. You’re welcome to color. We can do that after, like mom’s working out. It’s okay to say that. Next tip is if they’re old enough, and conjoin you let them I put and let it fizzle out. Because I think a lot of times we’re hesitant to let them hop in. Because we are in the zone, we just want to do our thing want to crank it out. But it actually usually takes more energy from everybody and more of a battle to be saying no, no, no, I’m doing it No, go away. No, do this instead. Usually, if I just say, Yeah, sure, come on, and do it or Yeah, sure, do this, they get bored and go do something else in like, honestly, usually two to five minutes. It depends on which kid it as but try to let them into it first. And I’ve I learned that really quickly with my first one. And it’s been true and rang true for all the other kids. And in all pretty much all seasons like, Oh, hey, Mom, can I do that too? Sure. I don’t want to stop what I’m doing and show them but I do. And it’s always for the best for everybody.
Um, lastly, do it while they have recess or play break. If you give them you know, their own, either just play time, or it is their movement time. Like if you put on a go noodle for them. You could be working out over in the corner to doing some squats and push ups and planks and whatever, just right in your living room, where it’s everybody’s movement time. You know, that’s the thing that would stress me out. If I always try to, you’re listening to this again, thinking, okay, great every day, I’ll just give them a 20 minute movement time. And I’ll get my workout done there. That opens it up for a lot of interruption, a lot of it’s not going to get done because the phone rings or something else, quote unquote, more important needs to happen. So I wouldn’t bank on that. This is again, the like, if you really need to get it in during the day, do it when they’re already doing movement. If you give them outside, play time, go outside and do your workout outside, that kind of thing. Um, you also could swap out, you know, any of these things with them for outdoor activities. And that’s the active time. And again, you could get your workout in if you needed to. So one more tip, that just kind of, I guess flows to any of these. You the kids, everybody is going to be more likely to do this, if it’s daily. So if you’re trying to incorporate daily movement, while just movement in general for them, if you try to do like, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, that might work that could work. However, it tends to be easier to put something in our routine, if it’s just daily, right, the things that we do very often tend to be the things that get done like for me if I have something even a task at home or something that’s weekly, or monthly, you know, it’s that’s the stuff that’s not going to get done as often. But the things that I already do everyday like that’s I’m going to do it every day. So you don’t need to, like physically do your own workout every day. But I think any kind of movement is again, I do think moving everyday is a good thing. There’s nothing bad about moving everyday. Yes, your body needs rest. But you know, walking around your backyard or even like a hike is fine to do that’s not, you know, overtaxing your body. All right, I hope that’s helpful. I hope that gets you excited and gets the ball rolling on some ideas of how you can fit this into your day. And let me know how it goes for you if you try any of these. And don’t forget about the podcast review giveaway. So the sooner the better. Again, if you think you’re gonna I have all month don’t do it. Just go do it. Get it in there and screenshot it and send it to me please Bernie unhealthy Catholic moms.com. All right, ladies, have a great rest of your day. Next time. We are going to talk about oh, cold plunging intermittent fasting and other fitness trends. Alright, so I’m going to be Brittany’s take on all that. All right, have a great rest of your day.
