Between school drop-offs, work, cooking, laundry, and trying to keep up with everything at home, do you ever feel like your body is just tired all the time? If so, you are not alone!
A constant ache in your lower back, tiredness that you think will never go away, even from sleeping too much, and having trouble lifting your child without pain are becoming a reality for many people in their 30s and 40s. You may also feel like reality is sinking in, that your body will never be what it used to be. The most important thing to remember is that you are not weak; you just aren’t strong enough.
Don’t worry, this issue can be fully resolved with strength training!
The Science Behind Strength Training for Women
Research supports what many people already know: there are many benefits to participating in regular strength training as a female. In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine states that women see improvements in metabolic function, bone density, and quality of life from their participation in regular strength training, regardless of any possible weight loss.
So how can you relate that information to yourself?
When you do strength training, your body undergoes real, measurable changes at the cellular level. You’re not just building muscle (though that’s happening too). You’re also:
- Improving Insulin Resistance – Insulin resistance is a condition where the body does not respond properly to insulin, and blood glucose levels are either higher or lower than what they should be. Improved insulin sensitivity can potentially reduce your risk of developing metabolic syndrome (a collection of risk factors that can lead to cardiovascular disease) in the future.
- Improving the Functionality of Mitochondria: The mitochondria are the power generators of our cells, and help create energy that we use to stay active daily. If we work out regularly with weights, we create many new mitochondria inside our cells.
- Reducing Inflammation in the Body – One of the many benefits of regular strength training is its ability to help reduce inflammation in the body. Lower inflammation levels may help decrease the risk of developing or worsening certain chronic diseases and health conditions over time.
How Strength Training Can Transform Your Life
As a busy mother, your body handles far more than just the normal demands of daily life. Carrying children, lifting car seats, managing groceries, and constantly being on the move can place significant strain on your muscles and posture over time. These repetitive everyday movements often create added stress on the joints and lead to discomfort or fatigue.
Your body may also be recovering from an injury, adjusting to hormonal changes after pregnancy, or transitioning into perimenopause. All of which can affect your energy, sleep, strength, and overall well-being.
On top of that, the stress of everyday life can increase cortisol levels, making it harder to get truly restorative sleep. Many mothers experience not only emotional stress from raising children, but also physical exhaustion from constantly caring for others.
Studies have shown that women who participate in strength training programs may experience:
- Reduced chronic pain, especially lower back pain
- Improved sleep quality and better recovery
- Lower levels of anxiety and depression
- Increased self-confidence and self-efficacy
- Better overall strength and daily function
The Importance of Strength Training for Busy Mothers
One of the great things about strength training is that you don’t need expensive gym equipment. What you do need is a workout that includes compound movements, which are those that work multiple muscle groups at the same time. Listed below are the essential exercises that busy moms should focus on.
1. Squats (Bodyweight, Goblet, or Barbell) – Squats build your legs, glutes, and core, as well as improve lower-body stability. This means that you will be able to lift your children much more easily, maintain better posture, and have less knee pain.
How to perform squats: Stand with feet hip-width apart and bend your knees to lower your hips back like you’re about to sit in a chair. Keep your chest up and weight on your heels. Stand back up by pushing through your heels.
2. Push-Ups – Push-ups will strengthen your upper body and core, which means carrying groceries and your kids and doing laundry will be much easier, and you won’t have shoulder or back pain.
How to perform Push-Ups: Start lying on your stomach with your knees bent and your toes pointed away from you, your hands under your shoulders, and your body straight like a plank. Lower your body down towards the floor until your chest almost touches, then push yourself back up.
3. Deadlifts – Having strong posterior chain muscles (back, glutes, hamstrings) is extremely important for preventing lower back injuries, as well as improving posture. This is especially important for women post-pregnancy.
How to perform deadlifts: Hold your weights at your sides, hinge from your hips while keeping your back straight, and drive through your heel to return to an upright position.
4. Rows (Dumbbell or Resistance Band) – Rows are an effective way to counteract the forward slouch caused by carrying babies or sitting at a desk all day. Rows will help you build strength in your back and improve your posture, as well as reduce pain in your neck and shoulder area.
How to perform this exercise: Hold weights at your side, or grab a resistance band, then pull your weights against your torso while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
5. Plank hold – Planks help you build core stability while placing no strain on your lower back. A strong core is essential for improving posture, reducing back pain, and assisting with balance.
How to perform this exercise: Your starting position is the push-up position (on your knees or toes), and maintain a straight line from your head to your heels.
A fitness approach to strength training for those who have limited time
The first thing is you only have 30-45 minutes to work out (3-4 times per week). That’s sufficient time for each workout. Our strength training plan provides a summary of how to structure your workouts. You can follow:
- 5 minutes of Warmup (Light Activity + Dynamic Stretching)
- 30 minutes of Strength Training (3-4 Compound Movements)
- 5 to 10 minutes of Cool-down and Stretching
With this type of strength training plan, you’ll be performing compound exercises, allowing for adequate recovery time between workouts, and establishing consistent workout patterns, which are the three building blocks of successful strength training.
How Basics and Beyond fitness & nutrition supports you on your journey toward healthier living
Basics and Beyond fitness & nutrition understands that busy moms don’t just want cookie-cutter workouts or to be on another “diet.” What you need is personalised help based on your schedule, current lifestyle, and specific goals.
We take this to heart when we work with you by creating:
- Customised strength training programs developed specifically for women who have busy lifestyles and want to work out 20 – 45 minutes a day.
- Nutrition coaching based on sustainable eating habits that promote a healthy relationship with food rather than restriction and punishment.
- Ongoing support and accountability because we believe that consistency is what ultimately leads to lasting change.
- Evidence-based approaches to help you return to your healthy self while still honouring your time, life, and intelligence.
We will teach you the importance of strength training on your body, how to structure workouts in order to get maximum results, and how to fuel your workout in order to sustain progress, without feeling guilty or falling victim to traditional dieting culture.
Whether you are postpartum, going through menopause, or currently experiencing ongoing difficulties due to stress, or you’re just trying to become stronger for everyday activities, we have programs and support available for you!
FAQs
Ques. 1: Is it more beneficial for mothers to participate in strength training rather than just focusing on losing weight?
Ans: Strength training has been proven to offer mothers numerous long-term health benefits in addition to helping them lose weight, such as increasing muscle mass, boosting metabolism, improving self-esteem, improving sleep quality, and helping them to function better in their daily lives.
Ques. 2: Will strength training help to relieve fatigue and exhaustion in busy mothers?
Ans: Yes, through strength training, mothers can experience an increase in their level of endurance, which can ultimately help improve their energy levels and speed up recovery following their daily activities. Therefore, making daily tasks easier and providing less strain on their bodies.
Ques. 3: Is strength training safe after pregnancy?
Ans: If strength training is performed under the supervision of a qualified instructor, it can aid in recovery from pregnancy, enhance the mother’s ability to maintain balance, and assist with rebuilding strength following pregnancy.
Ques. 4: How frequently should mothers participate in strength training sessions?
Ans: Many mothers find they are able to maintain a consistent schedule of performing strength training for approximately 2 to 3 days per week, and even short-duration strength training sessions consistently over time have proven to have a positive impact on overall physical wellness.
Ques. 5: Is there personal strength training for busy moms in and around Nashville?
Ans: Absolutely! Basics and Beyond fitness & nutrition create custom fitness & nutrition plans for busy moms so they may achieve their goals through performance-based workouts. These types of workouts provide strength and conditioning, improve energy levels, enhance one’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, and feel empowered to continue living a full life.