Changes in routine due to the school summer holidays can present an additional barrier to exercise for parents. Horsham-based female personal trainer, Becky, shares some thoughts on how to overcome these…
First up: an admission
I’m very happily child-free! And I know that this and being a personal trainer mean that I have a lot of privilege in terms of how I use my time. So I’ve tried my best to remove those things from the equation when giving this advice.
Although I’m not a parent myself, I do have two parents of my own, I train a lot of parents, and many of my friends have kids. Much of what follows is based on observations or discussions with these people, and I hope that this can all be taken in the spirit that it’s intended. Blog posts can only be so long, so this advice is quite generalised – I know that there will be people whose situations mean they can’t try the below tips. If you’d like to run through some specifics, feel free to get in touch and I’ll see what I can do to help.
Take a break from exercise during the summer holidays
For those who are used to exercising, six weeks is a long time to be off if you’re not injured. So I’m not advocating for taking the entire holiday off, but we all need regular breaks, so it would make sense to plan in a week or two off when your time is more pressured by other things.
This does then also mean mapping the rest of your year out, but we all have to start with that somewhere! It could be that you’re going away, or there are more demands on your time at specific points, and it may be that fitting exercise in is one battle too many to fight. So don’t give yourself it. Embrace a week off, and be prepared to get back to it when you can.
Lower your expectations
Hot on the heels of the previous advice, is this gem from my friend Kaye (who is a self-employed parent). She wisely encourages people to expect less than zero from themselves, because then anything that is achieved is a huge accomplishment, and I love this strategy.
In a training context, that might look like this: if you usually train away from home twice per week, instead aim to train at home once per week. Then, anything beyond that is a bonus, and you still get something for yourself. It really is true that, when it comes to movement, something is better than nothing, so accept the sessions you can do and go with it.
Remember that you probably will keep moving
Whether you’re off to another destination on holiday or not, the daylight hours during the summer are helpful. Hopefully we get some continued good weather, which helps to facilitate spending time outside – and being active – with your children.
Whether you’re going to a local part for some games, taking them to clubs and activities, or getting out to the beach or to enjoy exploring, you can be moving whilst doing this. You might be cycling, walking, swimming, or discovering some new activities, and although that isn’t necessarily your usual choice of training, it’s all part of it.
There’s been some brilliant research recently which has shown that kids are heavily inspired by the adults closest to them, so keeping up your movement habits will also be benefitting your children’s future opinions, and leads me to my next point…
Ask for help with childcare
This is the one that sadly won’t be accessible to everyone. I’m here to remind those of you who do have this chance that it’s valid. Taking time for ourselves is critical for our mental and physical health. And, again, if your kids are old enough for you to explain your absence, it’s ok to let them know that it’s because you want to go and train.
It might be that you can do a tag team with a friend, and swap favours. It could be that you need to verbally express the need to your partner or someone else close to you – nobody is a mind-reader, and if you don’t ask, you don’t get in this life!
Plan your return to training
However you’re spending the summer holidays, make sure that you plan how to get back to your preferred routine once school starts again. It often takes a few weeks, especially if a transition is involved. But this is where I really can help, and now is the time to get booked in. Few people realise that September in the fitness industry is similar to January – booked and busy! So leave it until the last minute at your peril, but if you want to get something sorted for September, now is a great time to ask…