Exercise Dice Game

I've tried exercising in all kinds of ways. Before I became a mama, I loved running. Once upon a time, I even managed a marathon (a feat I made a solemn promise to myself to never repeat).

Now, I want to stay fit and am eager to be a strong mama. But how is that possible when you've got to be with your kid for what feels like every single minute of the day? I tried getting someone else to do bedtime one evening a week so that I could go to a yoga class. Most weeks, it fell through for one reason or another.

I've no money for personal trainers or fancy gyms. As soon as the monster's been dropped off at school, my time belongs to work. I tell myself that I'll try and find the motivation to do an exercise video when he's asleep. But when that magical hour arrives, the only thing I'm suitable for is crashing on the sofa in front of an easy watch on Netflix. 

So. That got me thinking. Is there any way to exercise with the little monster? And then that led to me thinking how great he'd be as my personal trainer. He'd be delighted to shout at me to go faster, further, never give up. He'd constantly be badgering me to go again. 
Here's what we're trying out at the moment. 

Download it here, roll the dice, and let that decide what you'll be up to. 

All these ideas can be done at home, without equipment, in short bursts. Even if the running involves laps around the garden, the obstacle course comprises crawling under a table, jumping over cushions, and finishing in a roll. Tennis can be your kid throwing teddies at you while you bat them away with your hands. This is one of Rafiki's favourite games, and since he always wants me to stretch and run for it, it can turn into quite the cardio blast. Weights can be giving your kid a piggyback or filling bottles with water. To take it to the next level, head to a park or a playground and do your mini workout there. 

I didn't add yoga to this printable because Rafiki will not do it whatever I try. But if your kids will, you could swap out one of these for doing some kids yoga on youtube together. Adapt it to whatever works best for your family. 

Let your kids suggest things. Star jumps/sit-ups / running to that tree and back etc. Get them to time you. Go wild on the playground. Why should the monkey bars be just for kids? 

VERY IMPORTANT. Set a timer to stop the kids from wearing you out to the point where it's past being fun. It always needs to be fun, or you won't continue with it past the first couple of times. 

My primary way of thinking now is that maybe exercise was never meant to involve us setting aside 30 minutes daily to dedicate solely to that. And, when we fall short of that, it goes out the window completely. Exercising in 10-minute bursts throughout the day in a fun, spontaneous way seems much more palatable to me.