Fitting In Exercise For Busy Moms

It's Needed, And Easier Than You Think, As Expert Explains On The Early Show

(CBS)  You get your kids to school, to practice, to the games, and spend hours cheering them on from the sidelines. You make sure they get their exercise, but there's never time for you to get yours.

Or so you think. You can get a full-body workout while you're watching the kids, on the field, in the park, wherever you happen to be.

On The Early Show Saturday, fitness expert Sarah Robichaud demonstrated full-body workouts busy moms can do on-the-run, so to speak - as the kids get their exercise. You can easily work these workouts into your lifestyle. They involve using a park bench, water bottles, a baseball bat, and a soccer ball.

Robichaud says, as a mother of one, she has "a full understanding of the crazy schedules our children keep. Between play dates, birthday parties, school functions and sport lessons, there hardly seems a moment for Mom to be able to hit the gym."

Our kids require us to have energy to keep up with them, she says, and exercise is actually a natural energy enhancer, she continues. Physical activity helps boost your brain power and self-esteem, not to mention the added payoff of a good body! We need to fit in mini-workouts that fall seamlessly into our hectic schedules, so there are no more excuses. You can eliminate your barriers to looking and feeling great.

Exercise is cumulative, Robichaud notes. Ten-minute sessions throughout the day really add up. The key to developing a strong, fit body is to be consistent. It's not an all-or-nothing approach. Get your body moving whenever you can - at the park, at the game, or at home, waiting for the pasta to boil.

You may feel a little funny starting to exercise on your own at the soccer field so - recruit, recruit, recruit! Ask other moms if they would like to take part in a weekly workout group while the kids are playing. There are some exercises you can do while keeping an eye on your little ones at the park; you won't need any special equipment; a couple of water bottles and a park bench should be enough!