To be in a rush to get fit for the summertime is just wrong. Getting fit should not solely be about our body image, but about the feels from inside too. I first committed to fitness in high school when I had to stop playing basketball for health reasons, so I started to gain weight and felt miserable. However, ever since then, I didn’t rush the process. I decided to enjoy the process and tap myself on the back for being strong and not giving up.

Monthly healthy lifestyle picks

Mostly, I enjoyed doing HIIT workouts which stayed on top of my favourite workouts ever. When I almost reached the third month in pregnancy, I had to switch to prenatal yoga and pilates because I hadn’t weighed enough and felt nausea all the time. That was when I fell in love with yoga, and the journey continues with me doing the mix of workouts.

Related: My workout plan at home

But you know, as a busy stay-at-home working mom I am, I don’t always have the time and the energy to work out. There’s just not enough time for it every day. Since you’re probably a busy mom who’s trying to get fit in time for summer the healthy way too, I will share some of my proven strategies to do so even if you can’t work out the recommended hours per week. Keep reading!

My husband and I are taking our lemon water to the next level this time. First thing in the morning, we’re having ginger lemon water (squeezed lemon, grated slice of ginger root and room temperature water). Ginger and lemon both contain antioxidants, and have anti-inflammatory, metabolism-boosting, immune-boosting and other health benefits. In other words, they help our bodies fight bacteria and infections and get rid of extra fat!

In my family, we treat food and our bodies with respect. We do cheat whenever we feel like cheating, but overall, we try to follow a healthy lifestyle as much as possible. We’ve never tried intermittent fasting, the ketogenic diet, the raw food diet etc. Why? Because we focus on our inner voice and what feels correct for us. Neither one of those diets suits the lifestyle we follow. Also, there hasn’t been a day when we skipped breakfast.

Having kids should never be the reason for skipping meals because you need the energy and your brain to function properly. Make it a habit to eat breakfast as a family or get up earlier to do that if your kids are younger. Prepare the morning food the night before or have an on-the-go breakfast. Our favourite breakfasts are overnight oats, smoothie, avocado toast, egg cups, breakfast bowls.

Go hiking, swimming, do yoga at home or attend a class, or simply visit the playground or walk around the neighbourhood. Calories burn out like crazy when we’re spending time with our children. My son and I really enjoy our afternoon walks on mommy and me date days. We either bring the puppy with us or go for a ride on a bike straight to the woods to play hide and seek or do animal yoga.

Meal planning eliminates junk foods. People usually snack on junk food or buy burgers for lunch because they have no idea what to eat, and they lack time. Every Sunday, I plan the week in my Notion. I also cook lunch for the next two days (it’s usually a slow-cooker meal) and pack breakfast and snack to ease the Monday rush.

Whether you’re on your way to lose those extra pounds and get fit for summer or your goal is to simply stay on track, don’t forget to hydrate. Drinking enough water is of high importance for your overall health. Considering that our bodies consist of 60% water, it makes sense.

Water will not only fill the space inside with zero calories, but also help you fill fuller much longer that way. This will naturally stimulate your metabolism to burn more calories, and you won’t need to over-snack!

You can try out my 30-day healthy goals challenge, which I specially designed for moms in the rush to get fit and healthy. The challenge focuses on building healthy habits, setting goals and staying committed to your inner self. Rather than working out like crazy for the first four days just to feel tired on day five and give up, this is a challenge that will guide you to success. Of course, you can alternate the days and change some daily to-dos if you need.

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Whatever feels right for you! If you’re not the one to enjoy exercising, I also have a 30-day active mom challenge. This is all fun, healthy and quality time with your little one! However, if you want to commit to working out too, you need a plan. When. What. The final goal.

My final goal currently is to tone up and build a little bit more core strength (my current workout plan). I would rather work out in the morning when my kid is in the playroom before I start the working hours (somewhere between 9 and 10 am). On weekend, we do it together. What about your plan?