Find out the top 5 reasons why you’re failing at sticking to your workout routine as a busy mom and how you can overcome those obstacles.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

You used to be so diligent with your workouts back in college, but now that you’re a mom, it seems as if working out is at the bottom of your priority list these days. Failing at sticking to your workout routine is a major frustration these days.

You know it’s still a priority to workout, but there’s just more important mommy things to do now. It’s hard to take care of a new baby who needs you practically every second of every day. You’re probably thinking, “How am I going to get a good workout in if I can’t even find time to unload the dishwasher?”

This is a common struggles that moms face when it comes to incorporating exercise into their busy mom routine. In this post, I’ll explain the top 5 reasons why you’re failing at sticking to your workout routine. Plus we will talk about how you can overcome those obstacles.

1. You’re lacking a daily routine thus no workout routine is ever established

Lacking a daily routine was listed first for a reason. It’s the most important. Routine is the key to everything when it comes to creating and sticking to a habit.

During your hectic day, how are you going to remember to stop what you’re doing and work out if your mind is consumed with cries from your baby?

But if you have a routine in place then it’s far more easier to remember to do a workout because it becomes automatic.

Make Your Workout Routines Automatic

It’s just like your morning routine is automatic, so will your workout routine be. Every morning you wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, drink coffee and brush your teeth before leaving the house.

It’s automatic and you don’t have to actively think about doing those things. Let’s get your workout routine to be automatic too. Less thinking and more doing.

If you can make your workout part of your morning routine, it’s easier to consistently workout.

Find Your Workout Trigger To Help Jumpstart Your Workout Routine

Let’s find your workout trigger. For example, if you always brush your teeth after you have your morning coffee, why not work out right after you brush your teeth. Just add the workout to the end of your morning routine.

The brushing teeth part acts as your trigger. The trigger of brushing your teeth will automatically remind you that next comes your workout. Without that “reminder trigger” in your routine, it’s easily forgotten.

You’ll have to remember that brushing teeth always leads to working out.

Don’t Forget To Follow Through With Your Workout Trigger

Another example of a workout trigger is getting the mail. You create the trigger in your mind that every time you go to the mail box to get mail, you will follow up with a workout.

Let’s say you are committed to getting the mail from the mailbox every day except Sunday. Then try to make that much of a commitment to always work out every day you go to the mailbox.

No exceptions.

If you stopped getting the mail in the mailbox then the mail would pile up. If you stop working out then the calories will pile up. Try to remember that!

2. You don’t have a designated spot for working out

Just like you have a designated spot in your house to sleep, you should have a designated spot to workout. That spot is a reminder that you should be doing one thing and one thing only: working out.

When you go into your room at night and see your bed, you know it’s time to sleep. The bed acts as a reminder. When you walk into the room that has your yoga mat and dumbbells, that’s a reminder to work out and utilize that space to its full advantage.

Having a designated space in your home to work out helps get your mind focused and “in the zone” to exercise.

Home Gyms For Beginners And On A Budget

If you are working out in random places in your house, it’s easy to get distracted and start working on household chores. Just stay focused every time you walk into your workout space and know that this is a time to focus on yourself and nothing else. You have to have discipline and good self-control for this.

If you don’t have a workout space in your home, I highly recommend at least creating a basic home gym inexpensively just to get started. You can create a home gym for under $100.

Or if budget is not an issue, you can always add some extra equipment. Check out this list of home gym equipment for beginners.

3. You don’t have positive influencers in your life to help you stay committed to a workout routine

Maybe you don’t have anyone in your life that is encouraging you or influencing you in a positive way.

That can be really hard.

When the people around you are surrounding you with outside influences that go against your workout goals, then it’s even harder to overcome those obstacles.

Your family is always being lazy, binge watching Netflix or eating tons of junk food on the couch when you are ready to start doing Insanity. There’s no doubt it’s going to be a major struggle for you to get motivated.

I’m not saying everyone in your household has to work out and focus on their fitness goals at the same time as you, but it would make for an easier situation.

Workout Accountability Partner

What I recommend is to at least find one person, just one person, who is a positive influence on you when it comes to health and fitness.

Whoever that person is, spend more time with that person, chat with them more on social media and through texts, schedule meet ups where you can do a fitness related activity together, work out together, share wins together and even swap recipes.

That one person will help you far more than any other person to go after your fitness goals. This person is now called your accountability partner.

4. You don’t have written goals that you are committed to reaching

Speaking of goals, do you have any? Are you going at this fitness journey blind, or do you have a vision of who you want to become?

I hope you do, and if not, let’s start now by creating some written goals.

It’s proven that writing down goals produces a higher probability that the goal will actually be accomplished. So why not write it down?

Get a pen and paper right now and write down three health and fitness related goals that you want to accomplish, and write a date that you want to accomplish them by.

Writing the date is important to keep yourself accountable. realistic for you.

Keep these goals hanging on your bathroom mirror as a reminder every day to keep working towards the goals. Even better, rewrite them every morning the moment you wake up.

Fitness Goal Examples

Some examples of fitness related goals could be:

I want to lose ___lbs in ____months

Work out ___days a week for ____ months consistently

I want to exercise for ____ minutes a day, _____days a week for the next ____months

I want to be able to do _____ squats by this date:_______

Now it’s time for you to come up with some fitness goals that are realistic for you to achieve.

Keep these goals hanging on your bathroom mirror as a reminder every day to keep working towards the goals. Even better, rewrite them every morning the moment you wake up.

5. You’re focusing on too many excuses of “why you can’t” instead of focusing on “ways you can”

Negative affirmations …never heard of such a thing? Well, that’s what I’m calling excuses.

You shouldn’t be feeding your mind with negative affirmations of excuse after excuse but instead fill your mind with positive affirmations.

Stop telling yourself you are too busy…

the house is a mess…

you can’t keep up with your kids sports and activities…

baby isn’t sleeping so you’re not sleeping…

you’re exhausted even before beginning a workout…

or you keep getting interrupted by the kids…

These are all negative thoughts that are distracting you from what really can happen.

Workout routines that start with positive affirmations instead of negative

Start thinking of positive affirmations on how you CAN accomplish your fitness goals and stick to your workout.

Tell yourself things like this:

–I have a healthy body that is capable of walking

-There are 5 minutes to spare in my day to get a few jumping jacks in

–I got a jolt of energy from my coffee so I’m going to take advantage of it and do a quick YouTube workout video

-My kids are being super playful right now so I’m going to incorporate them into my workout.

Have A Mindset Shift

Can you see yourself having a mind shift, feeding your thoughts with positive words of affirmation and gratitude instead of negative ones?

Try this, on the same piece of paper you wrote your three goals, I want you to write one positive affirmation about yourself that is related to your fitness goals. Make this your anthem quote for your fitness journey.

See this list of 25 fitness motivational quotes for moms to get in you inspired.

Here’s one of my favorites:

“Be Stronger Than Your Excuses”

How To Stick To Your Workout Routine As A Beginner

So, are you pumped up to make a change? I hope you are ready to make today the day you are going to commit towards making a change.

Start by getting a routine in place with you and your children so that your workout is scheduled every day at the same time of the day.

Get a spot in your house set up with equipment and a space for you to get your sweat on.

Write your goals down on paper and have it visible for you to see every day at the start of your day.

Change your mindset, eliminate the excuses and commit to a positive way of living.

And find that person who can be your accountability partner and influence you beyond what you could ever imagine.

Accountability Workout Partner

If you don’t have anyone in your life to be your workout accountability partner then try finding just one person on social media that you believe will be a good influence on you.

Follow them on Instagram, join a group that they have on Facebook and interact with them there. These social media influencers are wholeheartedly looking out for your best interest.

If you don’t have anyone, you can always keep in contact with me, Jena, through my social media platforms. I would love to help you with your fitness journey. You can follow me on Instagram and Facebook.

Oh and by the way, I highly recommend starting with a simple workout plan before jumping full force into a total body, “Insanity” workout of some kind.

Try this simple 30-day ab challenge for beginners where you will get private access to my Facebook group and encouragement along the way. Hope to see you in there.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

**It is important to always consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program and get medical clearance. Always warm up thoroughly and stretch after all workouts. Jena Bradley LLC, LiveCoreStrong.com and Jena Bradley will be not be responsible or liable for any injury sustained while exercising at home, gym or elsewhere. Perform exercises at your own risk.

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Workout Routines: 5 Reasons Why You’re Failing At Sticking To Your Workout Routine