Staying Fit as a Busy Mum: How Our VAHA Mothers Find Time for Their Fitness Flow

Tip #1: Use fitness as your source of energy

Many of us initially associate fitness with the idea of losing weight and getting in shape. VAHA founder Valerie tells us that fitness can be much more than that, especially for mums: “Being a mum is a 24-hour job. The best in the world, but it needs energy. I get my energy from exercise. 20 minutes of yoga with my VAHA in the morning, followed by alternating cardio, barre or strength training. That’s my source of energy.” Morning workouts provide Valerie with the clarity and strength she needs to perform her best as a mother of 3 and CEO of a young start-up. “If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of others!” she acknowledges. 

A regular fitness routine helps you to be more present and support your family with more energy and joy. VAHA Chief Revenue Officer Maggie had a similar experience after the birth of her children: “Since I became a mother four years ago, my view of fitness has really changed. I used to work out to look good, and now I work out to feel good, to stay healthy, and to be mentally and physically ready for my family.” But working out offers Maggie another benefit: “My workout time with VAHA is one of the very rare “me” times that I reserve for myself every day, leaving me feeling fully recharged afterwards,” she notes. Best of all, there’s no need to travel long distances or arrange for a babysitter to replenish your energy reserves: With VAHA, you can give yourself exclusive me-time anytime you want, from the comfort of your own home.

Tip #2: Make your workout a routine – even if it’s only 5 minutes.

Now, how do you find time for yourself as a mum? Valerie has set a fixed time every day for this – the early hours of the morning. For many mums, this is the ideal time to carve out a few minutes for themselves before waking the kids. Fitness soon becomes a fixed ritual that you already look forward to the night before. Or you can spontaneously build your workout into your day whenever the opportunity presents itself. With this strategy, Maggie has made it a routine to work out every day with her VAHA: “The best way to form a habit is to do it every day. With VAHA, I really had no excuse not to show up every day. Whether I only have 20 minutes in the morning or feel tired after chasing my sons around all day, VAHA has something for me to work out and feel good about.” VAHA Video Editor Dijana also appreciates the flexibility aspect of working out with VAHA: “With the limited time you have every day as a mother, I couldn’t think of a better way to get fit,” she says. Now she can squeeze in fifteen minutes of yoga or HIIT between home office and playing with her daughter. And whether it’s cardio, strength or stretching – with classes lasting from 5 – 60 minutes, there’s always an opportunity for a spontaneous workout, even with a busy schedule.

Tip #3: Stronger together: exercise with your family and community.

VAHA offers mothers the opportunity to both have time for themselves and experience sport with the entire family. Working out together is not only fun, but it also motivates you to do your best, to cheer each other on and spend quality time with your entire family. With its large screen and courses for all ages and levels, VAHA makes family training easier than ever. VAHA member Zsofia even went so far as to set up a special workout corner at home for herself and her twin daughters. Meanwhile, Zsofia has found a workout partner not only in her daughters but the entire VAHA community. “I saw a VAHA advertised at some point and decided to give it a try during the 30-day trial period. As you can see, the VAHA stayed – I loved it from day one!” Zsofia had often lacked motivation for online workouts before.  With VAHA, it was the team spirit in the live classes and the VAHA Facebook group, as well as the support from the trainers, that helped her build a solid fitness routine: “There’s this energy that comes from the mirror, from the community, the instructors and personal trainers. It just drives me to work out on a regular basis. Sometimes I even find it hard to skip a workout or have a rest day.” Seeking support from your family, friends or online communities is Zsofias tip for every mum who finds it hard to motivate herself to exercise. Having people behind you who support you and share the same goals will help you stick to your routine and keep going!

Tip #4: Find your flow moments 

Once you have experienced a state of flow during your workout, fitness quickly becomes a beloved habit. When we’re in flow, it feels like we’re part of one long,  flowing river, leaving us feeling happy and satisfied. And that’s precisely what our VAHA mums appreciate about their training. Valerie experiences her fitness flow moments especially during her VAHA morning sessions: “During this time I am totally present and can completely immerse myself in my flow routine, forgetting everything else around me.” Maggie also loves the feeling of becoming completely one with what she is doing while working out. For those who want to get into flow during their workouts too, she has a special tip: “For me, it helps to focus completely on the action at hand and minimise all physical and mental distractions around me.” And of course, you can experience flow outside of your Fitness Journey. Especially when you are balanced and full of energy, diving into everyday flow is easy. Dijana therefore usually experiences her flow highlight at the end of a long day, when she has once again made the impossible possible: “Every day you face a wall of tasks to complete, and by the end of the day, when you lie down in bed, you just think – yes, I did it! It was hard, but I did it! That’s the most natural way for me to get into the flow and it just feels great!”

Conclusion 

Even if it is often hard to make time for yourself as a mum, with VAHA you have the opportunity to exercise whenever it fits into your schedule. Whether you can only spare some time for the length of a coffee break or a whole evening, whether you love sweaty cardio exercises or relaxing meditation sessions; your VAHA Journey adapts to your needs. You can work out when and how it suits you, alone, with your personal trainer or live with your favourite instructors and the VAHA community. This way, our VAHA mums always find a flow moment for themselves that gives them energy and focus for the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life!