20 Surprising Parenting Workouts I Didn’t Realize I Was Doing

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When I finally strapped on a fitness tracker, I was shocked to discover just how active my daily routine as a parent really is. I mean, I’m not just moving a little—I’m logging up to 6 miles a day! I thought I was merely cleaning up spills and managing chaos, but it turns out I was also getting a solid workout in the process. Who knew that wrangling kids could be such a calorie-burning endeavor? Here are 20 exercises I didn’t even know I was doing as a parent:

1. Laundry Lifting
   Between fetching clothes from every corner of the house and hauling baskets up and down stairs, I often find myself with a toddler in one arm and a laundry basket in the other. Talk about a weightlifting session!
2. Kid Chase
   No Olympic sprinter can outrun a toddler who just found a half-eaten snack in the trash. I’m basically training for the parenting Olympics every time I give chase.
3. Tantrum Taming
   Picking up a flailing toddler and safely transporting them up the stairs is an exercise in both strength and technique. It should definitely be a competitive sport.
4. Meal Prep Madness
   Cooking is a bit less like a cooking show and more like a survival challenge as I dodge two kids stampeding around while dragging one who’s latched onto my leg like a tiny koala.
5. Toy Cleanup
   This is an all-day affair, requiring countless squats and lunges as I pick up toys from places only accessible by contorting my body into bizarre positions.
6. Getting Out the Door
   Getting everyone ready to leave the house is akin to a pinball machine—lots of bouncing around without any of the fun sounds. I burn calories just trying to beat the clock!
7. Coffee Hunt
   Searching for my misplaced coffee often feels like a slow-motion marathon, with the stakes raised as I attempt to navigate the house while dreaming of bedtime.
8. Bedtime Routine
   When you’re earning badges for climbing stairs while putting kids to bed, it’s clear that bedtime should be a solo effort from the kids.
9. Floor Sweeping
   The intensity of my sweeping workout varies based on how much stuff has made its way to the floor and how little time I have before nap time ends.
10. Child Location Services
    When I’m searching for my little ones, it’s like a brisk walking tour of the house as I track them down in rooms they shouldn’t be in.
11. Grocery Store Sprint
    Shopping without a list turns me into a frantic runner, zigzagging through aisles, hoping the items I need magically appear in my cart.
12. Outdoor Adventures
    If you have that one child who loves to take leisurely strolls, you could rack up miles without even realizing it while keeping them entertained.
13. Kid Carrying
    Whether I’m carrying, toting, or giving piggybacks, every ounce adds up and counts towards my daily workout.
14. Lovey Recovery Mission
    The quest for a lost stuffed animal can turn into a late-night trek that feels like it covers miles, especially when it’s 10 p.m. and all I want is sleep.
15. Clothing Folding
    This activity resembles a workout as I battle against clothes that seem to have a mind of their own, flung wildly around the house.
16. Object Extraction
    Removing items from a toddler’s grip requires a fair amount of strength, especially if I’m trying to do it without getting bitten.
17. Redirecting Attention
    This full-body workout is repeated countless times a day, often the second I think I can sit down for a moment.
18. Tickle Time
    Playing tickle monster involves a lot of running and quick movements to catch the little one before they tumble.
19. Mess Scrubbing
    Cleaning up unidentified food substances from the floor and walls is a workout for sure—at least as exhausting as trying to fit into Spanx!
20. Fighting Interventions
    Breaking up sibling squabbles often requires lifting one child off another, sometimes both at once, which is a serious test of strength.

So, grab that laundry basket and a toddler or two, and transform your home into a fitness obstacle course—it’s a workout regime that’s practically built into parenting! You’ll be swimsuit ready before you know it.

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Summary:

Parenting doubles as an unexpected workout routine. From laundry lifting to chasing toddlers, countless daily activities incorporate fitness without us even realizing it. Embrace these exercises and enjoy the fitness benefits that come with navigating the chaos of parenthood.