Real moms dish on how they find time to work out with crazy schedules, clingy toddlers, tight budgets, chronic sleep deprivation and zero athletic talent.

Call us crazy, but when it comes to reading advice about staying fit as a parent, the experts we want to hear from are the moms who make it happen. These fit moms find a way to workout even when it seems impossible, so Parents Magazine asked them to share their stories, secrets and best exercise tips so you can too!

Here are a few motivational tips from these mamas:

“At least three days each week, I exercise at work. In the midafternoon, when my phone alarm starts to play “I Like to Move It,” off comes my blazer, and on go my tennis shoes. My office is on the sixth floor, so I go up and down the stairs, walk around my floor, or do squats and push-ups with my office door closed for ten minutes.” – Eliza Belle, mom of two (4,2)

“I can’t do 30 to 60 minutes like I used to. Instead, I move my body when I’m with my kids. I do squats at the park, planks when we play trains, and triceps dips while we chalk up the driveway. I’ll even squeeze in a lower-body barre sequence at the bathroom counter while the boys take a bath.” – Chris Benson, mom of two (4,2)

“Three or four mornings a week, Grace and I meet moms at a park for an hour-long class. We do body-weight exercises like burpees, squats, and lunges; use hand weights; and go on runs. Afterward, the moms chat while the older kids play. These days, whenever I have a problem, I come to these women.” – Charne Greene, mom of one (11 mos)

“Every morning, I get up at 5 a.m. and practice yoga in my bedroom. I set up a calming meditation space with my yoga mat, yoga props, and flameless candles. I practice to different YouTube videos so I don’t get bored, and then I meditate for 20 to 30 minutes.”– Jennifer Mazzoni, mom of two (3, 18 mos)

“I wrote fitness into the rules of my life. I try to get on the treadmill after the kids and I have spent a lot of time together. That way, they’re less likely to come looking for my attention. Even if I’m very tired from the rigors of parenting and life, I just get in the pool and keep moving, no matter how slow I need to go.”– Alena Gerst, mom of two (5,3)

To read the full article including their stories and personal motivating factors, please click HERE.