• by Stephanie Azzarone , Op-Ed Contributor, February 27, 2013

Whether they're working in or out of their homes, moms are busy. How do they manage to take care of themselves and stay fit? And what’s the best way for marketers to reach moms who are striving to get in shape?

We recently conducted a survey (via social media) where we asked moms how fit they are and how much they exercise. Out of 230 moms (214 with children 0 to 13), only 3.5% describe themselves as “very fit,” while 8.3% say they are “totally unfit.” Nearly 47% of respondents said they are “sort of fit” and 40.6% said they are “not very fit.”

In other words, very few moms consider themselves very fit, and a majority considers themselves unfit—which presents a huge opportunity for companies that market products that could help moms get fit, stay fit, and feel good about themselves, such as fitness apparel and gear, nutrition and power bars, exercise videos and fitness apps.

The vast majority of moms (72.5%) said their bodies "could use some work," and 23.1% said they "can't stand the way I look and feel." Only 3.1% of moms responded that they feel great about their body, saying they "never felt better."

Amazingly, even though moms are so busy, the majority of respondents (35.8%) say they manage to exercise twice a week. Another 30.6% said they only exercise once a week if they can find the time, while an impressive 7.9% exercises daily. Twenty-three percent said they couldn't remember the last time they exercised.

While moms are generally too busy to watch much TV, they do manage to find time to check their social networks and mobile phones. Marketers trying to reach these busy moms are smart to invest in a strong mobile and social strategy. Some moms follow exercise routines using social media or fitness apps to post their regimes and track their progress. The popular running app Runkeeper, for instance, has social features so that users can connect with friends and fellow runners. Apps like MyFitnessPal allow users to track their food intake as well as their exercise. Pinterest, meanwhile, provides motivation in the form of healthy recipes, exercise tips, and inspirational quotes. Moms looking to lose weight and get in shape also turn to other moms for advice, specifically mom bloggers who provide inspiration. 

Marketers should keep in mind that moms want to take care of themselves, but need the kinds of information, tools and forms of communication that best fit their busy lives.