Parents of MFP, how do you get your workouts in?

Trishism

My son is ten months old today and I'm returning to work in two and a half weeks. For the last five months I've tried to make it to the gym 4-5 times a week, and when I can't manage to get there I've done workouts at home while my boy naps. I'm just wondering how the working parents of MFP manage to keep up their exercising!

How does working affect your energy level?
How often do you workout a week?
Do you stay at home or go to the gym?

I guess I'm just looking for examples of people who successfully keep up with exercising because I'm afraid that I might end up using 'I started working again.' as an excuse to skip a workout.

shadowloss

Great question, just like with anything else, you have to adapt.

I have commitments with my kids, who are older, that take up 3 nights a week. So getting to the gym those nights are nearly impossible. The way I adapt, is I do cardio at home on those nights, I'm fortunate to have some equipment at home, then the other nights/day I get to the gym to lift.

It is different from my previous routine and I had to adjust, but it still serves a purpose and I still get my ME time.

AJL_Daddy

4:30 am alarm clock.

AJL_Daddy

In answer to your questions. My energy level? As high as a fat man's can get on 4 hours of sleep per night. How often do I work out per week? At least 5 times, usually more. 2 strength sessions, and the rest cardio. Do I stay at home or go to the gym? About 50/50. Strength is all at the gym.

quiksylver296

My son is older now, 10, which makes it much easier. When he was little, I joined a gym with a daycare that allowed you to drop them off up to two hours a day. (Should have taken more advantage of that, honestly )

Now, I go to the gym three night a week while my son is at his boxing practice. 1.5 hours per practice gives me plenty of gym time. I also do something active on my lunch break at work, walking or jogging.

I already get up at 4:30 to get to work on time, so early morning workouts aren't very feasible for me. The bonus is that I work 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., so I have lots of time in the evening.

tigerblue

It is tough.

First, it is easier to base all workouts from home, so that way I don't waste travel time. I have lots of dvd's and lots of dumbbells up to 25 lbs, and will add more as needed.

Second, I took up running as my primary form of cardio because it burns a lot of calories in a short time, and it can be done from anywhere as long as you pack some clothes and shoes. That way when I am stuck at an activity, I can still squeeze in a bit of burn.

Other options are early mornings or after kids' bedtime.

Unfortunately, it will be very difficult, and you will just have to make it a priority. You may have to scale back a bit, and compensate by eating less. Just find the balance that works for you. And it will change as the kids grow.

Mine drive now, so I feel like I've been let out of prison! But I've been there. . . .

dawnkent0626

I get up before anyone else does (4:10 a.m.) and head to the gym, because once the family is up, it's "Mooooooooommm..." the rest of the day. I go 5 days a week, Monday-Friday. If i can't get to the gym, I do have a treadmill at home and I'll run/walk for about 35 minutes or so.

When my daughter was a baby, I would walk on the treadmill when I could get her to nap. Once you start exercising on a regular basis, the energy level increases dramatically. One day you just say, "Hey, I'm not as tired as I used to be anymore."

Being a mom is a tiring job in and of itself, and then when you have to get back out into the working world, it's even more so. Take that time to take care of YOU, even if you do have to rob yourself of an extra hour's sleep in the morning. It's hard at first, but you do get used to it, and you do start to miss it if you skip a day once your workout routine has become a regular habit. I promise you it will be worth it. :-)

bekahmiss

I have five kids, the older three are in elementary school and the youngest two are 14 month old twins. I stay at home, but my gym has a limited number of hours with child care. Mondays and Fridays I get up at 4:45am to go to the gym so I can be home before it's time to start the morning rush. I can only do early morning those two days because my husband runs the other mornings super early before he heads in to work; those are his rest days. Tuesday and Thursday I go in the morning with the babies after dropping the big kids at school. Wednesdays I can't make it to the gym during childcare hours, and the weekends I typically don't go to the gym.

hun21

I get up at 4:30am and am at the gym around 5am. I train until 6:15am, home then hubby leaves for the gym/work. Our kids (4 and 7) sleep until 7am. I do this 5x a week.

cwolfman13

During the work week, I ride during my lunch breaks on Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday. I go to the gym to lift after work on Tues and Thurs and my wife takes care of my two boys...getting them fed, bathed, etc. I do the same on Mon and Wed when she hits the gym in the evenings.

On Saturdays I meet with a trainer in the morning and will usually take the boys out to do something in the afternoon to give my wife some time to go run or go to the gym or whatever she wants to do for her sanity.

On Sundays we usually all go do something fun as a family like going to the zoo...my wife will usually load up the boys in the car and I will take off on my bike and meet them there...as long as I get in a good 25 - 30 miles I'm cool...don't care how I get them. Occasionally I ride with a group on Sundays as well.

I would also add that I ride my bike or walk for quick trips to the grocery store to get a few items (not full on shopping)...sometimes I just hook up my bike trailer if I think it's going to be more than I can handle in my backpack. Really, pretty much any opportunity I have to get on my bike, I take it...I use everyday things and turn them into a part of my training.

makelemonade14

I get up and go at 5:15, and am back at 6:45. My husband gets the kids up and starts their breakfast, then he heads to theft before he goes to work. Then I try to get a 20-40 min piyo video in after work, before making dinner. It only works when everyone's lunches and bags are packed before bed, and the house is picked up and dishes done in the evening. My kids are 3 and 6, and I'm a full time teacher. We all seem a bit happier with a more organized routine, and both my husband and I feel better and have more energy. It's been a big win for us.

Spaniel5

I found a gym close to work and go during my "lunch time". I can get there, change, slam out a 30-35 minute workout, take a quick shower and back to the office in an hour. Then just eat at my desk.

jemhh

Trishism wrote: »

My son is ten months old today and I'm returning to work in two and a half weeks. For the last five months I've tried to make it to the gym 4-5 times a week, and when I can't manage to get there I've done workouts at home while my boy naps. I'm just wondering how the working parents of MFP manage to keep up their exercising!

How does working affect your energy level?
How often do you workout a week?
Do you stay at home or go to the gym?

I guess I'm just looking for examples of people who successfully keep up with exercising because I'm afraid that I might end up using 'I started working again.' as an excuse to skip a workout.

I workout 6 times a week. When and where I do it depends on the day and the week and the workout I'm doing. I have a home gym (weights and treadmill) so I can do everything at home but I also belong to a gym that I try to get to once a week. I pretty much sit down on Sunday and figure out my game plan for the week. I rotate my main two lifting workouts so that I do one at the gym and one at home, ABA/BAB style. This week it's:

Sunday - OHP/Strong Curves B at gym in the afternoon

Monday - HIIT video at home in the morning (had day off work)

Tuesday - Bench/Strong Curves A at home at 5:15 a.m. before work

Wednesday - will be walking on treadmill or doing HIIT after work before daughter's dance class

Thursday - OHP/SC B at gym after work (Girl Scouts night--free time, huzzah!)

Friday - rest

Saturday - SC workout C plus walking on treadmill at home

Next week I'll flip and do Bench/SC A at home on Sunday and Thursday and OHP/SC B at the gym before work on Tuesday. The cardio stuff will pretty much be the same day except sometimes I use Wednesday as a rest day and sometimes it's on Friday. Just depends on how I feel.

gemma1675

My husband and I take it in turns to go out and exercise after our child goes to bed. OH runs, I go to fitness classes. It's not easy finding classes that late but they are out there. If I don't have to work at home in the evenings on OHs running day I will sometimes do a home workout from youtube. Plus I use my 30 minute lunch break to go for a brisk walk.

brightsideofpink

For me its about filling gaps where I can, and as another poster said, turning every day activities into exercise. I do get up at 4:15 to go to the gym, 3-4 week days with at least one day off to sleep a bit later. If I just couldn't get up that morning, I'll add in a 20 minute zumba video in the evening. Its quick, and warms me up on these frigid nights. The other three seasons are much easier. When daylight is longer and the temps are above the teens, it gets easier to incorporate the kids. After dinner walks or bike rides, or just running about the yard with a soccer ball. My youngest is now 2.5, but the first year was very rough. There's no way I could have incorporated much solo exercise. He was a terrible sleeper, and I was the one to get up with him because I breastfed. It will get easier and you'll find a routine that works.

samthepanda

Its hard, and you have to be very adaptable - and determined otherwise that time can easily get eaten up by other things! I have an 11 year old with autism, and a 2 year old. I work part time, but rarely have any time at home without the kids. Me and hubby try and each go to the gym at least one night in the week, so basically I go out as soon as he gets home as youngest currently wants me to put her to bed all the time! I do a spin class on a Sunday morning at 9am, which works pretty well means hubby still gets a bit of a lie in, and I am back in time for oldests swimming. A while ago I started jogging back from sons swimming lesson (he likes us both to watch), and now my son likes to do this with me - whereas this is slower, I'm really proud of him that he wants to this and think its really important he's starting to exercise too. It's 3 miles.
I'm fortunate really both kids are happy to walk, so we do a lot of this, eg we walk the mile to scouts and I jog back. When I'm struggling to get out to exercise, eg school hols, I have some fitness stuff recorded on the tv.

Sometimes I feel really tired, and don't want to go out to exercise, but know I will feel better for doing it, so I try never to use tiredness as an excuse not to exercise. When I'm struggling with that I remember how much worse I felt when my oldest was a toddler, and I was 5 stone heavier - that's motivation not to give up!

cmm7303

I leave for work way too early for it to be mornings, so I do it when I get home from work. My kids are 7 and 9 and while they do homework or watch a show with me I'll ride my stationary bike or lift weights or something. I had all my workout stuff in the basement but have moved it up to the main floor so I can interact with them while I do it.

KHaverstick

It has been a struggle for me during some stages, and other times it's been easy. It all just depends on your routine, where your child is developmentally, naptimes (if your kid takes naps), bedtimes, etc. And all of that stuff can change over time, which is why sometimes I have a good workout routine, and sometimes I don't. But the toddler stage has been the most challenging for me, especially when my husband is on the road. It's hard for me to get anything done, much less a workout. Of course, having a toddler can be a work out on its own! When I just had one child, and she was to the point where she'd go to bed at the same time every day, I'd work out as soon as I got her in bed (at home, with workout videos). I did that consistently until I had #2. She has never been as good of a sleeper as my first. These days I just try to fit it in where I can. If my husband is home, I might sneak in a workout while he watches the kiddos. Or if I get them in bed at a reasonable time, I might work out then. Lately I've been squeezing in some exercise on my lunch break at work. I think it gets easier as they get older and can entertain themselves better. I actually haven't been to the gym in about 6 years, because I just find it too tough to coordinate--all of my workouts are at home, in my office at work, or walks in the neighborhood, and most workout sessions are 30 minutes or less. I've still managed to lose weight, though (69lbs after #1 and 31lbs so far after #2).

Trishism

Wow, it's great to see how everyone makes things work for them! I admire every one of you, especially those getting up in the early hours to workout. Thankfully I won't have to worry about getting up as early as 4:30 in order to fit everything in, at least not yet. My main shift is 3-11 and we can count on one nap a day around noonish so I'll be able to do something while he sleeps at the very least. The gym we go to does have childcare all day long so it's just a matter of being able to pay for the next year's membership(ours is up very soon and with the deal we get we have to pay for the year in a lump sum. Ugh!)


I'm really going to have to start working on organization so that I can get everything done that I need to before I go to work, including exercising.

RyanneRose

My kids are recently 1yr and almost 3yrs. My only real chance to work out is after they go to bed. There's no way I'm getting up any earlier than I absolutely have to since neither of them sleeps through the night, still. I'm not adding to the sleep deprivation willingly! I only do home workouts, though at the moment.

LoneWolfRunner

I stopped having kids. They messed up my workouts and they are too damn expensive.

GiddyupTim

Obviously, I cannot answer the energy level question for you, since I am male, which means I slept through most everything -- even the serious nudges. But, we used a running stroller. (Don't go before one year is the recommendation, I think. Little ones can get detached retinas.) Kids loved riding in the stroller. And, I would drive the car, with the kids, to the wife's work to pick her up at the end of the day, and then I would get out of the car and run home. It was about 5-6 miles. She was not home for very long before I was. Worked great.

sengalissa

Trishism wrote: »

My son is ten months old today and I'm returning to work in two and a half weeks. For the last five months I've tried to make it to the gym 4-5 times a week, and when I can't manage to get there I've done workouts at home while my boy naps. I'm just wondering how the working parents of MFP manage to keep up their exercising!

How does working affect your energy level?
How often do you workout a week?
Do you stay at home or go to the gym?

I guess I'm just looking for examples of people who successfully keep up with exercising because I'm afraid that I might end up using 'I started working again.' as an excuse to skip a workout.

My housing project has a little gym, so it is walking distance and open 24/7. I have all my kids (five between 1 and 11) with me all day so there is no chance during the day. I work out 3x a week at 5.30am for an hour while my husband guards mostly sleeping kids. Sometimes I will get some cardio in at night.
The trickiest for me is sleep deprivation. My older kids don't sleep before 9pm. I have to be in bed by 9.30 to make it out of bed by 5. My youngest was sick and I had 5 very bad nights in a row and I did not make it to work out as often. Today when I went, my muscles felt like jello

But one has to work with what you've got! I work out now because I NEED it. And there more I am indispensible at home, the more I crave that ME-time in the gym, so I will make sure I get that time in. If I don't exercise I get grumpy - when you're in that phase (exercise addiction) you're golden because I don't question exercise but I WANT to do it.