Don't know how to incorporate exercise into my daily life

MoiAussi93

Work out during lunch. LOTS of people I now did that. Then eat at your desk later.

Otherwise you either need to get up earlier or do it in the evening. If you want to do it you'll fit it in. If not, it's easy to find excuses not to.

callsitlikeiseeit

if you want it bad enough, you make time for it. whether its waking up earlier, or going to bed later.

Machka9

purplemystra wrote: »

I’m a working mom with 2 kids. During the school year I bring my daughter to school on my way to work. She has to be there between 8-8:30. Then I head to work for 9-5. Traffic gets me home around 6. That is if I get out of work on time. Then its home to cook dinner and do chores or errands. I’m off on the weekends but it usually gets full of kids activities, parties, volunteering. It’s always something. I can’t figure out how to insert exercise into my life. Waking up early isn’t an option because I’m a heavy sleeper and find it very hard to wake up in the morning. I’ve been like that my whole life. Please share how you fit exercise into your life and (or) if you have any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Can you walk your daughter to school?
Can you walk at lunch?
Do you have the option of taking the stairs at work?
When you go shopping and run errands, can you park some distance away and walk?

At home in the evenings, can you bundle up the family and go for a walk to a park after dinner together? Or play tag in the yard?

On the weekends, do you have to drive to all these events, or can you walk or cycle to them?
If the kids activities include things like, say, soccer practice ... can you walk up and down the bleacher steps or around the field or something, rather than just sitting?

Some examples:
One of my former coworkers used to take his son to swimming practice. He'd sit in the bleachers while his son swam up and down the pool. Then one day, it dawned on him that his son was fine on his own, and that the pool complex had a decent walking track and weights room. So he started jogging and lifting weights while his son had the swimming lesson.

My husband and I live about 300 metres up a hill from a small grocery store. The big grocery store further away has more stuff and we'll go there every other week or so, but once or twice a week, we'll walk down to the small grocery store to pick up a few items because it is more convenient and gives us some exercise. Often we extend the walk by walking down to the beach and then swinging by the grocery store on the way back.

Derf_Smeggle

Start out committing yourself to 2 days a week for 20 minutes. As you exercise, likely your energy levels will increase. Better cardio health, stress relief, and other chemical changes occur with exercise that give you that boost.

When you're ready, increase your time and/or add in another day.

Steady progress wins the "race" to fitness.

tiggerlove

You have to find away to do it for yourself and your kids more for yourself.. You could do a 30 min program in the morning or when everyone has gone to bed that way your body will have time to recharge for the next day. You say your a hard sleeper but set your clock and you must commit to getting up and working out. It may seem hard in the beginning but, if your turly want this you must find everything in your self to do it. Excuses don't burn fat. I have a 2 yr old and 5yr old so i know it's not easy. While at work use the steps more and if you get an hour lunch go for a brisk walk and the eat a health lunch and don't forget to drink a lot of water. Don't find excuses cause that won't help just do it and soon it will become a habit to you that will be hard to break. I wish you all the luck in the world. Commit!!

blondeinnj

I have a similiar schedule and have kids as well. Can you get up a bit earlier and do it before work? A little before work is better than doing none at all. Or maybe you can try to join a gym by your job and go during lunchtime.

tomatoey

Ignore people telling you to wake up early, sleep is important and having less isn't going to help you feel less overwhelmed. Working out at lunch can be a pain and messes up hair, I understand if you don't feel like doing that.

If you're not a single mom, get help from your partner with dinner. If you are a single mom, get your kids to help you prep. Seriously.

Then, go for a little walk after dinner - maybe with the kids, do a family walk. Just for 30 minutes. Set a timer on your phone for 15 minutes, walk as far and fast as you can in that time, and then turn back.

On the weekends, do some strength training (it's the best-value exercise for health and looks). Plan for it and protect that time. Do it while your kids are doing their activities, maybe?

Between that and keeping a calorie deficit with diet, you can reach your goals.

blondeinnj

Dont need to be rude tomatoey! I was merely making suggestions. Yea take advice from a blank profile.

tomatoey

blondeinnj wrote: »

Dont need to be rude tomatoey! I was merely making suggestions. Yea take advice from a blank profile.

How was I rude? Oh ok right you posted just before me. You weren't the only one saying that. I think it's not great for people who have trouble in the mornings, like the OP. Sleep really is important, for everything. And actually I'd say people who are shortchanging themselves that way for workouts, with e.g. 5-6 hours sleep a night, are doing themselves more harm than good in the long run, in all kinds of ways.

Lol re lack of picture, I have no need to put one up.

Docbanana2002

You have a lot of good ideas here, I just wanted to make a larger point about the fact that you getting fit can be good for your kids because you are modeling healthy behavior for them. If you involve them sometimes in your fitness or get involved in their activities, even better.

I say that because busy working moms such as yourself often report feeling guilty about exercise or having time to yourself for self care. I hear it a lot, but I also know many adults who feel deprivation from not having seen a healthy diet and lifestyle modeled for them in their family of origin. I'm a grown up now and responsible for my own behavior and am very lucky to have a family that loves me and that smoothed my path in many ways by teaching me positive values, intellectual curiosity, how to manage finances well, etc. .... but fitness and nutrition and healthy body image was one area where I had to learn on my own as an adult and reject a lot of what I was taught. I have obese friends who report similar experiences, plus sad memories of very out of shape parents who literally couldn't play with them because of poor fitness (or because of body image, in the case of refusing to go swimming)..

So, if you are trying to sort out how to do this in a way that doesn't affect the kids negatively I understand that, but factor in the fact that you can also teach them something positive by being an example of healthy living.

ejbronte

This might help as a family activity: during most of our growing-up years, we had no car. The whole bunch of us did everything on bicycles - laundry, grocery shopping, everything. It was like a duck lineup: our dad in front, usually with the current youngest child on his bike. Then all of us siblings in a row, brought up by our mom, guarding the rear. Since our father had an "interesting" sense of direction, we often saw parts of Brooklyn we never intended to, but it was always fun, it encouraged family unity, and, of course, it was exercise, though we never thought of it that way when we did it.

Sharon_73

You have the time, but you have to make it a priority. We all have 24 hours in a day. I understand the multiple demands of parenting, work and other responsibilities in life. I am a single mother of 2 working full time plus going to school (distance ed). It is tough but you can do it! YOU are as much a priority as the rest of your family!

This may sound silly, but throughout the work day, whenever I need to use the washroom I will also then do a body weight exercise. Squats, countertop pushups, calf raises etc. It keeps you thinking about moving your body.

Go for a walk at lunch, take the kids to the park after school and play with them on the jungle gym. It doesn't have to be big, start small throughtout the day. I hope you find what works for you and the motivation to make yourself a priority. Everyone deserves that!

mbaker566

there is always the option of getting up earlier. it's hard but worth it once you get used to it.

and dvds or online videos that can be done whenever, like after the kids go to bed

or if the kids are in activities, do something then. walk, lift weights, etc. one of my yoga students comes to class while her daughter is in dance

purplemystra

After I started this post I joined the local YMCA. As a family we swim 3 times a week. I take a water Zumba class and water aerobics. When I can't swim I walk the treadmill or exercise bike. Thanks everyone for your help.

JanolaBarbara

Glad you found a way to incorporate more exercise into your very busy schedule! I wanted to add my two cents. XD

First of all, even 15 or 20 min of exercise is good. A lot of us (me, included) think that if we don't have an hour to workout, then why do it? It's something we (I) need to contend with. Also, the exercise we do is more important than the exercise we don't do. There are times when all we have is 10 min. If that's the case, then just do something, anything, for 10 min. It's definitely better than nothing.

walksa27

You honestly must find the time. As someone else said, it is blunt but true. You are a working mom as am I but i had to figure it out. You didn't mention a husband or a partner, do you have help in the home? My husband and I came up with a schedule about a month ago. There are kick boxing classes I enjoy 4 times per week and we schedule things around both of our lives. We are better parents since we do things for ourselves. We both work a lot so it takes juggling and sharing chores, but it works for us.

Kalikel

I have a pool, so it's really easy to work in swimming and water workouts. I'm in there at least once a day, sometimes twice. I walk when I can and I dance around the house. That's it!

Do you watch TV? Stop. Turn on the radio and dance. Dance with your kids. Play fitness video games with your kids. Take walks together. Play music and dance a bit while you cook. Don't be afraid to look or be silly. Those will be fun memories for your kids someday.

Squeeze little bits in here and there. Park in the far back of parking lots and walk. Take the stairs. If it's 20 flights up, walk the first four and then catch the elevator.

Exercise is like romance. People who really want it find the time.

Kalikel

purplemystra wrote: »

After I started this post I joined the local YMCA. As a family we swim 3 times a week. I take a water Zumba class and water aerobics. When I can't swim I walk the treadmill or exercise bike. Thanks everyone for your help.

That'll teach me to check all the pages and read the whole thread first!

Good for you!!!!

fuelednfit

Your life looks a lot like mine. When I am not motivated all this gets in the way. When I am really focused on my health plan I find a way to do it. When it's my priority it's easier and I even feel upset when i don't manage to fit exercise. Ideally if you do it first thing in the morning. Honestly I often do it when everybody is sleeping in the evening around 10 11pm. Do it at home. I love Nike training club app for that but there's a ton of apps out there and fitness video on YouTube like fitness blender. More recently I tried to include my son in my exercise sessions. He loves hulk so I explains exercising will help him build big muscle and we do the videos together as a game. We challenge each other can you do this mommy? Like previous poster said take this opportunity to teach your kids a healthy way of life. Even in the swimming pool I like to do laps so now my 4y old races me I started to do the crawl and I take him when I go for a run. If you don't find time alone to do it include your child.

johnmverdone

You just have to take the time for yourself. Either learn to wake up 30 minutes earlier (sucks at first, but you get used to it.) or fit it in right after dinner. If your kids are older you could pre prep dinner and have them heat it for you so you can come home, work out then dinners ready, or crock pot meals would help this. You have to invest in yourself!