People with kids-when do you exercise and for how long?
abbylg1983
Posts: 177 Member
I work full time and have a toddler. I am away from the house from 6 am to 5 pm. When I get home, I have to make my daughter dinner, get any chores done around the house, and give her attention since she's been at the daycare for 10.5 hours. She goes to bed around 8:30. My husband works a lot of overtime in the summer and generally gets home around 8-9. I have been doing little exercises throughout the day (things that don't need equipment, like push ups, tricep dips, squats and lunges), and going on bike rides on weekends and the occasional evening my husband gets home before dark. I would like to get back into lifting, but I honestly don't know when I would do it. I have a weight bench and some barbells, but I worry about dragging all that out when my toddler is running around. Getting to the gym during the week is pretty much impossible. I could take my daughter with me to the gym (there's a little daycare) but she's been at daycare ALL DAY- I don't want to put her in another one.
I know a fair amout of people on myfitnesspal are in similar situations, and just wondering how everyone makes it work.
I know a fair amout of people on myfitnesspal are in similar situations, and just wondering how everyone makes it work.
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Replies
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This post definitely spoke to me!!
I have one child, but our schedule is so tight during the week. I get off work everyday at 4:30, I pick up my Daugther from school and we're home by 5. As soon as I get home, I throw on my clothes and do 2 sessions of 10 minute tae bo. It really works me out, and I feel great afterwards! It doesn't seem like much but I'm definitely seeing results. My Husband and I don't have money to go to gym's or by all this equipment. So the workout dvd's work great for me!! I hope this helps!! 0 -
@ 5 am in the morning.0
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I work full time and have 2 kids. In the summer, I work M-Th 9-5, and F 9-1:30.
Monday and Wednesday are my crazy days. I get off of work at 5, pick up my son from home (hubby has cooked supper and my son has eaten), and I will - or my hubby some days - take him to taekwondo. I'll get home at 6:30 those days. If my hubby is working, I'm pretty much done, unless I hop on the treadmill or do some yoga.
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays are my turn at taekwondo. it's from 8-9:15 so the kids are in bed, the house is clean, everyone's done for the day..
Other than that, I go for walks with the kids and my hubs.
It's hard to fit everything in, but if you want it, you make it work!0 -
My answer: Whenever I can.
I bought a double and single running stroller (some days I have both kids, some days I have one) and I started jogging with them. I also bought Jillian Michaels DVDs and do those before the kids wake up, or after they go to sleep. On weekends, I can get workouts in during nap time. Doing the JM DVDs helped me recognize that circuit training is good for me because I can burn more calories in a shorter length of time than I can otherwise.
For times when I work out when the kids are around/awake, I've bought "play weights" so they can "work out" with me...but I usually try to find a time when they're asleep. I'm an attorney and often spend at least 10 hours a day at work. I arise around 6:00am and go to sleep around midnight. I occasionally find myself getting a workout in after 11:00pm...but whatever it takes, right?
Whatever you do, good luck to you!
ETA: I also have a big bag of sporting goods and some days, we'll just go to a park or local high school and "play sports" for an hour. My HRM helps me track those workouts just fine. 0 -
I have three kids (twin toddlers and a 7 y/o), work and have a husband. I get up at 4:03 in the morning and go for a walk then. Daddy's home (if asleep), and all the kids are asleep. Sucks, but it somewhat works for me. Once everyone (or at least the toddlers) are in bed, I might try to go for a second walk then. Just depends on my mood (and how badly I want the walk vs. how hot it still is in North Florida with its heat & humidity). It's always dark in the Am when I walk and usually darkening/dark when I go at night.
Just how I do it. Since you have the weight lifting stuff, why not get up early and do the weight lifting when your toddler's not up instead of going for a walk?
Yeah, the lack of sleep thing sucks eggs. I routinely get 5-6 hours sleep on good nights. Bad nights...let's just not go there.0 -
I work out at lunch time or after bedtime if I don't have help. With help I can work out during bath time.
Maybe carpe the 30 mins of overlap your husband has with your child being awake.0 -
@ 5 am in the morning.
Yep. I try to workout at home (P90X) early before everyone is up. When I get home from work, that's play time for me and my little girl.0 -
I don't work, I'm a SAHM but my husband does a lot of overtime too and I'm not really able to get out. I just do what I can when I can. While the kids are playing, eating or napping. Short but intense exercise videos are my firend. I'm a big fan of you tube, personally. the BeFit channel on youtube is great, I like the butt bible, also found on youtube as well. I also have a ton of jillian Micheals vids and the p90X series and some yoga videos that have been given to me. I also picked up a couple of sets of dumb bells at walmart for pretty cheap. Also body weight exercises are awesome. Nerdfitness.com has some great, great stuff.
Combine all that with what you're doing, little bits of what I can throughout the day and what I can on weekends.0 -
i'm not a morning person so i workout in the evenings. depending on what i'm doing i workout anywhere from 30-45 minutes.0
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I try to scarf down a sandwich while I am at work and take a brisk 30-40 walk during my lunch break a couple of times a week and then I go to kickboxing three days a week from 8:30-9:30 (after kids bedtime). I didn't want to exercise so late but it works best to keep me from having to get up super early (I am not a morning person) and doesn't take away from the few precious hours I have each day to spend with my kids.0
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I used to exercise after I put the kids to bed, no matter what time it was! My hubby would too and that was a plus! But.... I discovered that I had trouble getting to sleep after a while even though I cooled down, cleaned up the kitchen etc. and showered I was still so wound up I was up till 2 am!
You could also get up before work and do 10 or 20 min dvd. better than nothing!
I work from home and homeschool my boys so I usually work out after we do school work now. Around 10 or 11 am. I know how blessed I am to be home it is great!
I wish you the best and hope you find a routine that works for you!0 -
I also work full time and have a 3, 10 and 12 year old and I am not a morning person so I can't get up any earlier than I do already but if you are you could consider getting up at 4:30 or 5 am and doing some sort of workout either at home or away.
I run 3x's a week generally (sometimes 4 if there is time) and do 2 workout classes outside of the home. I have a hard time doing video's at home, for some reason I do then half a**ed or my 3 year old will interupt and want to workout with me or need something (even if my older kids and dh are home...she still wants my attention).
You could also consider getting a sitter in your home for maybe an hour or an hour and half once or twice a week. I have done that on occasion that my husband has had meetings and I didn't want to miss my workout class....grandparents, aunts or cousins are great for helping out too and that way they get to see your child.
My kids are also in lots of different sports and activities that I have to carpool them to...granted the older 2 I can leave there and go do my workouts but my 3 year old I have to stay.0 -
My story is a little different because I'm a stay at home mom and my "child" is a three year old in a twenty year old body. He has special needs that require full time attention. I get my exercise based around my husband's work schedule. While I can take walks in the mornings if my son is still asleep (he can be left alone for 20 - 30 minutes at a time most times), the heat will soon require that I break out some dvds for my morning exercise.
Make the exercise double duty -- involve your daughter. Whether that be playing with her, having her do the same thing you are doing (depending on her age, obviously, and of course she wouldn't do anything with weights), or, also depending on her age and weight, use her as your weight while exercising. If you google it, you can probably find some mommy and me exercises that will work. And of course, there is always walking together. Put her in a stroller if need be and jog around the neighborhood. My son wasn't too happy at first but we all walk together in the evenings. It's at a slower pace because of him, but it gives us time together and gets him moving and out of the house for twenty to thirty minutes.
Either way, you're making exercise a priority and you're teaching your daughter some good habits for her health. Good luck! 0 -
I am a stay at home mom of 3 kids and i try to work out in the mornings before they wake up and in the evenings when they are in bed. If i am doing Zumba on the Kinect i let them do it with me and it's fun for all of us! I have tried letting them workout with me but it usually ends up with someone needing a snack or needing help finding a shoe or sock or 'where is my doc mcstuffins and can you wipe my hiney?' I end up starting and stopping so much it's frustrating..so if i can i try to wait until they are fast asleep! lol0
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I am away from the home at work from 7am-6pm during the week. I have my son dropped off at the local Y, which has babysitting and activities for him. This makes me go to the Y and get my own work out from 6-8pm in the evening. I use my weekends to plan food/laundry so that it works.0
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check into a local YMCA.. they have awesome kids activity rooms and kids staff for while you workout PLUS pools for fun/workout.. if cost is a concern..they are also income based. we love our membership.
got off topic:
i wake up @ 445am then head to Y - workout from 600am-645am shower then head to work...0 -
I am going to preview my day for you as it is better to just write it out in schedule form. It is possible! My kids are 5 and 8 months
6am-6:30 Run outdoors
6:30-7:45 Shower get myself and kids ready pack lunches and breakfast for me and my partner etc. (partner takes kids to my mom's for the day)
7:45-8:30 Drive to work (I have a bit of a commute)
8:30-5 Work
5-5:30 Pick kids up from my mother's (my oartner works until 9pm and also has a 45 min commute so doesn't get home until 9:45pm)
5:30-6:30 Drive home
6:30-7:30 Make, eat, and clean up dinner mess
7:30-7:45 Baths for my kids
7:45-8 Give my little one a night time bottle and lay her in her crib for bed
8-9 Workout DVD (I am doing Turbofire right now)
9-9:15 Read my 5 year old a story and tuck him in
9:15-9:30 Shower
9:30-11 Spend time with my partner before passing out at 11 to do it again the next day!
It is possible! You will find a rhythm we all do. And then Saturdays and Sundays I work out early in the AM and have all day to be fun mom with my kids (which usually involves parks and swimming etc so more exercise) Good luck!0 -
I'm a single mom and I found I was in the same boat as you, especially when my son was in daycare. He is 7 now, and goes to before and after school during the school year, and during the summer he is in camp (with pre- and post-camp as well). I always felt like I still needed "me" time. I felt bad to put him in the childwatch after he has had a long day at daycare/preschool. But I realized, I needed to do it in order to be healthier to stick around longer for my little guy.
Now, it is easy. I get off work around 4:30 or so and go before I pick him up. Or, if he has soccer practice I jog/walk around the track or go when he is there (we are friends with the coach and I can drop him off with no issue). But when he was younger, I would go home, spend some quality time, and then later in the evening go up to the gym and put him in childwatch for 30-60 minutes, depending on if I was going to a class or using a cardio machine.
I am not a morning person, so even if I did have someone to stay with him while he was sleeping I probably wouldn't get up that early in the morning, but if it is all I had I may have to change my mind. But I personally don't feel bad about my decision to put him in childwatch even if he has been in preschool/daycare. To me, it was not my lack of wanting to spend time with him, it is that I DO want to spend many years with him. Just my own opinion.0 -
I either work out for 30 minutes at work or i push myself to work out for 20-30 minutes the moment i get home whether thats a dvd or taking baby on a walk, if i procrastinate it just wont happen, so everything else has been getting done AFTER i put myself exercising first.
I find my little girl (almost 8 months) is content watching me exercise for that short of a time if daddy cant entertain her.
While i am the first to admit how difficult it is, you just have to force yourself to get it done.0 -
I raised my son who is 18 now and I feel your pain. I know the feeling of not wanting to put your child in the gym daycare when your child has already been in daycare all day long. I still feel a twinge of guilt for working before my son was in school but he survived and turned out great. Last year a married a man with 3 kids - they are now 14, 11, and 9. We have them every other week for the full week. They all do travel soccer and we are busy almost every night of the week until 9 at night. Many weekends we are traveling for soccer games. Here is what I have learned. Try to combine exercise with other activities. Make it a habit like brushing your teeth. I walk 6 flights of stairs 3 times during each 15 minute break at work. (18 flights total) That totals 30 minutes of stairs walking slowly and talking to two coworkers as we walk. This combines socializing with exercising. My husband and I set a goal. We downloaded a training plan for a beginner half marathon. We help each other stick to the plan by laying out our clothes the night before, telling each other how many miles we are doing in the morning, and we run together while the kids sleep. We plan ahead of time when each of us will run the longer runs on the weekends. We commit to it by planning it out loud. Neither wants to let the other down. Sometimes we run the short runs at the soccer field while the kids are practicing in the evening. This gives us time to talk and we feel closer because we are working on a goal together. We also have a weight bench and weights in our bedroom. Not a pretty site but we both agree it is more important to make exercise convenient than to have a "perfect" bedroom. Run with a running stroller if you have to. I ran with a running stroller when my some was little. Also, remember that weight lifting doesn't have to take that much time. Waking a half hour early is not as difficult as you think once you commit to it. Working Moms are way more successful sticking to a workout plan when they do it before everyone else in the house wakes up. Hope this helps.0
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I work FT & have two kids age 9 & 11. I also do a fair amount of volunteer work. Prior to a foot injury I would do a brisk 1-2mile walk during my lunch hour. During regular work hours every time I go to the restroom (TMI) I do a set of squats. After work the first thing I would do is the C25K routine on my treadmill.
This is my 2nd week that I have not been able to walk or run so during lunch I have been spinning, if I don’t have time to spin then I go for a quick 2mile bike ride w/the kids, if I’m too lazy to go for the bike ride then I do a video & my daughter joins me. If I am really pressed for time I do some step-ups. Step-ups are a very fast way to burn calories and work your lower half. One of my friends here on MFP once said that she tries to do some form of exercise daily & that is the motto I go by. Instead of driving to your destination walk. It all adds up.0 -
I either work out for 30 minutes at work or i push myself to work out for 20-30 minutes the moment i get home whether thats a dvd or taking baby on a walk, if i procrastinate it just wont happen, so everything else has been getting done AFTER i put myself exercising first.
I find my little girl (almost 8 months) is content watching me exercise for that short of a time if daddy cant entertain her.
While i am the first to admit how difficult it is, you just have to force yourself to get it done.
I'm w/you. If I don't workout as soon as I get home it doesn't get done.0 -
when I worked outside the home, I went to the gym at lunch time.
Now that I'm at home, and don't have access to a gym, I do body weight strength training any time I have a spare 30 minutes in the day. Because no equipment is involved, I can still do it with the kids running around me. (sometimes they try it, which is adorable)
I go for my walk or run sometime after hubby gets home. Even if it's dark.0 -
Hi,
I have a 2 year old, I work full time and my partner works away and is only home 2 nights a week. I do have a gym membership and I try to go whenever I can, my daughter goes to bed at 7.30 so if my sister or niece will babysit for me then I will try and fit an hour in before the gym closes, after I have put my daughter to bed. I bought an Elliptical cross trainer off ebay so I try and do that most mornings before work, usually when my daughter is watching her children's TV. On the nights that I can't go to the gym I try and do a workout at home, usually 30 day shred or step 360. On my days off I do my home workouts whilst my daughter is playing - sometimes she even joins in lol. it's very hard juggling a child / full time work / exercise but it is possible if you want to do it.0 -
It's harder when they are smaller, definitely. At that age I would put my son in the stroller and go for a run, or do some body-weight exercises and let him 'participate'. My husband also worked late during that period so I can definitely relate. I just squeezed more 'serious' workouts in whenever I could on his nights off, or on the weekend.
Now our schedules are better and my son is older (5) so I have more options. I still go for a walk or hit the weight room at work over lunch though, so that I have more time to spend with my kid in the evenings. I still like to get him to 'work out' with me, though, because I feel like it sets a good example for a healthy lifestyle. If I'm always exercising when he's not around, he doesn't get to see that it's normal.
Good luck 0 -
I think the trick is to find more exercises to do at home, that way you can work it around your child, I was lucky to get my Elliptical cross trainer off ebay for £25.0
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I work full time and have 3 kiddos still at home (oldest 2 are out on their own). My youngest is 7. The "when" of when I exercise is largely dependent on what my goals at the time are and what's going on. Right now, a couple days a week I'm getting up at 5:00 to run from 5:30-6:45. I also work out on my lunch break (gym in my building). Weekends revolve around what workouts HAVE to get down...my long runs can not be missed, but maybe I could skip the yoga this weekend...that sort of thing. Running has to be done when either my 13 or 15 year old is home to watch the 7 year old or when my hubby is available. Can't leave a 7 year old alone, and definitely can NOT run with him in a stroller or anything.
Work up a schedule that you largely stick to. Make exceptions when necessary. I find that planning it all on a calendar works wonders (and is an absolute must for long distance running!).
Good luck!0 -
I work FT & have two kids age 9 & 11. I also do a fair amount of volunteer work. Prior to a foot injury I would do a brisk 1-2mile walk during my lunch hour. During regular work hours every time I go to the restroom (TMI) I do a set of squats. After work the first thing I would do is the C25K routine on my treadmill.
This is my 2nd week that I have not been able to walk or run so during lunch I have been spinning, if I don’t have time to spin then I go for a quick 2mile bike ride w/the kids, if I’m too lazy to go for the bike ride then I do a video & my daughter joins me. If I am really pressed for time I do some step-ups. Step-ups are a very fast way to burn calories and work your lower half. One of my friends here on MFP once said that she tries to do some form of exercise daily & that is the motto I go by. Instead of driving to your destination walk. It all adds up.
I do that too!! (Squats and lunges in the handicapped stall). That's funny someone else does that.0 -
I have 3 children. I workout at 4:30am for an hour long (Insanity). Then run upstairs, help my husband get his lunch and coffee ready for work. Then I shower and get ready myself for work. I leave my house around quarter to 7 to get to work by 8. I get home from work around quarter to 6. Then cook, clean up, do dishes and then finally spend time with the kids. I never had time for them when I worked out after work.0
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Here's a typical day for myself and my 8 and 10 year old:
5:30 am - Alarm - get myself moving
6:20 am - Kids are up - get them moving and set them to making their lunches for the day.
7:15 am - On a good day, this is when we're out the door.
7:30 am - Drop kids at daycare
8:10 am - Arrive at work
5:00 pm - Leave work
5:45 pm - Pick up kids
6:00 pm - If there's something easy to grab, the kids find something to take in the car to eat prior to their games/practice
6:30 pm - First child to sport practice/game
7:00 pm - Second child to sportl practice/game
7:30 pm - Head to gym.
8:30 pm - Pick up Child 1
8:45 pm - Pick up Child 2
9:00 pm - Dinner (if it wasn't in the car on the way to something else, that is!)
9:30 pm - Showers for kids
10:00 pm - Kid bedtime
10:30 pm - Mom bedtime
My poor fiance has hardly seen me in months... Just too busy, but I aim to do an hour a day. If there's no time for the gym, one of the kids and I are playing crazy games outside - usually catch...
It can be done. You just have to want to. 0
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