Parents, how do you finding time to work out?

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  • ChelseaM8726
    ChelseaM8726 Posts: 117
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    I do about 27 minutes of Jillian Michaels 30 day shred, every evening. It kicks your butt, and the time is great!! I've seen a lot of progress with Jillian. I'm on day 28 of the 30 day shred, 2 more days to go!
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
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    I either work out first thing in the morning or late at night.
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
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    There are always times that don't work - but there have to be times that do work. I used to take my daughter and push her in the stroller. I did it in the mall in the winter and outside the rest of the year. We even took family walks. We used the pool, went to the beach and found festivals that we cold walk around in. I used to run 3 miles every other day at work during lunch... If you have time to chill in front of the TV get a treadmill or something. You can do this.
  • alimarie53
    alimarie53 Posts: 102 Member
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    Like everyone else said, try a gym with childcare. :) If possible try and wake up an hour before you son and work out then, that way it's already out of the way.

    Personally, I wouldn't beat myself up too much if I miss a workout here and there. It sucks, but it's life... Kids come first and it wont be forever.
  • 92joann
    92joann Posts: 67 Member
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    Luckily, my two year old will quite happily play on his own while I work out. I have to be in another room though or he gets in my way. He has special needs so can't walk and has only just learned to crawl so I know he can't get into anything except his books and toys really. He still naps so sometimes I do then although that's really housework time. Sometimes at bedtime, if he actually goes to bed at a decent time. Sometimes if he's being particularly grumpy, we just go on a walk with him in his pushchair. If not, I don't get too upset over it. Any exercise is better than no exercise so just do what you can.
  • geekgirl_2012
    geekgirl_2012 Posts: 40 Member
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    It's tough and this aspect gets easier as the child gets older. I ran into sleep issues when my daughter was that age as well. It can be very frustrating. What I figured out was that I cannot get to the gym - there's no time. I know others will disagree and say that I could make time for it "if I really wanted it." Yes, I suppose I could... but that would be at the expense of spending time with my daughter. So, that was not a compromise I was willing to force her to make. Your kid needs you. So instead, I run around with my kid - even just running around the house. I get on the floor and play with her. I park a farther distance and walk. If I see stairs, I take them. I play on the playground with her. I just sneak it in... little by little each and every day. By doing this and watching what I eat, I have lost 19 pounds and achieved my goal weight. Good luck to you. Hang in there during the rough no-sleep times. It's challenging. But remember, your little one will not always do this. Find a way to enjoy it... even the struggle of it. Because this time passes all too quickly.
  • pippywillow
    pippywillow Posts: 253 Member
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    I work out in the evening after the kids are in bed. I've always been a morning person and it took some getting used to, but it was worth it. And I found that now that I'm doing regular exercise I have a lot more energy throughout the day.

    Does she take a nap? Or you could involve her in some way. Set her in a bouncy chair and let her watch your workout, she'll probably think you're funny.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    Jogging stroller.

    Daycare at the gym

    Just try to slip gym time in after work.


    Its nearly impossible and something always suffers. good luck!
  • dirty_dirty_eater
    dirty_dirty_eater Posts: 574 Member
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    Up at 3:30. Gym by 4:00. Home by 5:30.
    Everyone else is still sleeping. They can't need me for anything if they're asleep.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
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    check out a baby bjorn.

    it actually helps your bench because you wont bounce the bar off your chest as much.
  • jolodo
    jolodo Posts: 24
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    At the moment I get up at 5.30 to do 30DS before work. Sometimes I get on the treadmill as soon as I get in from work or jump on it while dinner is in the oven.

    You just have to try different things until you find what works for you now and then change and adapt as your children get older. It does get easier as they get bigger!!

    Just think something is better than nothing - even if it's just 10 minutes.
  • rickpearce
    rickpearce Posts: 100 Member
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    This is a struggle. Even when your intentions are the best sometimes parenting has a way of sucking the energy out of you. The last 2 nights I've been exercising once everyone was gone to bed and settled in. This wasn't until after 10pm. The mornings have been brutal on me.

    The work lunchtime thing works for some ppl (I am one of them, I used to do this a lot and I need to start again).

    Otherwise, as someone said. You need to make time.
  • KY2022runner
    KY2022runner Posts: 72 Member
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    I know what you mean. I have a 2 year old and he goes to bed so late that it wouldn't be possible to do it after he is asleep. When i get my gym membership in a few weeks i think I will start going in the morning. I'm not much of a morning person, but if i have to get up at 6am to feel betetr about myself than that is ok.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    I don't..... I starve..... :grumble:

    I don't work out like alot of people on here, my working out consists of scrubbing floors until I sweat, lifting loads upon loads of laundry, putting up pools, mowing the lawn, blah blah blah, occasionally I'll have enough energy to fit in a DVD like Jillian or Zumba. It's not as often as I'd like though. There's enough hours in the day, I just physically can't keep going.


    I refuse to have it diagnosed, (cost and I'm not wearing an elephant mask at night) but I'm pretty sure I've got sleep apnea. Otherwise tell me why a full grown woman will breakdown in tears because she is so unbelieveably tired.

    I cut back as much as I can on what I eat to try and make up for the lack of exercise. There are others on here who have had success doing it as well. Many hate on it though.
    Look up Snorex mouthpiece. I use it for snoring, but it has been shown to work for sleep apnea too.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • FakingFitness
    FakingFitness Posts: 325 Member
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    I know what you mean. I have a 2 year old and he goes to bed so late that it wouldn't be possible to do it after he is asleep. When i get my gym membership in a few weeks i think I will start going in the morning. I'm not much of a morning person, but if i have to get up at 6am to feel betetr about myself than that is ok.

    That's silly, there is no rule that says you have to exercise by a certain time or it's not possible. ;)
  • KY2022runner
    KY2022runner Posts: 72 Member
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    That's silly, there is no rule that says you have to exercise by a certain time or it's not possible. ;)



    Yeah, but i like to spend time with my lady too!
  • teddabod
    teddabod Posts: 222 Member
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    I have four boys.

    I work full time and ALWAYS use my lunch hour to get gym time in.

    After work, I usually take my youngest boys to the pool for some extra calorie burn from swimming and throwing them around in the water.
  • zeetje
    zeetje Posts: 36 Member
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    Buy a kettlebell and work out at home, start running early am when everybody is a sleep, play with the little guy! Lift him, turn him dance with him! He will love it!
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
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    I did several things when our kids were all young. One was to use the little ones as weights. They got a kick out of it. Lift them over your head, lay on your back and lift them with your feet and have them play airplane etc. Go for lots of walks. Kids love to go on walks. Put on music and dance with them while you clean. You get a good work out and toddlers especially love this. OR wait till they take a nap and work out while they're sleeping. Get some weights to use in the house and put the nursery monitor in the room with you while working out.

    Get a bike and put a kiddie seat on the back and take your little one for a bike ride. They absolutely love it!
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    My husband and I both work out in the mornings before work. He's up at 4, out the door by 4:40, at the gym by 5 (when it opens). I'm up around 4:30, and I work out at home. I have a pretty good set up in my basement, treadmill, bench, 30 pound bar, Olympic bar, plates up to more than I can possibly lift at a time, small safety rack, plate loadable dumbbells, YouTube on my PS# and a variety of DVDs. I'm usually done working out by 6, my 12 year old is almost always still asleep, my 4 year old is hit or miss, but she knows to carefully come down to the basement if I'm not upstairs, and she knows to stay back if I'm lifting. Then I just set her up with some TV and she hangs out while I finish. Obviously, I know that's harder with a one year old.

    Walks with a stroller or baby carrier are also a great idea. babies also make good 'weights" for things like squats.

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