Totally Struggling - Once Again Beginning

asaber13

So, since January, I have gone back to work full time. I am out of the house by 6:20am. I return home in time to pick up my children and do homework, get dinner on the table and run to activities. We return home by 7:30, which is then shower, more homework and bedtime for my 11, 9, 8, & 6 year old. I have been trying to get up at 4:30 so I can exercise. However, I am completely exhausted as I do not get to bed until usually around 11ish, by the time I make lunches, do laundry and clean up. To make matters even more difficult I work in an office where there is CONSTANT temptation. While I thought I had great will power, having chips, chocolate, baked goods and stress around me all day breaks me down. I realize there are many others like me.

How do y'all deal with it? I need to start over and reclaim my health and well being. Regaining the 20 pounds I had lost and the stamina from when I was a stay at home Mom and could work a work out in is very depressing and frustrating to me. I know what I am supposed to do, but it just is not happening. HELP!!!

gmove

seems like you have a lot on you plate. can you delegate any or more tasks to your children?

JustSomeEm

I make my kids make their own lunches, do their own laundry and help with the chores. I couldn't take an hour to work out three times a week otherwise. Good luck, honey.

IsabellaGiano

So, since January, I have gone back to work full time. I am out of the house by 6:20am. I return home in time to pick up my children and do homework, get dinner on the table and run to activities. We return home by 7:30, which is then shower, more homework and bedtime for my 11, 9, 8, & 6 year old. I have been trying to get up at 4:30 so I can exercise. However, I am completely exhausted as I do not get to bed until usually around 11ish, by the time I make lunches, do laundry and clean up. To make matters even more difficult I work in an office where there is CONSTANT temptation. While I thought I had great will power, having chips, chocolate, baked goods and stress around me all day breaks me down. I realize there are many others like me.

How do y'all deal with it? I need to start over and reclaim my health and well being. Regaining the 20 pounds I had lost and the stamina from when I was a stay at home Mom and could work a work out in is very depressing and frustrating to me. I know what I am supposed to do, but it just is not happening. HELP!!!

A little step at a time.
Maybe you cannot find the energy to add more exercise also because you are stressed, and because of all the extra weight you have -I think. At least, when I began, I thought I couldn't find in any way the time for exercise... and now, I'm starting to do it regularly (more or less )
And, anyway, it seems that running all around all day, you are moving a lot
Start by dieting... take at work snacks from home, fruits, vegs.. when you will see the first results, you will feel also more motivated to change your routine in other ways...

Lib_B

I know the feeling. If you have a spouse, significant other, etc. - you could do what we do and that is alternate nights at the gym. MWF, I go to the gym right after work - he feeds the kids, does the baths and homework, etc. T, TR and Saturday mornings are his days and I handle the kids.

I also rely on my crockpot A LOT. I plan 3 healthy meals a week that will have leftovers and we eat a lot of leftovers. Tonight, we are having Hawaiian Kalua Pork made in the crockpot. I'll throw together a quick veg and voila! dinner.

It's a big adjustment for sure. I have always worked outside the home, but my old job was WAY flexible. I could come in at 7 and leave at 3. Now, I'm on a straight 8-5 schedule plus commute time. You'll get it figured out. Going to the gym right after work is the only option for me because I get up at 5:30 as it is just to be ready to leave for work. There is no way I could rise any earlier for a workout.

IsabellaGiano

I make my kids make their own lunches, do their own laundry and help with the chores. I couldn't take an hour to work out three times a week otherwise. Good luck, honey.

Also this.
My daughter is 5, and she helps me putting in the fridge the food from the supermarket, and by ordering her stuff, little things that she, at her age, can easily do.
At 11 maybe I wouldn't ask my daughter to do laundry, but to wash the dishes, yes, and clean a bit around the house.
It's good for her, in my opinion.

Lib_B

oh, and as for temptation - we have an entire drawer devoted to candy in my office. as well as 12 boxes of girl scout cookies, oreos, muffins, pistachios, etc. i allow myself 1 dip into the chocolate drawer at 3 PM and I log it. sometimes, i'll go for the nuts too, but again, i log it. you don't have to completely deprive yourself, just make sure you are tracking what you eat and try to avoid the giant muffins, donuts, etc.

Lib_B

one more suggestion - whenever i go to the bathroom, i do squats or pistol squats. while i'm waiting for my lunch to heat, i do calf raises. I'll also occasionally drop and do a few pushups (but I have my own office too). gets the blood flowing, it makes good use of my time and i get a little resistance training in.

galprincess

My advice may seem a little strange but when needs must..... Anything and everything can become a workout I do lunges while loading washing machine I do step aerobics with weights on my stairs I do dancing with hoover, im not suggesting you do all that but if you have no time for a separate workout its a good start and tricep dips on bed its a good start and as you start to build up you can incorporate more in , as for avoiding why avoid? deprivation is what makes us cheat ourselves so allow yourself a few chips or half a cake cut it in half and just eat half a little bit of everything is what works and make yourself some healthy nutritious snacks I personally love fresh berries tipped into my yogurt or some nuts and dried food or pineapple and cottage cheese change it up all the time and it will feel just as exciting as the foods you don't want to eat tons of

Lib B love the crock pot too its so easy and when you come home dinner is ready

denitahawkins

You definitely have A LOT of on your plate Super Woman! I, too, would try to find a way to delegate some of those responsibilities. If you have family, a friend, school - ANYONE - who can give you some help. At the rate you're going, you sound like you're two boo-boos away from a meltdown! :sad:

In all seriousness though, while you have a lot going on, as mothers, we forget to make the biggest and best investment there is - ourselves. If there's no us, then there's no one who can nurture, love, support, and encourage our children - especially if we couldn't even do it for ourselves. You just have to find time for you somewhere in that busy schedule. Trust me, the pay off of taking care of you will trickle down to your babies and they'll be happier that mommy is away for an hour to exercise to go be a true super mom than having you for the extra hour and you're miserable.

Best of luck! You can do it! You're worth it! :flowerforyou:

asaber13

Thanks everyone. I do live by my crock pot, but I will definitely move more and use any excuse to exercise. Thank you for all the great tips.

LKArgh

Focus on what you eat, no amount of exercise will help otherwise. You can stay up all night walking, but still not watching what you eat will mean no weight loss I completely know how you feel regarding kids, work, temptations at the office. Start by not giving in to temptations. Bring your lunch and snacks from home, plan your treats and log everything.
Regarding exercise, since your kids are no longer babies, try to include them in your plans. Like, if they all are in activities at the same time, then plan going to the gym or just walking for half an hour. If one of them needs to wait 10 minutes to be picked up, it is ok, as long as it is planned, the child knows where you are and is in a safe place. Or, if some of the kids are with you, go for a walk all together, or a jog. Also check what you can do at the same places as the kids, like if there are swim classes for kids see if you can join the pool too, if one of your kids is into gymnastics or dance there is a chance you can find a place with adult classes too and so on.
Or plan your exercise for weekends and when your husband is home (or some other caregiver can babysit). For me, this means usually 2-3 hours exercise on weekends and then going at the gym whenever possible during the week late in the evening, after homework, feeding the kids and letting their dad put them to bed.

Lib_B

on nice spring days, i'll also take my kids to a local high school track and bring their bikes. they ride with abandon around the track or play in the field and i walk or jog. we have great trails too, but this way, i don't have to pay too close of attention to my 4 year old. i can see him from every angle and i can crank my tunes.