Stay at home mom= no time to workout

angelarose12

I am really wanting to workout for at least 2 hours a day. I am aiming to be down some pounds by a certain date. The only thing holding me back are my kids. My hours of freetime are at night and the only thing I want to do then is just relax. Wahhh blahhhh.

I attempted a morning workout yesterday, 5 minutes into it I stepped on my 4 year old while doing jumping jacks. Then got a dirty sock thrown at me lol. I am doomed.

kentlass

silly as it is, can you get your little ones involved???

when my niece was little she'd do sit ups, jumping jacks, jogging on the spot etc with me...or when doing press ups she'd lay across my back to 'help' me lol

probably a silly idea but it'll help you get a bit of cardio in, and will help the kids burn off some energy...so when they're knackered and just want to sit down you can get a little more done

bhb301

No, you're not doomed. You have to make time. Get up early, yes it sucks, or stay up late, sucks equally. But if you are serious, take serious actions.

luv2ash

how about doing it before they wake up????

koosdel

My momma used to get all kinds of excersize chasing me around yelling stuff like, "You better not light that!" and "Spit that frog out right now!"

figure you are getting more than you realise.

luv2ash

No, you're not doomed. You have to make time. Get up early, yes it sucks, or stay up late, sucks equally. But if you are serious, take serious actions.

true dat!

iluvmine

Take the kids to park, and run around with them for exercise. Im not a stay at home mom, but I get my 3 year old to do the workouts with me, he gets in the way sometimes, but I just keep going.. you can do it, just have to get motivated.

bhb301

Didn't mean to sound ugly, but this is what I told myself

NoAdditives

If your kids aren't in school yet they should probably still be taking a nap during the day. When I can't get to the gym I do some Wii Fit or Just Dance while my kids nap.

asanville

That is so funny because I find that I have more time than ever to work out now that I'm a stay at home mom. I love my time at the gym, and my son loves to go play with the kids there. I go to LA Fitness and to add unlimited visits to the kids club is only $10 a month. And you can leave them in there for 2 hours a day. Most gyms have some sort of babysitter service available.

katebcastro

Were in the same position..I have a 1yr old too..I jus hope theres some kind of exercise here which includes lifting and cleaning after your kids...LOL! Im pretty sure we lose some calories doing what we do as Moms..I do jump ropes and jumping jacks too but I wait til my baby is sleeping to do that.

SevenisHeaven

I have the same problem! I have 5 kids and 2 are in school full time. 1 is part time (M-W-F) and the other 2 (2 yr old and 8 month old) are home with me all the time. I can't "get up early" -if I do-they wake up. I can't "stay up later" because by the time the last one nods off I am VERY close behind. It is a no win situation!

catcrazy

Don't know about you but I never felt like I got any "me" time when my 4 were young. The evenings were me and family or me and partner and I was too shattered to really think of anything but bed! Sooooooo...i started getting up an hour before the kids...that was my time. Try doing that...even if its only half an hour thats still time to get a workout in and burn a few calories off (i think 2 hours is a little much to be honest, you'll exhaust yourself)

Jaedynmoon

I'm a SAHM as well to a 2 1/2 year old little girl. Zoey knows mommy has "workout time" in the morning and I always set her up with an activity to do while I work out. I usually do it in 30 minute spurts throughout the day. If I feel like working out more after she's in bed I'll work out for a little bit more and then relax the rest of the night. I use our Wii and Kinect for workout games and Zoey actually loves working out with me. I just have her stand in front of me most times so I know where she is and she'll play along for a bit and then go back to her activity. We also do a lot of walks to the park and play there for an hour or so and walk back home. Just have to get a little creative to fit workouts in!! Good luck!

ETA: My daughter hasn't taken naps for about a year now so I've always had to figure out how to work exercise time in. Not sure if you have children who nap or not!

momuv3princesses

I hear you! I have 3 kids ages 1, 4, and 7 and it was very hard and frustrating to work out with them around. I started to dvr some fitness shows and the older 2 would do them with me (we homeschool so all 3 are always right by my side)! The middle one sometimes gets bored and drops out. The youngest has moments when she is trying to get me to pick her up but I just tell her no. Eventually she moves on. I think the key is to do it in small increments as well. You obviously can't do 2 hours straight but what about 20 min here and there throughout the day. Maybe one of them being bundling up and going out for a walk. Depending on their ages and if they must walk too, it may not be the speediest exercise of the day but it will help them burn energy too. Good luck to you. I know it is hard!!!

ErrataCorrige

I am so there with you! I step on my three year old all the time, and she doesn't nap anymore. Sometimes she tries to do it with me, most times I resort to the electronic babysitter.

Sometimes I make her homemade playdoh (1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup warm water) and she will play with that. Everyday is a challenge to come up with new things!

FearAnLoathing

my 3 yr old trys to work out with me or i set her up with some play doh and paints so i can get in an hour or so.we also have dance time where we put music on real loud and dance silly lots of jummping and such.she loves it its good for her good for me and tons of fun

PlanetVelma

My kids are older, but this may help in your case. if you have the Wii, invest in the Wii Fit Plus Bundle. There are a ton of games/exercises/yoga for ALL ages. We all take turns in the evening after dinner doing exercise. It does help because than the kids aren't watching as much tv and we're doing someting together as a family.

adpape

How about going to the park? If they are old enough, the kids can play and you can workout either on the playground equipment or on the grass. Mine are too young for that yet but I am looking forward to that day! OR if they are little, you should see if you can find a mommy and me workout to do with them...like baby press, stroller squats etc. A few of my friends in larger centres take their kids to strollersize which sounds fun.

Good luck and if you figure it out, let us know!

schninie82

Get 30 day shred by jillian michaels... 20 min workout...its brill..

bjenny1234

I am also a stay at home mom, I have a daughter who is 4 years old. It can be tricky, my suggestion to you is look up Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds. It is walking in your living room, no stupid dance steps or anything that is too challenging to follow. I have done it since my daughter was born, and at times it has been difficult to get it done without her under my feet. But it is fast and I always am happy when I have finished! You can buy her DVDs on Amazon, at Target or Walmart or you can simply look her up on You Tube. Dr Oz's website has another link for her too.
Basically if you can walk, lift your knee, kick, and step side to side you can do any one of her workouts! I like the 2 mile walk, takes 30 minutes. However the range is from 1-5 mile workouts, I have one dvd with 5 miles where you can skip and do however many you want. Hope this helps!!!

sacfrazier

I am also a stay at home mom and I get that waking up early to workout stinks and working out after they go to bed just sounds too exhausting, but I make time. I don't know how old your children are, but sometimes I wake up at 5 to workout and sometimes I work out while they have "down time." My exercise time is my "time to relax" and although I am not thrilled about not having any down time to myself, I am constantly moving during the day and exhausted come bed time. I have been sleeping better than I have in years. Sometimes I get the kids involved. If you have a Wii or other similar game system, you can get the kids to do some of the dance or fitness games with you. Some of them are a good workout and fun for the kids.

sacfrazier

I am also a stay at home mom and I get that waking up early to workout stinks and working out after they go to bed just sounds too exhausting, but I make time. I don't know how old your children are, but sometimes I wake up at 5 to workout and sometimes I work out while they have "down time." My exercise time is my "time to relax" and although I am not thrilled about not having any down time to myself, I am constantly moving during the day and exhausted come bed time. I have been sleeping better than I have in years. Sometimes I get the kids involved. If you have a Wii or other similar game system, you can get the kids to do some of the dance or fitness games with you. Some of them are a good workout and fun for the kids.

kelligonzales

My girls are 3 and 8 months and I have to wait till they are napping. My oldest is trying grow outta her naps so if she is up I tell her it mommy's workout time. ANd she stays in her room. Lately though I've opting for stressful methods like going for a walk with them instead. Sometimes it's a hassel and i don't have the fight in me. But there is always an answer, you got this!

Mommyof4ts

Ive got 4 little ones 6 and under and am a stay at home mom. Ive found little ways to get in exercise while doing normal chores around the house, like doing squats as you take things out of the washer and put them in the dryer, "weight lifting" the basket of laundry as i go up and down the stairs, just little things like that during the day until I can get an hour or so of real working out done, usually when they are napping. But think creatively and im sure you will come up with ways to fit in your exercise!

kld4239

Most gyms have a kid's club or something similar for an additional $5-$10 per month. Join the gym and check the kids in for an hour or two a day. It's not being selfish it's getting healthy. You'll be around longer for kids and feel better.

Nadyasmom

I know the feeling!

I'm a SAHM/Work from Home mom to 2 little girls--1 and 2 years old.

My husband is currently out of the country, so I have NO help in the day and no 'me" time.

I squeeze my workout in most days in the morning. I would LOVE to get up early before they wake up, but no matter what I do, they somehow hear that mommy is up and get up too. So it's better to just stay put in bed and get the sleep than try and sneek it in before. So...

We have workout time (like another post said). My 2 year old loves to do the stretches with me, and then my one year old loves to crawl on me while i do my abs. Is it hard? Absolutely. DO I long for the day my husband returns and I can get an hour to myself? you bet. But until then, I must be creative.

Also, both of my girls love to dance, so we often throw on some pumped up music and dance around the living room. They can go forever! And it's definitely a good burn for me.

I think most mom's will agree that working out as a mom may not always be the "traditional" way, but the calories are still burned.

Now, if only I could figure out how many calories are burned changing a poopy diaper!!

melodyg

If your kids aren't in school yet they should probably still be taking a nap during the day. When I can't get to the gym I do some Wii Fit or Just Dance while my kids nap.

Hahahahahahaha! Okay, I know you were serious... it is just that I've been a SAHM since my now 5 year old was 3 and he has taken very few naps during that time that didn't involve falling asleep in the car.

He does still have a "rest time" or "quiet time"... but I can't guarantee any uninterrupted time!

(Okay, not trying to be mean here either, I am actually jealous of mommas with kids who take naps... a friend of mine had kids who napped on up until kindergarten too so I know some kids do... just not mine!)

Taras630

I have the same problem! By the time my son goes to sleep im so exhausted. When im working out he wants to be all over me and he'll start crying. If im working out on the xbox kinect he'll go in front me and start dancing. He's 1 by the way. He's definitely a handful, but I get my husband to watch him while I workout and every once in awhile he'll get in my way. Ive learned that ive gotta workout a couple times a day instead of one long workout because my son wants my attention.

tonydarkstorm

I may be in a different spectrum with my point of view as 1) a male and 2) im not just at home, but; I do have a hectic schedule and still manage to fit in exercise. My day begins like this wake up at 4am so I can get ready to take my wife to work so we can leave at 5:15 so we can be there before 5:45 ( when she has to clock in ), I eat and do my bicep curls, squats, shoulder presses (all with dumb bells) and my 500 crunches, then once I get home from dropping her off, I get the boys ( my 7 yr old and my 3 yr old ) up and have them go use the bathroom and do what they have to do, while they do that I make their breakfasts ( usually fritata and toast or oatmeal ) and when they are done getting themselves dressed I have them come eat. I then clean up their dishes and have them read aloud until its time to get my older boy on his bus. I get him on the bus and then I play with my 3 year old for until 10:00 am and we watch Lets Make A Deal, then I make my lunch and his lunch around 11:00, we eat, I clean up, I reapeat my morning work out again, he doesnt bother me, he usualy mimics me. I then have to make dinner as my wife has no idea how to cook, so everyone can have a nice dinner ready, I usually make myself something different as im counting my caloric intake. Then around 2:00pm we go to pick my wife up from work as she is done at 2:55pm, then when we get back, I get ready for my job. Me and my wife wait for the bus to drop him off, I go to work from 4pm to 1230am and repeat the process Monday thru Friday, but beings as she works Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday and Sunday, we dont really have a day where we can both chill. My point is, even though im not a stay at home mom, no matter how hectic the day, there is time to exercise.

Angel1029

I'm a SAHM as well and I have a 9, 6 and a 19 month old. My two older are in school and the baby is with me during the day. The way I've made it work was to put myself and the kids on a schedule and be consistent with it. During the summer when they were all here they would workout with me (at home) or be occupied with other things. My 19 month old actually works out with me, I have a lot of workout DVD's (currently doing Turbo Fire) and she loves the music and she just dances right along with me. Also 2 hours is a bit much, I don't even get that in when I go to the gym. But you have to make time and be consistent if you really want to get your workout in.