Mom of 2 kids, Help...

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cosmo30
cosmo30 Posts: 52 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am a mom of 2 kids( toddler & 6-month old) who stay at home. I would like to know how other moms like me find time to workout. I can never get both my kids to sleep at the same time, so I can workout. Gym is totally out of question. Exercise like yoga with baby or other workouts with baby doesnot do much for my weight loss. I breastfeed and my 6 month old is very clingy to me. I started to eat healthy and meet my calorie goal, eating part is OK 'cause I plan and prepare but exercise I cann't fit in my day. weather outside is too cold for my baby to go for long walks in stroller. I am totally out of ideas.

What sort of workouts do you do? How do you do? ANy short and effective workouts?
Any help would be much much appreciated.

Replies

  • kdao
    kdao Posts: 265
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    Welcome aboard! I am a mom of 5 kids, with my youngest being 10 months and my oldest being 11. Most of the time, during the week, I exercise after they are all in bed. Yeah, it's late and I am tired, but I have to do it because being healthy is important to me. On the weekends, with my Hubby home, I exercise while he watches the kids.

    I do the 30 day shred video, spin bike and ride my bike on the weekends.
  • KELM0710
    KELM0710 Posts: 147 Member
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    I stay home and my kids are 3 1/2 and 1 yr. I do my workouts when my youngest takes his morning nap. Usually my 3 yr old will play by himself or he will try to do the work out with me. I do the shred and then a 10 min stretch after so for about 35 mins total. He is pretty good about entertaining himself most of the time. Have you thought about trying something like that? That way you can do it earlier in the day and not later when you are super tired. i know I would never have energy to do it later in the day after they go to bed.
  • Candiceg13
    Candiceg13 Posts: 218
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    :smile: I am a mom of 4 (10, 6, 4 and 20mo) and wake up at 3:50am to get my workouts in.... Its hard, but it is the ONLY time I get.....
  • calmmomw3minimeez
    calmmomw3minimeez Posts: 499 Member
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    Hi. I'm a mom of 3 kids - 10, 4, and 2. I am also a homeschooling mom. I know exactly what you mean about not being able to get kids settled before you can work out. I've also never set foot in a gym. Anyway it won't be easy, but to be able to get some quick workouts in for cardio, you could try the jumping jacks and other calisthenics(jogging in place works for me). Body sculpting, I usually have to wait til MY bedtime and do 10 reverse crunches, rest 10secs and repeat until I've done 100. Just try to start off slow and as your schedule eventually gives in and agrees with you(yes, it actually will)lol, you can go to exercise tv.com and pick out some workouts from there. Other than that, I recently got a stationary bike which has become my best friend. Find some good kids programs for the little tot to watch or get his/her fav. dvd, or even at snack time you might be able to sneak in a little jog...you should see me jogging thru the kitchen while making lunch or folding laundry! On the clingy baby - I feel your pain! My older boy wasn't so hard to wean, but that OTHER one...it was a knock down drag out with him and now a year and a half later, he's still my shadow! Maybe you could try sitting baby in a car seat at tv time, or you could work out while baby watches...they get a kick out of it!lol feel free to add me if you like, but you can do it and you'll find many ppl here that will make you want to stick with it...much success on your journey..you're definitely not alone!:huh: :yawn: :wink: :wink:
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    I did it for many years when my kids were babies. I lost all of my weight without a gym. I did Gilad Total Body Sculpt and the elliptical trainer every day, plus kept my diet strict. As far as the kids are concerned, you just have to make it work...be flexible. I would put the baby down for a nap and give my 2 year old a bunch of cool toys and sit her near me. You only need 30 minutes!
  • shreddingit
    shreddingit Posts: 1,133 Member
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    oh boy I know the clingy feeling, my 18 month old still breastfeeds and make sit hard for me to work out in the mornings like i would like. I did have to wait for him to be 1 so he could play more while I ran on my treadmill, he got used to it and also got used to me doing dvds and actually enjoys watching...I say try what you would like if not just focus on your nutrition more till you can really workout...good luck!!
  • cosmo30
    cosmo30 Posts: 52 Member
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    Wow!! Thank you all so much for your wisdom. Some of your tickers alone is a great inspiration. I am going to fit in spining & 30 day shred into my day. Let's see how it goes. Hubby has to lend his helping hand some time soon:smile:

    Thanks again everyone!
  • kdao
    kdao Posts: 265
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    Wow!! Thank you all so much for your wisdom. Some of your tickers alone is a great inspiration. I am going to fit in spining & 30 day shred into my day. Let's see how it goes. Hubby has to lend his helping hand some time soon:smile:

    Thanks again everyone!

    You go girl, you can do it! And yes, your Hubby can lend you some time for you!
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
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    You could also consider indoor places where you could do some walking if it's still too cold outside. Lots of malls even open special hours for people who want to walk indoor laps for exercise, and it's free. :)
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    If nothing else, fit in short bursts of working out when you can. Bodyrock.tv has lots of workout challenges that are usually about 10 minutes, and they post something new almost every day so you can't get bored. Get a set of resistance bands to bang out some quick strength training while you carry baby in a wrap. Take the kiddos for walks when it gets warmer. Turn on some fun music and dance dance dance with the kids -- it's good cardio! For me, I do workouts on the Wii and my kids usually like to do them with me, so maybe you could find something fun to do with the older one while the baby is napping.

    Good luck!
  • EmelyJ
    EmelyJ Posts: 208
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    I normally have my husband watch the kids. It's only a 30-40 min workout, and I tell him it's for the best of both of us. wink wink*** I also find it as my own personal time. I normally have my 4 yr old in the room with me, sometimes she tries to workout with me others, she's doing home work and cheering me on. My 23 month old, I normally leave him with his dad while I workout.

    ooh and I workout around 7-8pm 6 days a week. If I workout any later then that, then the kids are in bed while I'm working out.
  • keebers1
    keebers1 Posts: 10 Member
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    I do the same as another poster said because I have a 3yo and 1 1/2 yo and while the youngest is down for his morning nap, I do the 30 Day Shred with my 3 yo. He jumps around doing jumping jacks too. And it's good for him to see and learn that it's a part of every day life and that it should be fun! At least I try to tell myself that as I'm cursing Jillian out. :wink:
  • crazymom4
    crazymom4 Posts: 102 Member
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    Hi the mom of 3 11,6, 3 and I work part at a daycare! I get up at 5 to get my workouts I'n on the says things are goin bettr. I will sneak I'n my treadmill at night it can be tough but u just have to set a time everyday thata urs!!! And believ it or not it doea get alot easier to get up early:) I started my weightloss when my middle son wAs one I went for walks I'n the evening when my husband got home!!! Now I find it so easier to follow scheduled workout routine!! My kids all love turbo fire I think it's the music my daughter how's nuts run ing around me!!! Hopefully ur family settles into ur routine I know it took awhile for mine but they now know to leVe mom alone when I'm I. The workout Mode and thAt I will be all there's when Im done!!!

    Good luck and remember mom has to take care of herself too:)
  • bentobee
    bentobee Posts: 321 Member
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    I have four kids. :)

    I really just work on getting in whatever activity I can do, whenever the opportunity arises! Some days I can make it to the gym while my older two are in school and leave the younger two in the childcare room. Some days I have to wait until my toddler is in bed and then get the older three (3, 7,9) involved in an activity so I can do a dvd -- like coloring, lunch, a movie in another room, etc.
    Some days I resort to jogging in place while I prepare meals. LOL
  • Lpruett7
    Lpruett7 Posts: 19 Member
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    Hi! I am a mom of two who are fifteen months apart! my oldest is two my youngest is one. I gained 50 pounds with my son because i thought i could eat what i want when pregnant lol. I had 15 pounds left before i hit my pre pregnancy weight when my son was 6months old i found out i was pregnant with my daughter! I had gestational diabetes with her and even though i walked everyday of my pregnancy and controlled food intake i gained 60 pounds because of it!!! needless to say exercise was on my mind the day my daughter was delivered!!! I have 44 pounds to go until i reach my goal weight so i try and get up at 445 each morning and go to the gym for spin. I also try to go in the evenings before dinner time. Its a struggle for me to push myself to work out on my own outside the gym but i am really trying to kick the rest of these pounds so i recently bought a ab gym for $20 from walmart and I have a jillian michaels and biggest loser workout video Im starting tomorrow doing those during nap time :)
  • stephyy4632
    stephyy4632 Posts: 947 Member
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    welcome

    I am a mom of 2 Katelin age 6 and Tessa age 4 but I also babysit fulltime for a little boy that is 6months old

    things I do to work out during the day are
    wii zumba the older kids can dance along or watch (my girls prefer to dance along its tons of fun and a HUGE calorie burn)
    jogging stroller - I have a double instep and its wonderful I have my 4yo and the baby in the stroller while my 6yo rides her bike along with us works out great
    or I will put the baby in my beco carrier and push the girls (my 6yo is small for her age and still fits in the stoller with ease)

    I own a eliptical machine (crosstrainer) so while the baby takes his morning nap I hop on that (the girls normaly play on there own in the living room)
    also own a heavy bag and gloves (great burn if you have never tried it) and the baby is normaly in the exersaucer watching and the girls playing in the yard (its on our back pattio) and I only am upto 20min workouts with it so far

    ALSO make time for the gym if my Husband can go 2times a week to his friends , plus other mannly things you bet your a** I can have him watch the girls in the evening while I head to the gym for an hour. Won`t hurt them one bit and will give you some kid free time which I think All moms need.
  • junipuni
    junipuni Posts: 264 Member
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    The only thing that worked for me when the kids were that little were walks at night. Either my husband and I would go together and each push a stroller or I would go with the double stroller. Or one would stay home while I went with one in the stroller. It's hard. Focus on your eating, that will help a ton. The exercise will come eventually if it doesn't now.
  • tohealth4me
    tohealth4me Posts: 11
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    I was in better shape when my kids were the same age as yours. I would tuck my daughter into the front pack, but the boys into the double stroller and walk. I walked for at least 2 hours most days, just running my errands. The resistance of pushing the two boys (close to 100 lbs with the stroller at that time), plus carrying the weight of my daughter, was a full body workout.

    If I didn't have errands, I would pick a further park to walk to, and I found that they were fine as long as we had a few stops.

    Now that they are too old for the stroller it is harder, because it isn't a work-out walking at their pace. Good luck!:happy:

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