Working moms, how do you make time???

hpierson

I work full-time and already have a TON of mommy guilt for not having a lot of time with my girls. The last thing I want to do is workout when I get home and they are still awake. Then, by the time they go to bed, I'm exhausted!

Ideally, I would like to workout in the morning, but everytime I try, I end of hitting snooze and sleeping until I HAVE to get up.

How do you do it? I need tips.

TonyaJ83

I am a child care provider & foster parent. It's been best for me to workout during the children's nap time. If that ever fails, I'd get up an hour earlier in the morning!

rileamoyer

When mine were little I had to go to a morning class before work. Hard to get up early but it worked.

nancymmorris

I usually have an extra hour in the morning after my kids go to school and I do it then. I also go bkie riding or walking with my kids in the evening and they love it.

jacquejl

I drink water before bed. It forces me up early and by the time I visit the restroom, I'm awake enough to stay up. Eventually, you will wake up early on your own .

Good luck to you!

rileamoyer

When mine were little I had to go to a morning class before work. Hard to get up early but it worked.

PS: Then I volunteered to lead a class at my work's fitness center at lunch a couple days a week - then I had to go.

HalfofHilary

I do what I can on my lunch break. There is a little gym nearby and I just work out there at lunch time. I try to walk 1 mile during each of my breaks (weather permitting). Other than that, I just try to keep moving. I don't want to take the minimal time I have with my kids away.

missy1970eb

im lucky i work part time, so not a major problem for me, and my youngest likes 2 come walking with me anyway, on work days i do mine when i gt home

Candiceg13

I work FT as well, and have 4 kids..... I too have that guilt, but I know that working out makes me happy and gives me energy to do more things with them....

I wake up at 3:50 M-F and at 4:50 on Sat/Sun to make sure I get my time..... they are all asleep and I get my time in! By the time I am done working out, its either time to get ready for work and wake them up, or they wake up and come downstairs to watch me..... must be comical to see me doing jump squats and burpees!

kcmomof2

I get up an hour earlier in the mornings. My alarm goes off at 4:45 and I am up by 5:00. The first 2-3 weeks were real hard, but then it became routine and now it's easy. Good luck.

gallegosmagaly

I am a mother of 4 and I tend to work out early in the morning, I used to hit the snooze button myself but I took a full body picuture and put it on my alarm clock so when I hit Snooze that is the first thing I see. That is motivaiton enough for me.

tashajasmine

I try to push myself to workout after the kids are in bed even when I feel exhausted. I don't always want to and want to quit a first but after the workout is complete I am so glad I did it. Nothing feels better than a warm shower and cozy bed after working my muscles like crazy.
Also, try playing ball with your kids, racing your kids, riding bikes. All these burn calories, are lots of fun, and your spending time with your kids. A lot of people do the kinects or whatever it is called on the xbox.

kensky

Once you get into the routine of waking up extra-early, it becomes...well, a routine! The times that I've slept in, even if I squeeze in a workout after work or before bed, I do regret it and I can remember that regret even in the wee hours. 5 am. Monday through Friday. The new normal.

fanceegirl75

I totally understand how you're feeling. This morning was the first morning that I set the alarm...it went off and my little motivation angel convinced me to get up instead of sleeping until time to get up for the work/school schedule. If you can motivate yourself to get to work out in the morning that would be great. Other days my kids and I make family trips in the evenings to the gym as well as weekends.

sarabellum

I'm pretty lucky and can work out over my lunch hour at work (we have a fitness place really close by and I can squeeze in a good 30-45 minutes on my break).

My husband leaves for work SUPER early in the morning, so I can't get my workouts in then, so this has really been a blessing for me...if I miss a workout, I usually try to get a short run in (if it's not too cold and dark out!!!) - this will be easier to do in the summer anyway.

I say, make a commitment to get up early at least a couple of mornings to start out with, if you feel you need to ease yourself in to the early mornings. It all comes down to what you're willing to sacrifice for your goals. You obviously don't want to sacrifice time with your girls (which is wonderful), so you might have to sacrifice your snooze button (sucks, I know!!!)

Hope you can figure out what will work best for you!!!

Angel1066

I know where you're coming from even though i only have one child, but as soon as i put her to bed in the evening i make myself workout. I find it helps me sleep better.

PlanetVelma

I walk on my break & lunch time (I pack a lunch daily). Even if I go out for lunch, I am walking about 30 minutes (2 - fifteen minute breaks).

I also do the wii fit plus in the evenings w/ the kiddos and they love it. I am going to try to get up earlier so i can work out for about an hour in the morning before I go to work.

fteale

I feel like a bit of a cheat posting, as I only work very sporadically, but the boot camp circuits class I do on Wednesday nights is full of mothers, and we bring our children along, either they follow us around (the quiet ones), or we shut them in the room next to the hall we are in, where they can watch through the window.

Mine always escape and try to join in, they love it.

hpierson

OMG, all of these replies are amazing, thank you so much for the suggestions and encouragement. I really do need to do it, I have an elliptical in the basement that is collecting dust.

I like the picture on the alarm clock!

tashjs21

I am a mother of 4 and I tend to work out early in the morning, I used to hit the snooze button myself but I took a full body picuture and put it on my alarm clock so when I hit Snooze that is the first thing I see. That is motivaiton enough for me.

This is a wonderful idea! Thanks! :drinker:

angievaughn

As a full time working mom.......who is NOT a morning person.......
When I come home from work...cook dinner....visit with the family....and they all are now understanding that at 7:30...it's mom's time to exercise.....sometimes they will watch, other times...they run off and do their own thing.......

My 5 year old has the hardest time with it....so now we have a thing where the last 15 minutes before she goes to bed....is mom and her time to play.....I give my all for that 15 minutes...because she waited for me to finish working out......

The older three girls....well....they are becoming teenagers...and are more understanding....and now that I am losing weight...I feel better....so we do more on the weekends than before!!! So, that small window of time during the week........is nothing compared to all the time we have and do on the weekend!!!!

aportillo8

I'm on the same boat... totally feel guilty taking time to exercise and if I have them take a nap then they want to be awake all night! HELP!

edorice

I am a mother of 4 and I tend to work out early in the morning, I used to hit the snooze button myself but I took a full body picuture and put it on my alarm clock so when I hit Snooze that is the first thing I see. That is motivaiton enough for me.

Great idea. I have a before pic of myself on our snack cabinet.

Just_Dot

OP, I could have written your post!!

I'm a teacher at a middle school, so I try to do a workout during my planning time, and then I take home my work...it's easier to do that on the couch when the kids go to bed than try and fit in a workout. If it's nice, I'll go for a walk...

I'd love to get get up early, but I just can't do it! Good luck to you!

atucker_mom

I work full time and have 4 kids. My kids are all middle school or older. I walk during my lunch break or while I am outside with my class at work and then as soon as I come home I do another 30 minute workout. My kids are still doing homework then. They know that is what the routine is now. They will usually talk to me while I work out, although it took them a little while to learn0 that I can't talk (too out of breath), but they know I am listening. If I ever sit down that is it, no way does the work out happen, so I just don't sit down! Good luck finding something that works for you.

SunSand76

I hear ya, I do. No easy answers
I work full time too and have 2 girls. I was working out right after work, headed straight for the gym. But this last couple of weeks I've been going before work. It means I do have to get up a bit earlier, my workouts are shortened by 15 minutes so I also have to work harder, and I have to be a bit more organized so that I can just come home from the gym, shower and get ready for work. But I have to say it's worth it, and it's nice to have my evenings back. There are lots of days when i so would rather sleep longer, but I want the weightloss even more

good luck, you can do it! Hope you find something that works great for you.

pinkgigi

I'm a widowed mother of 2, I get up at 5.30 most mornings to ride 30 kms before work, and once a week to go to the gym. I also walk with friends about 20 mins at lunchtime. As my children are a bit older, I will sometimes get home from work, put the dinner on and then go for a walk before it is ready.

Don't ever hit the snooze, once I am awake, I get up straight away, otherwise you lie in bed arguing with yourself. Get all your gear ready the night before, as by the time you have jumped out of bed and got in your clothes you are just about woken up and there are not excuses. Helps if you have roped someone in to exercise with you because then you will have guilt in leaving them in the lurch if you don't go. This morning I totally didn't want to get up, it was pitch black and cold outside, but once I was up I felt better, and knew I would be letting my friend down if I didn't go.

GG

Badunkadunk_Buster

I hate mornings too. I won't get up and work out before work, it sounds like a good idea, but come 5am, It's a no go for me. Not only am I a working mom, but I am a single working mom that puts in 50+ hours/5 1/2 days a week. Sometimes I find it hard to fit in a load of laundry, the grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning etc etc. I know exactly how it feels to be spead so thin and taking time away from my son is not an option. I signed up for the gym, but after being gone 12 hours a day, I couldn't put him in the gym daycare for another hour, it just broke my heart. I go for a long walk during my lunch hour and go for a family bike ride after work. I also do 30 day shred, it's only 20 minutes, I do gardening in the backyard and he loves to help me, he does the wii fit or zumba with me too. If I don't get a lot of exercise in, I don't beat myself up over it, I can only do so much and some days, I just choose to build a legos house instead of working out.

Kstewart8404

I dont know how old your girls are, but I have a 6 year old and he actually LOVES going to the gym with me. We go together when I get off work. I found an amazing gym that is super child friendly, has an awesome daycare area, and also has a child pool. I made a deal with my son, he gets to swim twice a week and once on the weekend and he is happier than can be. I dont know if anything in your area would allow that, but its the best (selfish) thing I have done in a long time!
**Also, I am a single mom. I know ALL about the guilt feeling.... BUT, if we are not happy, they are not happy. And, you'd be setting a positive example for your girls. I am sure they would be proud, and thankful that their mom wants to stay healthy.

Good Luck.

karensoxfan

I was asking the exact same question a few weeks ago, and making every excuse under the sun to NOT wake up early to exercise. Once I accepted that it's the only time I can realistically squeeze it into my day, I just have to decide to do it. It's always a choice, and I admit, I don't always follow through on the plan, but I'm getting it done at least 2x/week, and trying to get to 3.

You CAN make it work, whatever plan you decide you follow.

marissamd

I made my commute my workout. I get off at a Metro stop about 1.5 miles from my work, and stretch while I ride the escalator up. :happy:

I then power walk (about 4.5 mph right now) to work. I wear a t-shirt and bring a work shirt with me and change when I get to the office. I do the same thing on my way home, so I end up power-walking 3 miles a day. I figure once I get the hang of that, I'll make the walk longer but for now this is good for me.

After my son goes to bed (he's 2 and a half almost three so it's early) I do an hour of yoga while my husband plays video games. :laugh: