Working moms, how do you make time???

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hpierson
hpierson Posts: 3 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
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.
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Replies

  • TonyaJ83
    TonyaJ83 Posts: 155
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    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
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,411 Member
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    When mine were little I had to go to a morning class before work. Hard to get up early but it worked.
  • nancymmorris
    nancymmorris Posts: 310
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    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
    jacquejl Posts: 193 Member
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    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! :smile:
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,411 Member
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    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
    HalfofHilary Posts: 224
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    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
    missy1970eb Posts: 1,209 Member
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    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:smile:
  • Candiceg13
    Candiceg13 Posts: 218
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    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
    kcmomof2 Posts: 457 Member
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    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
    gallegosmagaly Posts: 32
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    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
    tashajasmine Posts: 37 Member
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    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
    kensky Posts: 472 Member
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    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
    fanceegirl75 Posts: 620 Member
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    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
    sarabellum Posts: 88 Member
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    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
    Angel1066 Posts: 816 Member
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    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
    PlanetVelma Posts: 1,231 Member
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    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
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    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
    hpierson Posts: 3 Member
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    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
    tashjs21 Posts: 4,584 Member
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    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
    angievaughn Posts: 655 Member
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    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!!!!

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