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Exercising while home with the kids

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Leilanimae
Leilanimae Posts: 8
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Hello ladies! I am SAHM with my son who's 4 and daughter who's 2. I need ideas for how to exercise while I am home with them. I have difficulty with them interrupting me when I try. So far I do good walking while my son is at preschool. I put my daughter in the stroller and give her a portable DVD player and I put on my headphones. But, I am looking for other ideas to mix it up. Let's share!

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  • siems56
    siems56 Posts: 28
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    I workout when they are taking their naps
  • sheresamae
    sheresamae Posts: 71 Member
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    i havent figured that out either so i am posting just so i can see what everyone else says!! :) thanks!
  • jenny95662
    jenny95662 Posts: 997 Member
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    i got to the ymca with daycare but when i want to workout at home i to it when they go to bed at night
  • Klynn63
    Klynn63 Posts: 66
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    I find it really frustrating to work out with a toddler, so I wait for her to nap.. or work out before or after she goes to bed. If I don't have any of those options on a good day I can get her to work out with me, I put in a dvd and she will "march" or "dance" along! I have alot of walking dvds! :D
  • seesaey
    seesaey Posts: 231
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    I workout to TurboFire (love it!!). At first I did it afterthey went to bed but am too tired by then to be as intense as I wanted. Now I do it while they are awake, usually in the mornings. I workout in my garage. I will usually put on Netflix (the only time they watch all day so it is a treat), make sure they have a snack and drink, and leave the door open to the garage while I workout. They usually wander in after 10-15 mins and play out there while I workout (there are toys in there also). I just need to watch where I kick and move, but I am used to checking now that it doesn't affect the workout! There are times when I have to pause the DVD, but you kinda expect that when you are a mom!! My kids are 4, 3, and almost 1. I think that they are so used to me working out like that that it has become a way of life for them - they play by themselves while mommy has the DVD on and they know mommy will play with them afterwards!
  • seesaey
    seesaey Posts: 231
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    Oh, and to add, my kids don't nap (makes a long day). I would prefer to workout whilethey napped... If they ever did!! Lol
  • angeldelight13
    angeldelight13 Posts: 177 Member
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    hey, iv got a 4year old and a six year old. Obviously i get time when their not around but also plenty when they are. When their being monkeys and not letting get on with it i either take them out (we live just around the corner to a huge field that back on to a wood) we run around and have fun or we crank the music up and dance together. Both good work outs. x
  • ejenkins24
    ejenkins24 Posts: 6
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    If i want to work out during the day when my children are awake, i have them go outside, while i work out, or do my workout outside with them. They are too distracted to care what i'm doing. Another, thing that my kids love is the wii dance games. It's a small workout but i get something in, while having a fun time with my kids.
  • Pandahead
    Pandahead Posts: 50 Member
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    Early in the morning--before they wake up, or at night--after they go to bed. If I can only work out when they're awake, I do it in the afternoon while the youngest naps. My four-year-old will keep herself occupied, or at the very least, she won't crawl all over me while I'm working out. (My 2-year-old will!) The rest of my monkeys are in school.

    I prefer to workout at a gym, but while I have access to several (military family here), we live off-post and it's not feasible for me to drive to post every day to exercise. *sigh*
  • CDT12000
    CDT12000 Posts: 30 Member
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    Check out your "on demand" channel for the exercise channel.. There are 10-60min videos, even dance videos for kids. I wouldn't go crazy and start doing it every day so you burn out. The kids have fun laughing at mommy and even join in which is hysterical!
    The truth is that it takes tremendous emotional energy to execute this strategy long term because kids are unpredictable. The only sure bet it to wake up and do it before they get up. Especially if you have more than 2 kids.
  • Missy225
    Missy225 Posts: 20 Member
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    I myself too have a 5 year old in school and a 3 year old at home. All I have figured to do during the winter is check out exercise videos from the local library and workout after the kids have gone to sleep. I have to say it has helped me get a better nights sleep too. I suggest a bath after the workouts, hot water soaks always help the stiffness!
  • xxcarleighxx
    xxcarleighxx Posts: 8
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    I have 4 and 2 year old sons..i bring them with me..we walk for 2.5 miles a day(,the 2 year old is in a stroller,of course)...they love it and when we get back its family naptime :)
  • kellyr73
    kellyr73 Posts: 5
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    Perhaps you could do some exercises that the kids could do right along with you like using the Wii games. Or if you're watching tv, simply do some marching in place. At the local YMCA by me, they have an area where they watch the kids while I work out and that's part of the membership; that might be something worth checking into.
  • monstermom46
    monstermom46 Posts: 1 Member
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    when my children were younger I used them as a source of resistance, they loved the airplane game and my legs got a work out.

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