Tips on how you found the time...

Stef836

Hello group,
I'm new to adding working out to my schedule and would any advice. I work full time M-F from 7am to 5pm. I pick up my 2 kiddos and then head home to do the same routine as you all.. dinner, baths bed time ect. By 8:30 my hubby and I are usually on the couch resting up the for next day. I have eliminated our night snack to healther choices this week. Sat-Sun the hubby works and I'm alone with the kids. Hope I gave enough info for suggestions.
Thanks in advance,
Stef

BamaBreezeNSaltAire

Oh please share!!! My schedule is almost the same except I leave for work at 5:40 a.m.!!!

fteale

I found it very hard to find the time when the children were small. Now when I don't have time during the week I make sure I go running at the weekends. In the morning so my husband can stay slouching around at home while the children watch tv!

fj211

I think your only choices are to start early, early in the a.m. or get hubby to watch the kids for an hour while you get some workout time in the evening. Can you find time on the weekend to get at least two good workouts in then?

Best of luck to you.

NICOLED73

Hey there,
I'm a single mother. You have to make the time for yourself. If that means leaving the kids at daycare a little longer in the evenings so that you can get a workout in. I work for a hospital and 3 days a week I use their gym right after work. Once I get home, I won't leave again so I have to do it before my feet hit the garge floor!
I also bought the Jillian Michaels kettle bells and Shred it with Weights DVD to do at home at least 2 days a week. (It's strength training and cardio.) That is only a 30 minute workout. Could be something you can do while the kids are in the tub? Maybe hubby can bathe them a couple days a week while you do the workout?
I also work M-F 8-4:30. My daughter has soccer practice 2 nights a week and those are the nights that I workout at home.
If evenings are too difficult you just may need to get up earlier in the morning for some workout time?
There's always a brisk walk with the kids in a stroller? I'm sure they'd love evening walks with Mommy and I bet they would sleep better too!
Hope these are some good ideas for you!
Good luck!

jbella99

Perhaps a gym that has child care facilities. I go straight to gym before I go home otherwise I won't go/

rockstargal629

I'm a single mom, I work M-F 8:30 to 5:30 and some weekends. For years I kept saying, I don't have the time! I just don't have the time! Late night work outs leave you too amped to go to bed, and not to mention finding the motivation is the hardest!

Is it possible for your husband to pick up the kids and keep them till 6 or 6:30? Or for the sitter or daycare to keep them later? That's what worked for me. I asked my sitter, who picks up my daughter after school, to keep her until 6:45-7. Which gives me a little more than an hour right after work. I take my gym clothes with me to the office, I change as soon as I'm done and then I either head to the gym or head for my run. Even just doing this 2 or 3 days a week starting out would make a lot of difference.

The real issue is to realize there are solutions - whether that's getting up early to get your workout in if you're a morning person (I'm definitely not!) or setting aside time right after work to do it. But you have to set aside that time and just focus on that. That's what works for me!

itsall4younow

Hey Stef!

Is there an hour or a half hour that your husband could give you that you could step away from everything to exercise? Or at 8:30 could you go for a half hour walk? Or even pop on an exercise DVD? I have also found some pretty cheap exerise equipment at flea markets, garage sales, and craigs list that you could bring into your home.

I hope some of these ideas help.
Everyone's situation is different, but you have to find what works for you and your schedule!

Best of luck to you :flowerforyou:

muwchck

I am a stay at home mom of 2 boys, so I have more time during the day to fit in my work outs, but I haven't always been a stay at home mom either. There are things you can do with the kids. Take a family walk after dinner, and pushing the stroller gives you a little extra resistance, and therefore a bigger calorie burn. I do Richard Simmons videos, and my oldest (who's 6) loves doing them with me. Also, either getting up 30 minutes earlier (or more) gives you a little extra time before the kids are up to get in a work out video or walk on your own. After the kids bed time is another time to get in a work out on your own. I used to go for walks on my lunch at work too. You just have to figure out what is going to work best for you and stick to it.

janalayn

First of all you don't find the time, you have to make the time.

I would suggest a workout video at 8:30 instead of resting on the sofa. On the weekends find activities that can include the kids ... walking with a stroller, riding bikes, or my personal favorite the hula hoop. My boyfriends 6 year old daughter loves to hoop with me. OR, ask the hubby to watch the kids for 30 minutes when he gets home from work.

Even ten minutes of activity is better than nothing. I hula hoop in my living room while I watch TV. If I watch more TV, I sit on a yoga ball instead of the sofa to strengthen my core.

jbarletta316

I am in a similar situation. I have a 6 month old and a 12 year old. I get up at 5am and do Zumba for 45-70 minutes, depending on how long I think the baby will sleep. I work from 8-5pm and the hubby works from 6am-6:30pm. In the evenings I try to get in an additional 15-20 minute work out of Zumba. (I'm not sure if you have any gaming systems Wii, Xbox etc. But if you get the Zumba dvds for those you can do 3 different time levels of class. Short is 15-20 minutes, Medium is about 45 minutes and Long is about 65-70 minutes). I also joined curves so I can work out 3 days a week for 30 minutes there. You may also want to check out gym memberships if you have the funds, most of them have a daycare center you can use in the evenings or on weekends. Another good idea is investing in a jogging stroller so you can take your children with you and run/walk at the park or in your neighborhood.

I hope this helps. I'm not sure where you live or how old your children are so it might be impossible, but maybe it'll give you an idea. But honestly, the best option I've found for me are dvds I can do before or after the kids are up. Good Luck. If you need a friend add me and I'll help keep you motivated.

Mom0fTwo

what are your breaks like? I used to get 2 15's and a half hr. I would eat on my 15s and go for a walk on my half

UsedToBeHusky

My schedule is pretty much the same. I walk on my breaks everyday. I also try to walk the dog in the evenings. Occassionally, I'll jump on a video game like Just Dance or Wii Boxing. I try to look at exercise as more of an increase in activity then just your typical going to the gym to work out. When I go shopping I park the farthest from the doors, and I take my time to shop. There are ways to get exercise in on every schedule.

celticmuse

If you can find time in the evenings on Tues/Thurs to work out for 30-40 minutes, and work out once on the weekend, you will be well on your way. The trick is to commit to it, and schedule in, just the same as any other appt. If you only have 30 minutes, I recommend the Jillian Michaels DVDs.

Good luck!

Pat

paruls86

Hey i don find tim in d morning so i workout at night... M trying to wake up early and fit in a walk... But... I wolud afvice walking ... A lot whether u are gng off for work or picking up supplies... Walk... It keeps your heart rate up and if you do it several times a day you'd be burning regularly... If urs is adsk job den do leg raises and stuff...

GorillaNJ

Find a gym with a day care center... and really early hours.

I work 7:30-3:30 but have an hour and a half commute each way. After work each day I pick up the kids from afterschool and go directly to the gym I normally get there at 5:30 and workout for an hour. Then it is home to cook dinner and all that good stuff.

Come baseball and football seasons i coach for both of my kids teams... so that has me going to the gym at least once a week at 5am before catching my 6am train.

Weekends I get my workouts done first thing, at the gym when they open the doors at 7 and Sundays i am out running once the sun breaks the horizon.

It is not easy but it is the only way it works for me

therealangd

You can get up 30 minutes early.
You can take 30 minutes of your lunch break.
You can take 30 minutes while your husband takes care of the kids and gives them baths and puts them to bed.
You can take 30 minutes at 8:30 instead of relaxing.

mcelledge

I'm not sure how far you drive to work or what you do . What about during lunch? can you go to a nearby gym or curves or maybe even just a walk around the block ( fast walk in tennis shoes) is there an inside place like a mall you could walk at during lunch on rainy days. Saturdays that are pretty maybe you could take the children to the park? or walking trail? get a friend to go along to help watch them. Good luck you can do it. 30 minutes at at time is better than nothing.

CalJur

You will NEVER find time. You must MAKE time. Discuss with your spouse/significant other if that helps. Workout very early or late at night but time is there. We all lead very busy and challenging lives but you have to make the time as you do for other things in life.

cyclerjenn

I was in your spot except I was a single mom. How I fit exercise into my day was to take the kids to the park and we would ride our bikes there. Do a quick workout video at home before getting ready for work, and exersice with the kids. My son used to love to lift the little 2 pound weight like he was superman.

After the kids grow I found I no longer had someone to keep me accountable and that was when I lost it. Now I use my time to work as my work out by taking the bus and getting off a few blocks before my stop so I walk or riding my bike. I also keep a resitance band at my desk and take a walk to the park durning lunchand just spend a quick 20 minutes with the band.

NICOLED73

I know sometimes it's easier said than done.
But if you truly want this and are ready for it, you'll make the time.
Your husband is going to have to help. Talk with him about it.

fteale

I think it's a lot easier to find the time as a working mother, as you have childcare arrangements already in place. It is A LOT harder when you are a stay at home mother to pre-school aged children, with absolutely no access to childcare and children who can't be left to themselves for 5 minutes without killing each other. You don't get lunch breaks as a SAHM, for a start. Hell, you don't even get loo breaks.

*disclaimer, I am a student and have childcare, but didn't for 3 years and it was incredibly hard to do anything at at all.

greeneyed_beachgirl

You have to make time. I'm a single mother of 4 kids that works full time.

I get up at 5:15 instead of at 6 so I can get 1/2 hour of some kind of workout in before I get in the shower and start the day. I do things that I can include the kids in after work/school like dancing, swimming, playing sports or I do dvd's in the living room while they are doing homework or playing video games.

I make time just for me. It's hard to do, I felt guilty at first. But I go for walks or a run. I do something by myself even if it's only for 20 minutes at least a couple of times a week.

The kids love that I am more physically active, they love joining me. My younger two can recite Workout 1 on 30DS verbatim. They even do some of the dvd's with me.

Part of the reason you are doing this is for your kids I am sure, a healthy mommy is a happy mommy! It's worth the effort and the sacrifice!

Lleldiranne

I know it's early, but you could get up a bit earlier and pop in a video. Check the library, you may be able to borrow some for free (or if you have Netflix, they have a bunch of options, too). Even 20-30 minutes a morning can make a big difference - and you'll have more energy for the rest of the day!

Another option is to work out over your lunch break; this is what my husband does. He is lucky enough to have a small gym in his work building, and his schedule is such that there's no one else there. He will spend 20-30 minutes on the treadmill or elliptical and then he will eat lunch at his desk. (He is also lucky enough to not get too sweaty/stinky, somehow). If you don't have a gym, you can always go for a fast walk over lunch.

Take your kids to the park and play with them - you'll get a good workout by climbing, swinging, sliding, or playing tag. Or put them in the stroller and go for a nice walk in the evening (I don't know how old your kids are, but adjust to their age). And, like another poster said, many gyms have child care facilities.

It's a matter of being creative and sticking to your choices. :happy:

yoovie

Carve out an hour for yourself every day. EVERY mom is entitled to one freaking HOUR of her own time. Every day.

Take it in the morning, or the evening. Use it for workouts, bubble baths, walks, long stretching sessions, hot pilates to your favorite rock cd from highschool, boxing in the garage when youre pissed off, all the stuff you used to do to pamper yourself before you got married and had kids.

as caljur said

You will NEVER find time. You must MAKE time.

no one gets more time.
no one is handed a solution.

the secret to success is realizing that every single step is100 % yours. Your decision. Your problem to solve. Your opportunity to change your life. Your ability to change your body. Your War.

And no one that isnt ready to take on that responsibility with genuine commitment is going to understand what that really means.

jeni27

Hi this is exactly what I need I also have two kids 7 and 3 basically I get up at 6.30 get ready walk to school then all day with my 3 year old pick up my 7 year old take them both home before I go to work at 4 and get home at 9 then it's school stuff out for the morning housework and bed I used to walk a lot but my 3 year old does not want to go in the pram any more so Very limited on how long and how fast I can walk now any suggestions would be helpfull and any new freinds would be lovely

lkell13

For the longest time I used not having enough time in the day as an excuse for me not working out. I am a full time college student, who works 30+ hours a week, and Interns one day a week for 9 hours, all while studying for my LSAT. I would tell myself that i dont have time to work out because school and work need to be my priority. Now I am making my health a priority as well. Since I leave for school at 730 in the morning and dont get home from work until 8 at night, with no breaks in between, I decided that the only possible solution would be to wake up even earlier (5:45). It is not the ideal situation, but working out gives me energy, and atleast you can get it over with early, instead of dreading it all day long.

So my advice for you, would be to make your health a priority. Sometimes you need to make sacrafices, whether it be an hour of sleep, or an hour of relaxation time at night. In the long run it will all be worth it.

yoovie

Hi this is exactly what I need I also have two kids 7 and 3 basically I get up at 6.30 get ready walk to school then all day with my 3 year old pick up my 7 year old take them both home before I go to work at 4 and get home at 9 then it's school stuff out for the morning housework and bed I used to walk a lot but my 3 year old does not want to go in the pram any more so Very limited on how long and how fast I can walk now any suggestions would be helpfull and any new freinds would be lovely

did you read any of the previous answers by any chance?

NICOLED73

Hi this is exactly what I need I also have two kids 7 and 3 basically I get up at 6.30 get ready walk to school then all day with my 3 year old pick up my 7 year old take them both home before I go to work at 4 and get home at 9 then it's school stuff out for the morning housework and bed I used to walk a lot but my 3 year old does not want to go in the pram any more so Very limited on how long and how fast I can walk now any suggestions would be helpfull and any new freinds would be lovely

Does your 3 year old nap during the day? That would be perfect time!

thepetiterunner

It's just about making a commitment. Once you decide that working out and taking care of yourself is as non-negotiable as feeding the kids, making dinner, soccer practice, etc, you'll be amazed at how the time just "suddenly" appears.

I get up at 4-4:30 am most days to get my workouts in. I go to Pilates class or go on runs during my lunch break. I make a point of getting up early Saturday morning to get a workout in before I spend the day with the boyfriend.

You just have to commit to making the time. It's as simple and hard as that.

NICOLED73

I Saturday morning to get a workout in before I spend the day with the boyfriend.

You just have to commit to making the time. It's as simple and hard as that.

Yep. I have to put my workouts before the boyfriend. In the end he appreciates it and always says how proud he is of me.